The Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east if Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty to the south, and Sutherland, to the North. Together with Lock Fleet it is a designed as a Special Protection Are (SPA) for wildlife conservation purposes. Additionally, together with Morrich More, it has the designation of Special Area of Conservation. In 1991 the Firth was bridged, the new Dornoch Bridge providing a shorter route on the A9 road between Inverness and Thurso; until then traffic had to go by way of Bonar Bridge at the head of the inlet. A hill in Easter Ross, Struie Hill rises to 373m(1223 feet) to the south of the Dornoch Firth, 7 miles (11km) northwest of Tain. The B9176 Struie Road from Alness to Bonar Bridge was a former drove road develop in 1810-15 by the Commission for Highland Roads and Bridges. moving on to millionaire view point 10 mins drive

Millionaire’s View at Struie Hill From there we travel to Millionaire’s View at Struie Hill, an elevated viewpoint overlooking the Dornoch Firth with spectacular views towards the mountains of Sutherland. We will spend around 15 minutes here, plenty of time to take a walk around and get some fantastic shots of the landscape. moving on to clynelish distillery 45 mins drive

Founded in 1819, under the name Clynelish, the distillery was established by the Marquis of Stafford who, after marrying into the Sutherland family, became the first Duke of Sutherland. The distillery was initially intended to take some proportion of local whisky supply away from the area's smuggling fraternity. After purchase in 1896 by James Ainslie & Heilbron, a Glasgow-based blending company, the distillery was rebuilt and still retains the floor maltings and kiln that were then installed. In 1967, a build commenced on a new distillery, also named Clynelish, located just across the road from the original Clynelish. The build was completed a year later and the former Clynelish distillery was renamed Brora (pronounced ‘Broar-err’) in 1969. The name derives from the Old Norse ‘Bru’r aa’ meaning ‘the bridges river’. Brora was purchased in 1930 by Scottish Malt Distillers, who later became a subsidiary of Diageo. moving on to dunrobin castle and gardens 15 mins drive

Dunrobin Castle The tour then proceeds towards Dunrobin Castle, one of Scotland’s most impressive stately homes and the largest in the northern Highlands. Take some time to wander the castle, it’s gardens and grounds. We will spend around 1 hour 30 minutes here, plenty of time to take in the impressive museum collections and falconry demonstrations. An excellent opportunity to learn more about this gorgeous, historic estate and the Clan Sutherland, for whom this place is the family seat. moving on to loch fleet 20 min drive

from dunrobin castle on to Loch Fleet (Scottish Gaelic: Loch Fleòid) is a sea loch on the east coast of Scotland, located between Golspie and Dornoch. It forms the estuary of the River Fleet, a small spate river that rises in the hills east of Lairg. The loch was designated a National Nature Reserve (NNR) in 1998, and is managed by a partnership between NatureScot, the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) and Sutherland Estates. The NNR extends to 1058 hectares, including the Loch Fleet tidal basin, sand dunes, shingle ridges and the adjacent pine woods, including Balblair Wood and Ferry Wood. The tidal basin of the loch covers over 630 ha, and forms the largest habitat on the NNR. moving on to Dornoch 20 mins drive

Dornoch From loch fleet, it’s a short drive to the town of Dornoch, former royal burgh and home to some of the most gorgeous beaches and coasts in the Highlands. Famous for its 400 years of golfing history, Dornoch is a popular destination for visitors. The beautiful town centre and Cathedral are straight out of a painting and steeped in history. Spend some time perusing the many boutique shops offering the finest of local food and craft, as well as the 13th-century Cathedral, for around 1 hour. ang back to your ship 30 mins drive