Unburied

Travel Guide

Coral Beach, Plockton

In Unburied, Cal is on holiday in a fictional village on the west coast of Scotland when he is approached about a local cold case. The village is inspired by Plockton and Sheildaig, both stunning Highland locations. Cal and Shona also take a walk to a coral beach, featuring sand made from calcified seaweed – ‘maerl’. I visited this area in 2022 and swam in (very cold) crystal waters. It’s a beautiful place to visit.

Sheildaig Peninsula

The Sheildaig Peninsula juts out into Loch Torridon and is the perfect place for a walk and some wild swimming. I’d recommend visiting Sheildaig for lunch and to pick up some fish smoked fresh off the boats at the Loch Torridon Smokehouse. This is a remote place that really fired my imagination when I was writing – imagining how it must be in the wild winter months.

Applecross Bealach na Ba

Driving the famous Applecross Pass is not for the fainthearted. Starting at Loch Kishorn, the pass raises to over 200ft, with hairpin bends and twists across the stunning scenery. Much of the road is single track so you have to be prepared to squeeze into passing places. This road was the inspiration for a particularly dramatic scene at the end of Unburied – but no spoilers! The Bealach Café and Gallery at the foot of the pass is a must for its art, views and massive slabs of cake.

Ness Islands

While in Inverness, Cal takes a walk along the river to Ness Islands, natural islands that sit in the river and are connected to the bank by Victorian Bridges. It’s a tranquil spot, perfect for watching wildlife, with carved wooden sculptures and fast-flowing water rushing past.