The north coast, besides the larger Kyles, possesses smaller inlets still frequented by fishing craft, such as Sango Bay and Rispond Bay, between the Kyles of Durness and Eriboll, and the bays of Torrisdale, Farr, Swordly, Kirtomy, Armadale, Strathy, and Bighouse, between the Kyle of Tongue and Drumhollistan. Loch Eriboll, a deep water loch along its whole extent, forms a useful harbour of refuge for shipping. Though islands are less numerous on the north than on the west, there are a few off the Kyles of Eriboll and Tongue. On Eilan Hoan at the mouth of Loch Eriboll and on Corrie-Eilan towards the south end of that inlet are situated old burial grounds. Like those on Oldany and Handa, those date back to a time when the wolves infesting Reay Forest and the Assynt Mountains prowled in winter about the churchyards. Naomh Eilan (the Isle of Saints) lies off Torrisdale Bay. One of the natural wonders of the north coast is the cave of Smoo at Durness.
The only indentation of the south-east coast line is the shallow estuary of Loch Fleet. No bold rocky headlands, or stacks, occur on the sandy south-cast coast. Dornoch Point and the headland of Ardnacalc are simply projecting banks of sand, while the banks known as the "gizzen brigs" block the entrance to Dornoch Firth.
The rugged western and northern coasts have been little affected since the glacial period by upheaval or subsidence. Oldany, Handa, and the other western islands are the summits of gigantic elevations rising from the archaean rock bed which was submerged in some remote geological epoch. The south-east coast is mainly composed of Old Red Sandstone and later rocks worn to sand by denudation. Raised beaches run along this coast from Helmsdale to Bonar bridge, indicating upheaval of the land in or since the glacial period. The extensive tidal banks in the outer Firth of Dornoch and in Spinningdale Bay were formed partly by upheaval followed by extensive denudation and partly by accumulation of silt. Sandbanks in the Kyles of Tongue and Durness have been fanned in the same way. Oolite and other newer rocks along the seaboard of Clyne have also been wasted into shelving beaches of sand. The older rock formations provide numerous good natural harbours on the west and north coasts, while on the sandy Moray Firth coast harbour accommodation has been a standing difficulty. Embo, the chief fishing village in the county in point of population, has but paltry fishing returns mainly owing to the want of a decent harbour.
When the Mound was constructed in 1811-12, a considerable stretch of haugh land was recovered from the sea. Soon afterwards the Lonemore of Dornoch was drained and the lochs and bogs of Crakaig in Loth were reclaimed so as to form one of the best farms in the county.
The lights at Cape Wrath and Stoerhead serve for the navigation of the Minch. Cape Wrath light is an alternating white and red light visible for 27 miles. The light on Stoerhead, which is a white light visible for sixty seconds and eclipsed for thirty seconds alternately, has a range of 20 miles. The main light on the east coast is at Tarbetness in Ross, but there are minor lights at the piers of Embo and Golspie (lighted when boats are at sea); at the north side of Little Ferry (visible for 3 miles); and at the north pier of Helmsdale.