Balnakeil - Most of my pictures of Scotland are of the rugged beauty of her mountain landscape, but the coastline of Scotland also deserves attention from the landscape photographer. This photograph shows one of Scotlands most Northerly beaches at Balnakeil Bay near Cape Wrath at the North West tip of Scotland . Stand on this beach in the evening and you will wonder where the phrase light pollution came from, the stars seem to be within touching distance and the feeling of never ending space is as great as on any mountain top. The bay lies on the western side of Faraid Head a favourite haunt of Puffins and a walk along this finger of land, stretching out into the Pentland Firth is well worth the effort

Balnakeil takes its name from the Gaelic word "Bal - Na - Cille"or "Bay of the Church". The first church was built here early in the eighth century by followers of St. Maelrubba who founded the Monastery at Applecross. The ruins of a later church are still very much in evidence and in the cemetry can be found the grave of the Gaelic poet Robb Donn MacKay. A skull and cross bones can be found in the grave yard which marks the resting place of Donald MacMurchow, a highwayman who is reputed to have murdered eighteen people.The area is full of History, in 1734 over one hundred and seventy Highlanders from the "Land of MacKays" left here for America to help found the colony of Georgia. Sitting on the edge of the bay is Balnakeil House which was built between 1720 and 1744 on the site of the earlier summer palace of the Bishops of Caithness.

The visitor to the area will find plenty to do and plenty to see, try a round of golf on the nine hole course and feel your hands tremble as you attempt the drive across the Atlantic at the last hole. Visit the craft village of Balnakeil where you can see and purchase the work of local artists, at nearby Durness you can explore the famous Smoo Cave, a sea cave whre evidence has been found to suggest human occupation of the cave dating back 5000 years.To visit the most North Westerly tip of Scotland at Cape Wrath catch the passenger ferry at Keodale, a minibus tgransports you to the lighthouse at Cape Wrath.

If all this activity seems to much, you can of course sit on Balnakeil Beach and watch the surf roll in from the Atlantic ,or visit one of the many other magnificent beaches that surround this area.

To find out more about the area visit the Durness Community web pages.