Kyle of Tongue – Image Credit: 13422316@N00 (Flickr)

Coldbackie is my favorite place in the whole world. It’s a wee gem of a Sutherland township with around 8 houses in it. My Nan and Grandad bought a croft there in the 50′s and I try to visit it as much as possible, and not nearly as often as I would like. In short, I think it’s brilliant.

Coldbackie itself is in the very north of Scotland, with hardly anyone knowing about it. The only time I knew anyone hearing about it was when Jeremy Clarkson drove a land rover up the watch hill on Top Gear. However that’s why its so great. It’s the only place I know where you can walk along a half mile beach and not meet another soul. If you throw in the burns, woods, and the watch hill – which gives 50 mile views in every direction – you can see why I love this place so much.

However, with Coldbackie you have the small things too. Inside the woods and burn, you have the old mill. a broken down mill beside a picturesque waterfall. With the watch hill, you have the hidden loch. No one knows about it, and it is 5 minutes from views to the Orkney Islands and the old man of hoy, from the top of the watch hill. While, at the beach, you have hidden caves and waterfalls. This includes a natural waterslide waterfall flowing down into the sea which my brothers and I threw ourselves down as kids. If you add these things all together, you’ve got one hell of a place.

Post written by Charlie Davidson