Five of Scotland’s Best Winter Walks for Foodies

Tuesday 30th Sep 2025 |

Five of Scotland’s Top Winter Walks for Foodies

Those clear, crisp days of Autumn and Winter provide us with the perfect excuse to get outside and enjoy a breath of fresh air and a bracing walk.  While scaling a Munro isn’t for everyone, we are fortunate to have plenty of shorter and more gentle winter walks in Scotland. These five short walks are within a stone’s throw of some of Scotland’s best foodie destinations and provide another reason to search for those hiking boots and reward yourself with a delicious meal or staycation. After all your walking efforts, there really is no better way to end a stroll than with a heartwarming meal and a comfortable room for the night.

Take a wander along Dornoch sands, with its miles of golden sand, and fresh sea air that blows the cobwebs away. The beach stretches south from the rocks at Dornoch Point, where there is shelter on a windy day, to the mouth of the Dornoch Firth. This jaw-droppingly beautiful blue flag beach has Seaside Award status and is only a short mile stroll from the centre of the village of Dornoch.

Stay overnight at Links house at Royal Dornoch, the UK’s most northerly luxury five-star hotel destination. It is both located a few minutes’ walk from the beach and less than 100 yards from the first tee at Royal Dornoch Golf Club.

Dornoch’s Blue Flag beach has gentle shallows which are perfect for paddling or swimming if you are feeling hardy. If you are lucky, you may spot seals and even occasionally dolphins playing in the Firth.

After your walk, be sure to visit the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, which has been awarded 2 AA rosettes for culinary excellence. Head chef Theo Creton, leads the kitchen team of five at MARA restaurant, which is named after the Gaelic word for ‘the Sea.’ MARA is also open to both hotel guests and non-residents, and its menu showcases the finest seasonal ingredients and Highland traditions. Menu highlights will include wild Ardgay venison, Portmahomack lobster, and freshly picked herbs from the hotel’s very own kitchen garden.

The five-star Links House at Royal Dornoch has launched an ultimate gourmet themed series of Anteroom Autumn & Winter supper club events for up to 12 guests

10th & 12th October – The Joseph Perrier Anteroom Experience hosted by Jean-Claude and Marie-Caroline Fourmon, a rare opportunity to dine in the company of Champagne royalty.

25th October – A night of Whisky & Storytelling at the Dornoch Whisky Festival with Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige at Gordon & MacPhail.

28th & 29th November – Game for the Table with Eric Nimmons of Seafield Game

19th & 20th December – The Great Swap. This December tradition turns on its head, as Head Chef Theo Creton and Master of The House, Fraser Carruth, swap roles for one night only.

https://www.linkshousedornoch.com/supper-club-events

Autumn/winter B&B, DBB and packages start from rates based on 2 people sharing a standard double/twin midweek and weekends from October 2025 to April 2026.

DB&B – From £400 per room (£200 per person – ‘Dinner on Us’ promotion (October to April)

www.linkshousedornoch.com/offers/dinner-on-us

2. The Old Manse of Blair, Boutique Hotel & Restaurant, Blair Atholl – The Falls of Bruar

Head for the Cairngorms, the UK’s largest National Park, where you will discover The Old Manse of Blair, a 23-bedroom boutique hotel on the outskirts of Blair Atholl. Nearby, you can discover the Falls of Bruar scenic stroll, which has been described as the ‘Greatest Walk in Perthshire’.

The Falls of Bruar walk starts at the House of Bruar car park. You just follow the signs behind the retail complex, following the Bruar burn upstream. The walk is 2.5km / 1.5 miles, but allow at least 1.5 hours as it is fairly strenuous. On the way, you will be rewarded with views of the gorge from two stone bridges.

What better way to end your winter walk than with dinner or an overnight stay at The Old Manse of Blair, which has been recognised by the prestigious Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland. The Executive Chef, Scott Davies, delivers a sensational dining experience with his take on Scottish-inspired cooking.  He has an unwavering commitment to provenance, so the menus are inspired by nature’s bounty and the evolving seasons. Expect showstopping, locally foraged dishes that will surpass all expectations.

If you want more of a strenuous walking challenge, then you could tackle the trio of Munros summits; Càrn Liath, Bràigh Coire Chruinn and Càrn nan Gabhar known as Beinn A Ghlo.

Autumn Colours package, Dinner Bed & Breakfast stay Sunday – Thursday costs from £399 1 October 2025 with  Bed & Breakfast stay in a Walled Garden room costing from £349

For more information on The Old Manse of Blair visit https://theoldmanseofblair.com/ 

3. The Pierhouse Hotel & Seafood Restaurant, Port Appin, Argyll – Clach Thoull walk

The Pierhouse Hotel & Seafood Restaurant is tucked away on the shores of Loch Linnhe, and offers breathtaking views to the islands of Lismore and Mull. It is home to Scotland’s ‘Chef of the Year’ and was awarded the title of the ‘Romantic Restaurant of the Year.’

If you are after a bit of a leg stretch, just head along the Clach Thoull route 2.5km / 1.5 miles, which should take you no more than 1 – 1.5 hours. This short coastal stroll follows the path along the promontory at Port Appin and has stunning views.

Take the signposted track behind the hotel, which meanders past cliffs, beaches and woodland. Along the way, you can expect to see a geological archway, deer, seals and plenty of birdlife. At the end of the track by a house, you will spy a sign for Port Appin. Just make your way along the woodland path and a grass field. Before continuing along this route through a gate onto a minor road, which leads to where you started.

What better way to end your walk than with lunch or dinner at The Pierhouse Hotel and Seafood Restaurant. One of Scotland’s finest seafood restaurants, Head chef Michael Leathley’s menus feature the freshest langoustines, mussels and lobsters harvested from Loch Linnhe and Loch Etive, as well as fine handpicked oysters from the oyster beds of Loch Creran, just 10 minutes from the hotel.

The Pierhouse restaurant has three silver stars, two AA rosettes and is one of only three Argyll restaurants included in the Michelin Guide for Great Britain and Ireland. The ethos of the Pierhouse is to use locally sourced food, simply cooked. It is worth discovering a plate of local rope-grown mussels steamed in garlic, or a dish of Caledonian oysters freshly harvested from Loch Creran just 10 minutes away or a steaming soufflé filled with tangy Mull cheddar.

Stay 3 nights for a midweek Wee Winter Break at The Pierhouse and receive a discount of £25 per night on published room rates. A midweek ‘Wee Winter Break’ at The Pierhouse Hotel in Port Appin is based on a three-night stay with two people sharing a Cliff Facing Room for £390 (£130 per night) or Sea View Room for £690 (£230 per night) on a B&B basis. The offer is not valid for the Superior Sea View Rooms and is applicable on Sunday-Thursday nights from 1st November 2025 to 28th February 2026. Lunch and dinner is available in the restaurant from the a la carte menu.

For more information on a midweek ‘Wee Winter Break’ at The Pierhouse or to make a booking, call 01631 730302

4. The Three Chimneys, Dunvegan, Colbost, Skye – Coral Beach stroll

Stroll to Coral Beach, one of the most unique beaches on the Isle of Skye. It only takes a 45-minute walk to reach it along a 3.6km track. Just head along to the north of the island to the small crofting community of Claigan, which is a short drive away from Dunvegan Castle, before meandering along the farm track down to the beach. Along the way, you can gaze out over stunning blue seas, which make it the perfect weekend ramble before a spot of lunch.

Just a few miles along the road from Coral Beach lies The Three Chimneys and house over by, Colbost serves the best of the Isle of Skye produce. The restaurant with rooms is set in a classic crofters cottage, renowned for its hyper-local sourcing, bringing Orbost Farm beef, rare-breed Iron Age pork and wild venison to the table. Be sure to warm up with an aperitif in the cosy House-Over-By before dinner time.

A ‘Wee Winter Break’ at The Three Chimneys and The House Over-by includes overnight accommodation and breakfast for two guests in one of six beautifully appointed rooms between from £275 per room, per night, based on two people sharing a room on a bed and breakfast basis. For an indulgent gourmet experience, the package price starts £515 per room, per night, based on two people sharing on a dinner, bed and breakfast basis. These special rates are available for selected dates between 20th October 2025 and 31st March 2026.

Each evening, a table will be reserved in the main restaurant. An option to dine at The Kitchen Table may be possible depending on the availability. Guests should specify their preference at the time of booking.

For more information on a ‘Wee Winter Break’ at The Three Chimneys or to make a booking, call 01470 511258

5. Fingal Hotel Alexandra Dock, Edinburgh EH6 7DX – Walk along the water of Leith

Permanently berthed on Edinburgh’s vibrant waterfront, Fingal Scotland’s only five-star luxury floating hotel. Opened in 2019, the former Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) tender was developed and is managed by the award-winning team at The Royal Yacht Britannia. Fingal is now a world-class foodie destination with all the glamour and style of a superyacht, but with an air of old-world Art Deco luxury ocean liner elegance. Open to non-residents for afternoon tea, dinner and cocktails, Fingal’s Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar offers a choice of self-contained private dining booths for small pre-booked groups. Fingal’s 22 luxury cabins are each named after Stevenson lighthouses, inspired by Fingal’s rich maritime heritage. The ship is now the ultimate in luxury accommodation and dining with a nautical twist.

Fingal is located close to the Water of Leith Walkway. The Water of Leith Walkway offers a variety of idyllic walking spots along its 13-mile route from the Port of Leith through the city of Edinburgh. It has been designated as an Urban Wildlife Site and is home to brown trout, herons, kingfishers and otters. The route travels through many areas of interest including the Union Canal, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, as well as the neighbourhoods of Colinton Village, Stockbridge and Leith. Don’t be alarmed if you see a man standing in the water – it’s one of celebrated artist and sculptor Antony Gormley’s Standing Man statues. Forming part of his 6 TIMES artwork, the first of these towering figures can be found outside the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art. You can then follow the trail through the walkway, before culminating at the shore in Leith.

Fingal Hotel costs £400 per cabin, per night, based on 2 people sharing on a B&B basis.

Autumn Mellow Moments offer – Three nights for the price of two / Valid for stays from 5 October to 27 November / Offer available Sunday to Tuesday only
https://www.fingal.co.uk/packages-and-offers/autumn-mellow-moments


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