visitscotland
Home› Planning and Practicalities

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register
Please take a moment to read the Community guidelines and learn how to use the Community. The personal details and information provided by you will be used by VisitScotland to create your iKnow community account. Any content you provide, such as a profile photo, username, comments and discussions will be publicly available.

By ticking the box and clicking submit you confirm that you have read and agreed to the terms of our privacy policy.

Love Scotland and want to share your stories – why not have a look at all the recent discussions and make a contribution or start a new discussion? Visiting Scotland and looking for some advice – why not ask a question or start a discussion or simply explore all the great content?

Join the conversation today.

Looking to plan a trip to John O'Groats later this year..

clairewilsonclairewilson Member ✭
in Planning and Practicalities
Any suggestions of things to do in John O'Groats and the surrounding area? 

Thanks,

Claire
Tagged:

Comments

  • VisitScotlandAmyRVisitScotlandAmyR Member, Moderator, VisitScotland Staff ✩
    Hi @clairewilson, we've got just the thing! Check out our recent blog post on John O'Groats which covers some wonderful attractions and places to see in the area.

    Have a great trip!
  • AmritaSinghAmritaSingh Member ✭
    edited September 2016
    Visited last year in autumn and stayed with Natural Retreats for a couple of days, had an amazing time though be sure to wear your wellies :wink: One the highlights was visiting Castle Mey which I would highly recommend to visit if you are going to visit @clairewilson

  • XmasgirlXmasgirl Member ✭✭
    @clairewilson - some thoughts on things to see and do within reach of John O'Groats are :smile: 
    • Head for Dunnet Head - though John O’Groats gets all the publicity, this is actually the most northerly point on the British mainland and gives you stunning seascape views
    • In you're visiting before 15 October, you should check out  Dunrobin Castle near Golspie, about 90 minutes drive south of John O'Groats. This fairytale castle is the seat of the Dukes of Sutherland and has lovely gardens too 
    • If you're interested in history, then Badbea Clearance Village about an hour south is the haunting site of a coastal village inhabited by locals after the Highland Clearances 
    • A drive along the scenic north is also recommended. If you travel west from John O'Groats you'll come to Smoo Cave, a huge cavern which has been excavated to reveal a riches of fossils. Items have been founded dating back to before the Iron Age (this is about 2½ hours drive west of John O’Groats)
    • A little further west of Smoo Cave is Sandwood Bay near Cape Wrath – in an area which boasts many beautiful beaches, this must be around the finest. 

    I hope this helps and enjoy your stay!

  • JessMacJessMac Member ✭✭
    Dunrobin Castle south of John O'Groats is a must! A picture perfect castle with beautiful gardens and a fascinating history. 

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] ✭✭✭✭
    [Deleted Content]
  • VisitScotlandLyndsayVisitScotlandLyndsay Member, Moderator, VisitScotland Staff ✩
    Hi @clairewilson. The town of Thurso is not too far away from John O Groats, and here you can visit the Caithness Horizons Museum. The museum is full of old artifacts and lots of interactive material about life in Caithness. 

    Visit the pretty little sheltered harbour at Brough. It is located on the B855 on route to Dunnet Head. Its a fantastic location for bird watching, or just to sit with a picnic and admire the scenery. If you are really lucky, this is one of the best places to see the aurora borealis on a crisp clear evening.

    The Grey Cairns of Camster can be found just off the A9 between the villages of Lybster and Watten. The cairns are one of the most oldest buildings in Scotland dating back 5000 years to Neolithic times. One of the cairns you can crawl inside through a narrow passage (but not if you hate enclosed spaces!) and at the end of the passage you can stand up inside the cairn.


Sign In or Register to comment.