Reay Golf Club

Reay Golf Club is the most northerly 18-hole links course on the British mainland — five miles further north than Royal Dornoch, eight miles east of Thurso. The course was designed in 1893 by James Braid (with later input from John Sutherland of Royal Dornoch) and runs along a clifftop strip on the Pentland Firth.

Conditions here are honest. The wind is more reliable than the weather forecast. The 4th, a par 3 played towards a green at the cliff edge, is the most exposed hole; on a quiet day it's a 7-iron and on a windy one it's a hybrid. The 16th and 17th run along the cliffs with views across the Firth to Hoy and the Orkney Isles.

Visitor green fees of £35–£45 make Reay one of the great-value rounds in Britain. There is rarely a queue, the clubhouse is small and welcoming, and the honesty box at the starter's hut is still in regular use. Pair Reay with Thurso or Wick for a Caithness weekend; with Royal Dornoch and Brora for a longer Highland trip. Worth the drive north if you have the time.