IMAGINE mile upon mile of sandy beaches with the sun glinting off blue seas as the waves crash onto the shore. It sounds like a far-flung part of the world that would take a long-haul flight to reach.

Yet this mystical place is actually Embo Beach in Sutherland, twinned with Kaunakakai, an island in Hawaii.

Embo lies three miles north of Dornoch and can be reached in less than four hours by car from Edinburgh or Glasgow, and is 40 minutes north of Inverness.

The five-mile long strip of beach with views up the coast towards Golspie and Brora is the reward for our drive up the A9 for a four-day break at the Grannie's Heilan' Hame Holiday Park.

The resort caters to families from all over the UK thanks to its idyllic location and is now owned by the Parkdean Resorts chain.

But it started out as just a plot of farm land, before its original owners saw its potential for holidaymakers.

Grannie's Heilan' Hame was the name given to the Highland holiday home built on the land by the original owner.

Originally just one house, the "hame" is now a Costa Coffee bar and a dining room incorporated into the complex.

Since the land was turned over for holidaymakers to use in the 1960s, the rolling farmland has been replaced by row upon row of caravans.

But the resort has been designed to be sympathetic to the environment and the berths on the beach front offer spectacular views.

Our three-bedroom family caravan is located a two-minute walk from the beach with views north up the coast.

I am not a big fan of caravans, preferring the luxury of hotels.

But with two young daughters, aged three and one, the cost and the thought of being cooped up in one room, and having to traipse down to the dining room for breakfast and dinner each night, has led me to consider alternatives.

I am impressed with how spotlessly clean and well-equipped our caravan is, with a TV, DVD player, shower, microwave, fridge-freezer and plenty of space for eating and lounging around in the open-plan sitting room and kitchen-diner.

A welcome box includes butter, coffee, tea bags and bread. The management have also kindly left two cuddly toys for our girls, Daisy, who's three, and Mitzi, who is aged one.

While the smaller size of the three bedrooms (two of which were double and the other a single) compared to hotel accommodation takes a bit of getting used to, the beds are spacious and comfortable enough. So much so that Daisy bags one of the double beds for herself during the stay.

We spend most of our brief stay on the glorious stretch of golden sands that lies outside the caravan. This is helped by three gloriously sunny, and relatively warm, May days.

It feels like we have our own private beach, with only a handful of people walking their dogs and the sound of occasional Tornado jets on exercises intruding on the peace.

Behind the beach is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The dunes there lead to an estuary where seals, porpoises and rare seabirds can be found.

We've brought along a disposable barbecue for the beach and the two girls play with their buckets and spades. Meanwhile, I brave the North Sea waves for some swimming without a wetsuit on.

Back at the park, I take the girls to the adventure playground whose attractions include a zip-wire, pirate ship and crazy golf.

There's a family-friendly indoor pool and a room in the complex where parents can sit and read a book (or, more likely these days, fiddle with an iPhone) as their offspring have fun in a soft play area.

Other amenities include a well-stocked shop, restaurant and fish and chip shop.

Each morning there's entertainment for the children courtesy of Pip Squeak a delightful mouse puppet who tells stories, sings and plays games.

At night, a children's disco and a self-deprecating magician keep the youngsters entertained. Mothers and fathers, meanwhile, can enjoy a glass of wine or a beer from the bar while playing the nightly quiz or bingo.

It's not busy at night in the disco and most of the families we meet hailed from around the Moray area, which suggests the resort is seen as a short-trip vacation by many.

From Embo Beach you can just about see Dunrobin Castle, 11 miles up the coast. The castle has a prominent location with its own gardens leading to the sea, including a small maze and fountains. Falconry sessions are held during the summer.

It was originally a grand house for the Earl of Sutherland, but the 2nd Duke decided it was not quite grand enough and had it remodelled by the architect Sir Charles Barry, who had previously rebuilt the Palace of Westminster.

Entry costs £11 and £6.50 for children, but the castle's lofty position means a good view can be obtained for free from the rocky beach at the bottom of the gardens.

We take a walk a little further along the coast and come across a beautiful bluebell field.

There's little to entertain bored children in the nearby town of Brora. During our trip, even the Clynelish Distillery, next to long-since mothballed original Brora Distillery (from which a 1972 bottle sold for £8,000 at auction in Hong Kong recently), is shut to visitors.

In contrast, golfers flock from all over the world to visit Dornoch which lies a short drive from the holiday park. The magnificent cathedral dominates the small square.

On a winter's day back in 2000, I was among the world's media amassed outside the cathedral for the christening of Madonna's son Rocco.

That day seems a distant memory as I admire the stained glass windows in the sanctity of the cathedral.

Outside, we eat iced doughnuts in the graveyard's sunshine before driving home. A simple end to a perfect holiday.

John Bynorth was a guest of the Parkdean Resorts Grannie's Heilan' Hame at Embo, near Dornoch, Sutherland IV25 3QDJune breaks are available from around £129 for four nights, staying in a Forth caravan (two bed, sleeps six). A summer holidays break of three nights (arriving July 7), staying in a Dochart caravan (3 bed, sleeps 8) costs £329.

To book visit www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk or call 0330 123 4850