Invernaver

Continuing from Skerray on the A 836 west the turnoff to the hamlet of Invernaver that lies at the mouth of the River Naver a mile (1½ km) south of Bettyhill. The Invernaver National Nature Reserve, designated in 1960, is now an SSSI. Invernaver is between the mouths of the Rivers Borgie and Naver.

On the west side of Bettyhill is one of the most important botanical sites in Scotland with a wide variety of lime and acid loving species such as crowberry, mountain avens, moss campion and bearberry. with notable dwarf shrubs.

Because of the severe exposure, uncommon mountain plants can be found growing almost at sea level. The raised beach contains archaeological sites A former shepherdess runs the Torrisdale Trekking Centre from a base at Invernaver, near Bettyhill. The centre provides an opportunity for everyone to experience the beauty and remoteness of one of Sutherland’s finest beaches – some three to four miles of golden sands – on horseback. At the moment the beach is not easily accessed from the Bettyhill side and involves a walk of about a mile.

“There would be scope for economic development – self-help economic development – certainly. And I think we could learn a lot from other communities, especially the likes of west Ireland or France or places like that, you know, where there has been a lot of this sort of thing, you know. Even in England, funnily enough, the communities have bought out shops and the post offices and things like that.”

“Well, the advantages, I think, are what probably everybody’ll say to you – the sense of community, the peace, the tranquillity, the different pace of life to other places, although, it’s becoming more hectic all the time.”