Local Culture

How to read gaelic place names on durness maps and what they reveal about the landscape

Dec 02, 2025 • by Élise Dupont

I still remember the first time I unfolded an Ordnance Survey map on a wind-blasted beach in the far north and tried to make sense of the cluster of unfamiliar words around me. Gaelic place names felt like a secret code that locals read like weather charts — telling you where the cliffs were...

How to forage seaweed sustainably near durness and simple recipes to try at your accommodation

Dec 02, 2025 • by Élise Dupont

I love wandering the tidal edges around Durness — those wind-scoured rocks, drifts of wrack and quiet little coves where the sea leaves gifts on the shore. Foraging for seaweed is one of my favourite ways to connect with this landscape: it’s immediate, sustainable when done right, and the...

Local festivals and crofting traditions worth timing your visit for in the north west highlands

Dec 02, 2025 • by Élise Dupont

I time many of my visits to Durness and the surrounding north‑west Highlands around local gatherings. There’s nothing like a village gala, a crofter’s open day or a ceilidh to make the landscape feel lived in—sudden pockets of warmth and noise amid the wind‑scoured cliffs and empty...

Which croft shops sell fresh shellfish in durness and how to ask for local recommendations

Dec 02, 2025 • by Élise Dupont

I pick up fresh shellfish in and around Durness more often than I buy souvenirs. There’s something about the briny taste of scallops or the sweet meat of a fresh crab that makes a long walk along a salt-washed cliff feel complete. If you’re visiting the far north and want to know which croft...