Tongue, across the Kyle and a little farther

Coldbackie gives you the first glimpse of sand as you approach Tongue from the east. A little farther on, Ben Loyal fills the view ahead, and if I’ve no particular business in the village, this is where I like to leave the main road and take the little road down past the old wharf. You come out with the Kyle in front of you and Ben Loyal across the water. Go into the village and you’ll see how much has changed in the past ten years.

Some of the old stone buildings have been restored beautifully, though when everything is this bright and fresh it can feel a little like 'Disney does the Highlands'. I think it’ll settle as the stone and timber weather. You can read about the man behind much of that change in our article on Anders Holch Povlsen. If you’re thinking of staying, much of the accommodation is at the higher end, and the Tongue Hotel has a good restaurant.

There’s a small fuel station and a public loo, and with so few buses I’d want my own way of getting about. If you’re stopping in the village, the walk I’d make time for is to Castle Varrich. The ruin looks quite small from below, but once you’re up there you can look down over the Kyle and see how much country that little tower commands. It’s a good walk to do straight from the village before you get back in the car. My favourite outing, though, is to go west across the causeway and turn right for Melness.

At Talmine there are picnic benches by the bay, and if the sun catches the shallows while you’re eating your lunch, the water can turn a quite startling turquoise. I’d carry on a little farther to Port Vasgo, where there’s a small rocky cove and a cluster of old buildings. In the blogcast I’ll take you round the head of the Kyle on the old road and tell you what happened when Lord Reay sent for fairies to build him a shortcut.

To learn more, listen to the blogcast or book one of our North Coast Explorer private tours.