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 Castle of Mey |
 Helmsdale |
 Canisbay Kirk |
 Scrabster Harbour |
This area roughly coincides with the traditional county of Caithness, though extends beyond it to the south. It includes the main settlements of Wick and Thurso. It can be thought of as comprising the north coast running from west of Thurso to John o' Groats, then the east coast running down past Wick to Helmsdale and a little beyond. Inland areas tend to be fairly lightly settled and include the Flow Country, the largest expanse of blanket bog in Europe, covering some 4,000 square kilometers or 1,500 square miles.
Thurso is an ancient town. The name comes from the Norse, Thorsa, meaning Thor's River and in Viking times it was an important gateway to the mainland. Much of the economy of Thurso today is tied up with the presence of the Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establishment, located on the coast eight miles west of the town. Thurso itself has plenty of character, as well as a beach and a castle. In the oldest part of town are the ruins of Old St Peter's Church which dates back to 1220. The old Town Hall and Carnegie Library are now home to Caithness Horizons, a superb modern museum.
Just to the west of Thurso lies Scrabster, the main ferry port for Orkney, whose outline can be seen rising from the sea to the north. The Scrabster to Stromness service is operated by Northlink Ferries. Five miles west of Scrabster is Bridge of Forss. On the coast nearby are the gloomy Brims Castle and the ruins of St Mary's Chapel, the latter being accessed from the hamlet of Crosskirk. Inland are the Cnoc Freiceadain Long Cairns.
East of Thurso is the planned village of Castletown at the southern corner of Dunnet Bay. Nearby is the Castlehill Heritage Centre and the Flagstone Trail, both of which celebrate Castletown's flagstone industry. Further round Dunnet Bay you pass the Seadrift Visitor Centre before coming to the village of Dunnet. Here you find the wonderfully preserved Mary Anne's Cottage. To the north is Dunnet Head, a windy, lonely spot: and the most northerly place on mainland Scotland.
The highlight of this length of coastline is undoubtedly the Castle of Mey, mainland Scotland's most northerly castle and holiday home to the late Queen Mother for nearly 50 years. In the castle grounds are the Castle of Mey Gardens. On the shore nearby is the small but perfectly formed Phillips's Harbour. Travel east from Mey and you pass Gills Bay, from where Pentland Ferries operates a vehicle ferry to Orkney, before coming to Kirkstyle, home to Canisbay Kirk.
John o' Groats, a little further east again, is possibly the most visited location in the area: the starting point for many a long distance walker en-route to Lands End. A seasonal passenger-only ferry makes the short crossing from here to Orkney. Two miles further east from John o' Groats is the lighthouse and spectacular cliff scenery of Duncansby Head. The road south from John o' Groats meets the east coast at Freswick. The village of Auckengill is home to the Caithness Broch Centre, while on the shore nearby are the remains of Nybster Broch. A little further south is the settlement of Keiss, with a harbour and two castles.
Like Thurso, Wick has its origins as a Viking settlement, its name coming from the Norse Vik meaning bay. It became a Royal Burgh in 1589 but enjoyed its greatest prosperity in the 1800s when it developed as a thriving herring port, becoming the busiest in Europe. Wick and Pulteneytown, respectively on the north and south banks of the River Wick, together make up what is generally now known as Wick. The former has a busy shopping centre and many of its buildings show their Victorian origins, while the latter was the heart of the fishing industry. Pulteneytown is also home to Pulteney Distillery, the most northerly in mainland Scotland, and the excellent Wick Heritage Museum.
On the cliffs south of the town are the ruins of the Castle of Old Wick. Three miles to the north-east of Wick, beyond the village of Staxigoe and near the Noss Head Lighthouse, are the ruins of Sinclair and Girnigoe castle. A good quality "A" road links directly back from Wick to Thurso, passing through the village of Watten and close to Halkirk.
South of Wick the main A99 tends to stay fairly close to the east coast, and passes through a series of attractive settlements and villages. On the coast near Thrumster is the haven at Sarclet. At Whaligoe, where the A99 meets the coast, the Whaligoe Steps lead steeply down 250ft to a harbour carved out of a cleft in the cliffs. Inland is the Cairn o' Get, one of a number of prehistoric monuments on the inland side of the A99. Others include the Hill o' Many Stanes and, further inland, the Grey Cairns of Camster. A number of prehistoric sites have been linked together by the South Yarrows Archaeological Trail, inland from Thrumster.
Lybster and Latheronwheel are both villages with attractive harbours, though the former's is the busier. Lybster is also home to Waterlines, a museum dedicated to the fishing industry which was once so important here. An old church at Latheron has been converted into the Clan Gunn Heritage Centre & Museum, while beside the A9 a little further south west is the Laidhay Croft Museum.
The village of Dunbeath has an attractive harbour, a spectacular castle, and the excellent Dunbeath Visitor Centre. Further south is Berriedale with its very steep descent and ascent on the main road, while on cliffs further south are the remains of the Badbea Clearance Village. Helmsdale is a very attractive village with a harbour standing at the mouth of the River Helmsdale. Here you can visit the Timespan Museum and Arts Centre and the Emigrants Statue. Inland from Helmsdale, the Helmsdale River flows down through Strath Kildonan, the focus of Scotland's very own gold rush in 1869 at Baile an Or, or town of gold.
