The village of Helmsdale

Helmsdale is a small harbour village with an array of shops, restaurants, bars and public transport links. 'The Emigrants' statue in the village’s Couper Park, commemorates the Highland Clearances and is the venue for the Helmsdale Highland Games every August.  There is a Heritage Trail starting at the Timespan Museum & Arts Centre in the harbour which provides a fascinating history of the village and surrounding area. The beach in Helmsdale is well known for its rock pools and as the best place to discover Jurassic fossils in Scotland.

Nine miles inland from the village of Helmsdale is Kildonan Burn, the site of the Great Sutherland Gold Rush of 1869. Today you have more chance of finding fossils and gemstones on the shoreline than gold in the hills - but you can always try your luck!

The lodge is also is an excellent base for fishing on the river Helmsdale, with appropriate permits and equipment available locally.

Helmsdale and the surrounding area

Helmsdale Lodge is an excellent base for a longer stay to discover the delights of this part of Caithness and Sutherland, both on the coast and exploring inland into the remote and dramatic landscapes. The lodge is within range of some of the most challenging far north Graham and Marilyn Hills such as Morven, Scaraben and Beinn Dhorain. It is popular with walking groups and the location offers excellent winter walking opportunities.

Day trips from the lodge include Dunrobin Castle and falconry display, Clynelish Distillery and Baile an Or gold panning site. Spectacular beaches in Helmsdale, Brora and Golspie offer frequent sightings of local marine life including seals, dolphins, and whales. Helmsdale is also excellently placed for exploring the fascinating archaeological sites and historic monuments of northern Sutherland and Caithness where the remains of over 5000 years of human activity are still scattered around the landscape.

Touring the north of Scotland

Helmsdale Lodge is a well-established overnight stop on the classic Land’s End to John O’Groats walking and cycle routes.  It is also a midway point on the new 147 mile John O'Groats Trail from Inverness to John O' Groats and a popular base with walkers utilising public transport between each  daily stretch. The lodge is also an ideal base for exploring the North Coast 500 road route,  which brings together just over 500 miles of a circular route of stunning coastal and mountain scenery in the far north of Scotland.