Visiting Dornoch during Covid-19

Is it safe to go to Dornoch?  Is Dornoch open for business?  These are some of the many questions we have been asked through our Visit Dornoch Facebook Page and the answer is a big YES.  Dornoch is open for business and you can Dine, Dream and Discover safely in Dornoch, so why not visit us this winter?

As a small town in the Highlands of Scotland where tourism is our main business, we take our responsibility very seriously to keep our visitors, our community and our staff safe.  We spent a lot of time in lockdown learning about the cleaning protocols and carrying out risk assessments to make sure we were ready to welcome self-catering visitors on 3^rd July and then to open all hospitality as regulations allowed.

We worked with our community to understand their concerns and developed the Dornoch Visitor Charter 2020 and businesses signed up for the ‘We’re Good to Go’ quality assurance scheme launched in June  – look out for the sign

We support the Scottish Government’s FACTS

Face covering must be worn in shops, and when moving around in cafes and restaurants

Avoid crowded places – come back later when there is no queue – book a table ahead of your visit!

Clean hands and surfaces regularly – use the hand sanitiser provided by all businesses

Two metres is the social distancing rule

Self-isolate and book a test if you have COVID 19 symptoms

When visiting Dornoch you may find some shops have a limit to how many can enter at one time, others may have markers on the floor to help show you how much distance to keep.  It is the little things that go a long way, and this is something that all of our businesses have got behind to ensure visitors, staff and locals feel safe at all times. You are always assured of a warm (but socially distanced) welcome!

 

Protect Scotland

Visit Dornoch are proud ambassadors for the new test and protect app from the Scottish Government. We are encouraging everyone to simply download the Protect Scotland app and join us as we try to keep everyone safe on their staycation.  It takes two minutes and all you have to do is have the app on your phone, the Bluetooth does the rest for you and you will be notified if you have come in contact with anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19 within the last 14 days.

Visit Dornoch are taking all steps to ensure everyone is as safe as possible.  We are open for business and visitors are very welcome.   We understand it is a little different, but we are confident you will have the best time when discovering Dornoch – we look forward to sharing our wide open spaces and historic Highland town with you – so start planning your trip today!

 

Email info@VisitDornoch.com  or message us on Facebook if you have any questions.

 

#InItTogether

#discoverDornoch

 

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The year of staycations and remote working

Nearly half of the United Kingdom's 30 million employees have worked from home during the pandemic according to the country's statistics body, but has the novelty worn off? Most of us quite enjoyed being able to work from the safety and comfort of our own homes, but as we have been doing it for quite a while over the past months, it no longer gives you that warm cosy feeling of working in your slippers.

As 2020 has turned into the year of the Staycation, Dornoch has absolutely loved welcoming visitors from all over the UK.   It has continued to deliver its famous Highland hospitality while respecting social distancing.  The businesses have signed up to the ‘Good to Go’ quality assurance scheme so you can be sure that safety protocols are being followed to ensure your safety. If you are feeling a little low about the thought of working remotely or are perhaps planning your next Staycation, why not plan your next trip around where the Wi-Fi is!

By embracing the staycation trend and adhering to government guidelines you can still enjoy remote working while embracing the very best the Scottish Highlands has to offer in Dornoch!  As long as there is Wi-Fi you can have peace of mind that you can jump on that Zoom meeting or have the teams calls daily…just with a better view.

We are all adapting to the new normal but working from home might not be as exciting as it once was, especially with the winter months looming.  But imagine starting your day by looking over majestic landscapes and walking along the miles of unspoilt beach.  Clear your mind and lungs and get ready to enjoy working from your Highland home!  Dornoch is open, the season has extended, and this special Highland town is ready to provide that warm (socially distanced) welcome.  Dornoch has a historic town centre with cathedral, castle, jail & courthouse nestling round the green and a range of local cafes, restaurants and shops, so is the perfect base for you to explore when the work is done for the day.

A staycation in Dornoch will recharge your batteries and set you up for the winter, so check out the great range of wonderful holiday cottages and Scottish holiday lodges at VisitDornoch.com. It is important when booking your Staycation that you adhere to government guidelines and are aware of the latest information from the Scottish Government.

If you are ready to plan your next break in the Scottish Highlands, it’s time to Discover Dornoch!

Self-catering Scottish breaks

Bed and Breakfast Scotland

Highland Hotel Breaks

 

 

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Ten things to DO in Dornoch: Winter

Shop
Dornoch boasts over 20 independent shops! Why not do your Christmas shopping in a relaxed atmosphere without the crowds and the rush this year? Shop in Dornoch this festive season.

Walk
Walk the deserted beaches of Sutherland and soak up the peace and tranquility that our beautiful coastline has to offer.

Discover willdlife
Discover the vast array of winter Highland wildlife. Spot seals and dolphins, flocks of geese and listen out for stags roaring!

Visit Loch Fleet
Loch Fleet is a must see at all times of year. This tidal sea loch just up the coast from Embo is home to hundreds of seals and many breeds of sea bird as well as many other forms of sealife along it's shores. Catch it at low tide and watch the seals lazing on the sand banks before slipping off back into the water. Don't forget your binoculars!

Northern Lights
Will you be lucky this year and spot the incredible Northern lights during your Highland stay? There are many opportunities to spy the 'Merrie Dancers' during the winter months in the far north.

Winter Golf
Winter is the perfect time to come for a golfing break in Scotland! Visit us in Dornoch and enjoy the crisp sunny days on our work renowned golf course!

Wild Swim
It may seem like an odd time of year for a dip in the sea but there is a great tradition in Scotland called the Loony Dook where folk take a cold dip on New Year's day! Make sure you take your own refreshing Highland swim during your Highland winter break (and bring a wetsuit!!)

Explore by bike
There are many places locally which can be explored by bike. From woods to quite country roads and more formal mountain bike trails. Why not hire a bike whilst you are here from Dornoch Bike Hire?

Whisky Tasting
Although most more traditional Whisky tastings are on hold this year, you can still visit our very own world famous Dornoch Castle Whisky bar. You can enjoy a meal in their newly refurbished restaurant whilst sipping some very rare and special drams! Pop next door to the Carnegie Whisky Cellars and buy your very own bottle to take home.

Discover Sutherland's beaches
The Northern Highlands has a huge array of beaches waiting to be explored: from the craggy and stony to miles of golden sands or small coves with white sand and turquoise seas- there are so many to choose from and they are all equally special in their own way. Of course our favourite beach is our very own award winning Dornoch beach with a very close second place being our neighbour Embo...... but as there are so many other glorious beaches to visit whilst you are visiting Dornoch!

 

 

 

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Get started early with your Christmas shopping and shop local to avoid the crowds!

We know it is early to start thinking about Christmas but why not get ahead of the crowds and start shopping early this year? Better yet, avoid the crowds altogether and shop for all your Christmas presents locally in our gorgeous range of independent shops. Combine with some lunch in one of our many cafes and stop for an afternoon tea or hot chocolate break and make a day of it! See some ideas below for some great Christmas present shops.

Make your Christmas shopping a fun and pleasurable experience this year. Skip the crowds and come to Dornoch for a wonderful festive experience.

With over 20 independent shops to choose from, Dornoch is an ideal location to find that unusual gift, piece of jewellery or special cashmere jumper.

Jail Dornoch combines its historical setting of old cells with contemporary design to display a range of luxurious clothing, country wear, exquisite gifts, jewellery, Scottish pottery and glassware. New for 2019 is Becca Mac, a ladies’ and gents’ boutique with the very latest fashions.

Browse in the Dornoch Bookshop for your Christmas reading, pick up a tartan rug and a length of tweed at Kingcraig, or explore the Aladdin’s cave that is Simply The Best Fair Trade Gift & Toy Shop and its sister shop Outside the Box.

 

 

Simply the Best and Outside the box

 

Mitchell's Chemist

Mitchells Chemist is a family run community pharmacy. Alongside the usual facitilities you would expect in a pharmacy, Mitchell's chemist also stocks an extensive range of gifts including candles, makeup, scarves and designer handbags and purses including Kipling, Brakeburn and Oilily.

Dornoch Garden Centre

Dornoch Garden Centre and Tool Hire is located in the Retail Park. An ideal place to shop for the gardening enthusiast there is a great range of outdoor clothing and fishing tackle, DIY tools, plants, seeds, bird feeders and gardening equipment. They also have clothing from brands such as Crocs, Hoggs of Fife, Joules, Deerhunter, Muckboots and Jack Murphy and don't forget to head down for your REAL christmas tree!

Kingcraig Fabrics

For everything tweed and tartan,  Kingcraig fabrics is the place to go. They specialise in Scottish Woollen goods including travel rugs, scarves, bags, hats, tweed and tartan fabrics as well as luxury knitting yarns. They also have a range of beautiful cashmere goods and yarns. Get an extra special one-off gift made to your own specifications- cushions, curtains, bags and capes.

The Jail and Country Interiors

Dornoch Stores

Barn Owl Bothy

The Carnegie Whisky Cellars

Royal Dornoch Golf Pro Shop

What better gift for a golfer than Royal Dornoch branded goods in the Pro’s Shop including golf balls, tees, hats, jumpers and tee shirts.

 

Why not treat yourself to a hair or nail treatment at Hair & Beauty in Dornoch or the luxury of a relaxing massage at Aspen Spa in the Carnegie Courthouse or alternatively purchase a voucher for a loved one? You can also get vouchers from Ultimuttly Groomed  and Go Wild Highlands.

These are just a few of the wonderful shops we have in Dornoch, take a look at the shopping section of our website for a full list of all our wonderful shops!

 

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Visit Dornoch Photographic Competition

Join Visit Dornoch in our ‘Dornoch for a Day’ Photograph competition by showing us your favourite photographs taken in Dornoch.   We want to show the world what this small town on the edge of the Dornoch Firth has to offer; beautiful landscapes, historic castles, fresh local food and so much more.

With £350 worth of prizes and the chance to have your photograph or video seen by thousands across the country, it’s an opportunity not to be missed!

1^st Prize: £200 Voucher for Ffordes Photography Equipment

2 x Runner up prizes of £75 for a voucher at your choice of retailer.

This is a photographic competition that is open to everyone and all areas of photography; stills or video.

You can enter photographs or videos you have taken of landscapes, people, objects or buildings, in fact, anything that you feel sums up the spirit of beautiful Dornoch in Winter. It’s easy and fun to enter by simply sharing them on Facebook or Instagram with #dornochinwinter. Please just ensure your images or videos are made public.

The competition will be judged by Visit Scotland, and you can enter as many times as you like so get that camera or phone out.

Competition Closing Date: 12.00pm GMT 2^nd November 2020

Click here to view full terms and conditions of the Visit Dornoch Photographic Competition

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The Perfect Antidote to Winter is a Coorie Holiday in Dornoch

As summer comes to a close and the trees are starting to lose their leaves, it’s a sign that Winter is on its way.   Usually this is a time when we like to hunker down at home, but here in Dornoch we have the perfect Antidote to winter….Coorie (Scottish term ‘to snuggle, nestle’).

Coorie is the cosiest solution to those rainy days and dark mornings. Just like the Danish term Hygge, Coorie is about making the most of the shorter days and enjoying the magic of winter. Dornoch is the perfect place to embrace Coorie, the new Scottish lifestyle trend.

Here in Dornoch it’s the perfect environment to embrace the outdoors, with its miles of unspoilt beaches, spectacular hills and being surrounded by nature - it gives us a feeling of wellness. But after hours of exploration, you can look forward to finding yourself in a wee cosy pub or enjoying home baking and a warming coffee after a bracing walk, or just spending quality time with your loved ones in a highland cottage.

Many of us missed out on our usual summer holiday but perhaps this is the opportunity to try something different for your winter break and embrace the outdoors.   Whilst winter in Dornoch can be wild and rugged you may be surprised to know that we have around the same rainfall as London.  This makes it the perfect place for exploring a rich variety of history, wildlife, culture and stunning scenery which will capture your imagination.  Whilst back in the town our friendly locals love nothing more than to share their local knowledge and produce.   Dornoch town has many cosy highland hideaways to choose from, and with several local pubs to enjoy a Whisky by a roaring fire after a day on the hills, it’s the perfect end to any day in Dornoch.

So, if you love beautiful landscapes, friendly locals, independent shops and a region that is rich in history and nature, winter is a glorious time to visit Dornoch.

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A day out in Dornoch this Autumn

Whether you are a local, here on holiday or just passing through on the North Coast 500, Dornoch is the perfect place for a day out.

Below are 4 itineraries of things to do to fill these beautiful bright Autumn days in Dornoch.

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Itinerary #1

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Start the day with breakfast in the The Courtroom Dornoch. Choose from their fantastic menu and sit back and admire the court scene mural, browse the newspapers provided and review the Carnegie memorabilia. Wander up Castle Street to Dornoch Stores to get yourself some tasty treats. The store offers a full range of food and drink including fruit, vegetables, meat, game, fish, cheese and dairy products. They focus upon local Highland and Scottish produce and have a fantastic range to choose from the make the perfect picnic!

Head down to Dornoch Beach and spread a rug on the sand or choose from one of the benches to enjoy your lunch on. If you have children, make the most of the new playpark which is situated next to the beach. After lunch take a leisurely walk along the golden sands towards Embo. Stop to paddle in the shallows or explore the rock pools.

For your evening meal, book a table at The Eagle Dornoch. The Eagle serves some great locally sourced and wholesome pub grub as well as a wide range of real ales and more than fifty Malt whiskies available for you to try, a few of which are locally distilled. It has a great atmosphere and is the perfect place to get ‘the craic’ with the staff and other guests. The Eagle also has rooms if you are looking for a bed for the night.

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Itinerary #2

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Start the day with a nail treatment at Dornoch Hair and Beauty which is situated in St Gilbert Street in the centre of Dornoch. They have a range of treatments available- what a wonderful way to start your day out! For those amongst you who don’t enjoy having your nails done, why not treat your dog instead?! Make an appointment to see Vicki at Ultimuttly Groomed– she specialises in all aspects of dog grooming including hand stripping, bath & brush, full grooms, nail trimming, and clipping and can provide a luxurious experience for your VIP pooch. Then pop across to the Barn Owl Bothy to browse their wonderful range of arts and crafts which have been made by local designers and makers.

The Coach House Bar and Restaurant (formerly the Dornoch Inn) offers an extensive Bar Menu including Dornoch Farm Butcher burgers, steak pie, Bannermans of Tain scampi, all day breakfast, toasties and sandwiches. Their restaurant menu includes starters such as ham hoche terrine, haggis tower, crab cakes, pork spare ribs and breaded brie wedges.

Time for a walk to blow away the cobwebs after lunch! Dornoch is rich in history and a very good introduction is to follow the Historylinks Trail, available from Historylinks Museum. This walking tour starts and ends at the museum and takes in many interesting sites around the town.

After your walk pop into some of our independent shops. Jail Dornoch is the perfect place to start. Situated in the centre of the town, it is a wonderful, historic building- Sutherland’s 19th century jail. In 2000 it was completely transformed into a unique shop selling clothing, accessories, arts and gifts. Just over the road is the Jail’s sister shop, Country Interiors, which is an Aladdin’s cave of beautiful decorative objects, gifts, soft furnishings and furniture.

Once you’ve spent the afternoon shopping it’s time to relax over dinner. The Dornoch Castle Hotel’s Garden Restaurant overlooks  the formal walled gardens and is the perfect place to end your day in Dornoch. They have maintained an AA Rosette status for six years running and use locally sourced produce to highlight all that Scottish cuisine has to offer. Enjoy a whisky after your meal in the world famous Whisky Bar and be sure to try the Thompson Brother’s Gin which is distilled on site in the Dornoch Distillery. If you are looking for a bed for the night after your day out then The Dornoch Castle is a wonderful place to spend a night in the Highlands.

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Itinerary #3

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Start your day by exploring Dornoch’s high street; the perfect place to take a wander on a sunny Autumn day. It’s picturesque and historical centre was shortlisted in 2016 for the Great British High Street Awards and has many hidden delights ready to explore. Look out for the renowned Dornoch Bookshop which has an incredible range of books including Scottish, Travel, Biography, Fiction, Crime and Cookery sections aswell as an acclaimed children’s corner.

After lunch visit the relaxing Aspen Spa which is based in the Carnegie Courthouse in the centre of the town.Treat yourself to one of their luxury face, body, massage, nail or grooming treatments. Their shop has a range of gorgeous products as well as a health, home spa & beauty products and gifts vouchers. Complete your afternoon of relaxation by booking onto a Whisky or Gin tasting at the award- winning Carnegie Whisky Cellars. Whether you are a novice wanting an introduction or a connoisseur, the tasting experience in the original Dornoch Courthouse Record Room with its atmospheric vaulted ceiling and with walls lined with exclusive bottles of malt whisky will be an experience to remember.

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Itinerary #4

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Wake up early and head along the old railway line towards Embo. During this walk you will pass through woodland, fields and beaches and walk alongside the world-famous Royal Dornoch Golf Course.  Before lunch do a spot of shopping in Simply the Best Fairtrade Shop which sells an incredible range of fair trade gifts and food. Dogs are welcome and so if you have been walking with your dog you can take them in to browse with you!

For lunch go to Harry Gow’s. They have quiches, sandwiches and other savoury treats as well as ice cream and fantastic sweets and cakes. Everything is made fresh on site and there is wifi so you can catch up on emails whilst you eat. Afterwards head to Kingcraig fabrics to take a look at their Scottish Woollen goods which include travel rugs, scarves, bags, hats, tweed and tartan fabrics as well as luxury knitting yarns. Why not buy something unique and order a cushion, curtain, bag or cape in your choice of fabric.

It is definitely time for tea and at Links House you can experience an Afternoon Tea that is extra special. Sandwiches and savouries, homemade cakes and mini desserts surrounded by the charm, grace and elegance of one of the world’s finest small hotels. You can also buy gift vouchers if you would like to treat a friend.

End your day by booking a bespoke tour around the local area with Dornoch Private Hire (DPH) Sit back and enjoy the views in comfort in one of their luxury vehicles.

For accommodation options check out the Visit Dornoch website.

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