Our Region

The maps and images on this page illustrate where Sutherland is and what it looks like. You may also want to visit The Internet Guide to Scotland. It is a wonderful online resource, and their page “The Far North, Caithness and Sutherland”, offers information, photographs and links for many of the towns in the region. Visit The Internet Guide to Scotland at http://www.scotland-info.co.uk/caithnes.htm

During the nineteenth century, the Dukes of Sutherland owned virtually the whole of the modern county of Sutherland. The western area of Assynt, which was purchased in the mid-eighteenth century was actually MacLeod country, and the northwestern area of Strathnaver was MacKay territory.


Much of the northern region is wilderness. The scenery varies from panoramic mountain views and tiny islands to moorland and remote sandy beaches. There are dozens of ruined castles and ancient monuments, particularly in the east.

The mountains emerge from the clouds around Ben Klibreck, south of Tongue.1

River Shin2

Central Sutherland

Stormy Day, Ardvreck Castle and Loch Assynt3

Suilven from Canisp, in the Assynt Mountains.4

A beach near Durness.5

Most of Clan Sutherland’s history revolves around east coast towns such as Golspie, Dornoch, Brora and Helmsdale.

River Helmsdale

A street in Helmsdale

A Parade in Golspie

The Ancient Golspie Broch

The Coast near Brora

Dornoch Catherdal6

Sutherland, on the northwest coast7

1 Picture courtesy of and copyright by The Internet Guide to Scotland.
2 Picture courtesy of The Internet Guide to Scotland.
3 Picture courtesy of and copyright by Gordon C Harrison atĀ http://www.gordon-c-harrison.co.uk/
4 Picture courtesy of and copyright by The Internet Guide to Scotland.
5 Picture courtesy of and copyright by The Internet Guide to Scotland.
6 Picture courtesy of The Dornoch Community Website atĀ http://www.dornoch.org.uk/
7 Picture courtesy of Dave Armstrong.