Most of our guests say they wish they could stay longer and see more. This post helps you get the most out of a short stay in Caithness. But it’s been hard to choose the highlights!
Many places close between September and Easter, so check their websites if you are visiting then.
Explore the far north for a day, take your photo at John o’Groats, see a couple of lighthouses, and decide between visiting sea-stacks, a royal castle, or a crofter’s cottage.
I know you are keen to get that photo, the one by the signpost at John o’Groats. But before you get to the harbour, take a right turn and leave the car in the carpark below Duncansby Head Lighthouse for a spectacular cliff-top walk (stages 3-4 of this walk) towards the view point for Duncansby Stacks. You’ll love the photos you take there too!
Mark your visit with a photo by the Signpost or sitting next to Paddington, or both! There are souvenir shops here, and if you have time for a longer pause, then drop into the tiny pub at the Last House. To truly blow the cobwebs away, explore the abandoned island of Stroma, or take a wildlife cruise with Stroma Wildlife Cruises to see the area’s unforgettable wildlife. On your way westwards, pop into John o’Groats Mill which has been lovingly restored with a very light touch by the local community, and hosts exhibitions and demonstrations.
The castle’s most famous owner was the Queen Mother (mother of the late Queen, and tours are fascinating because many of the guides worked for the Queen Mother before her death in 2002. The Castle is now owned by the King who visits most summers.
Dunnet Head is the true most northerly point on the British Mainland, and has 360° views, north to Orkney and south to Sutherland. The lighthouse and grounds are closed to the public, but you may see puffins on the cliffs in the summer. Stop by Mary Ann’s Cottage on the way, for a glimpse of three generations’ and 170 years’ of crofter life.
Mainland Britain’s most northerly town is home of the North Coast Visitor Centre, with exhibitions from Pictish stones to the control room from the nuclear power station at Dounreay – a real treat if you love retro tech! If retro bargains are more your thing, pop into Scotland’s favourite charity shop, the Highland Hospice shop in Thurso. Or pick up some real mementos of Caithness in the Coo’s Tail Gallery.
Annie’s Bakery is beloved by locals for sweet treats and lunches. The Seaview Hotel at John o’Groats serves traditional Scottish pub lunches. John o’Groats harbour has several options for snacks and lunch. There is a tea room in the Castle of Mey. Northern Sands has a dog friendly area and a dog-free area. Thurso has several restaurants, cafes and pubs.
Explore Wick itself, the seafaring capital of Caithness, with a choice of ruined castles, a heritage centre, and fabulous beaches nearby: the WelcomeToWick website is full of ideas of things to do in the area.
Here are a few highlights.
For a real sense of what life was like here, visit Wick Museum, where you will find the two-storey lens from Noss Head Lighthouse. Visit the harbour, armed with your knowledge of how people fished for the Silver Darlings (as the herring were called) and walk up the hill to the Seafarers’ Memorial, a reminder that lives are still lost at sea. Or visit Old Pulteney distillery, for a tour and a taste of the Maritime Malt. And remember to snap a pic at Ebenezer Place, the shortest street in the world!
A fabulous nostalgia-fest of a museum about 20 minutes drive from Wick. It’s full of memorabilia, large and small, and is perfect if you love old cars, if your parents had an old car, or you want your kids to see the cars their grand-parents drove.
Wicker’s World by the harbour is a traditional café where you can get plenty to eat, and Morag’s Café in Wick is great for elevenses or lunch. Puldagon farm, outside Wick, showcases Scottish food, though it may be worth ringing ahead to get a table, which shows how popular it is.
Take alpacas for a walk, visit some of Scotland’s best chambered cairns, or find out more about the people who lived here, and finish up with one of Scotland’s most impressive stately homes.
Explore the six thousand year old chambered tombs and other mysterious works of the neolithic peoples who lived here in Caithness. Walk the Yarrows Archaeology Trail, or drive to visit the Grey Cairns of Camster, the Cairn o’Get, Yarrows Broch, Hill o’Many Stanes. Or if you fancy a more sheltered walk, take the path up Dunbeath Strath to Dunbeath Broch.
For more recent history, and if you are feeling fit, visit Whaligoe Steps near Lybster. The precipitous rock staircase was once used by herring wifies, fetching herring up from the harbour below. Or visit the newly opened Clyne School Heritage Centre at Brora, for the history of the coal mines and cloth-works in one of Sutherland’s most delightful towns. And for a complete contrast, go to Dunrobin Castle for a full on stately-home experience.
Waterlines visitor centre in Lybster has a friendly café. The River Bothy in Berriedale sells lunches and crafts from the old laundry for the big house on the hill. If you want to stop in Brora, then try the Clyne Kitchen or Cocoa Skye. Dunrobin Castle also has a restaurant.
It’s been hard to chose what to leave out. So for more inspo, check out my post about A Week of Things to Do in Caithness and my other guides to the area include tips for dog-friendly places to go, local distilleries, and visiting sites associated with the Clearances and Caithness at War.
My name is Ben, and I have been falling in love with the people, landscapes and history of Caithness ever since I first came here in 2017. I love to welcome people to my holiday cottage at Noss Head lighthouse. There is so much to see and do here, that I really recommend staying more than a couple of days!
I am a human and assume you are a human too, so this post was written and researched without using AI.
