Another trip with my pal Mark, my turn to drive! We’d talked about visiting the northernmost point of the mainland a few times, and he’d found a decent twin room in Wick.
Dunnet Head
This is the most northerly point of mainland Scotland. It took us around six hours to get there with just one small rest stop.
There was a lighthouse, a trig point on the hill, WWII ruins, and some stunning cliff edges. We only spent about 30–40 minutes there as a storm was coming in, and it wasn’t exactly the weather to sit and chill out.
John o’ Groats
Our next stop… a signpost! Okay, there’s more to John o’ Groats than a signpost, although I did have to get a photo of myself next to it. There was also a really nice harbour and a gift shop.
The journey to Land’s End (the south-westerly most point of England) is over 1,400 km, so unfortunately we didn’t have time to tackle that… joking aside, it’s something I’d like to consider one day.
We had to leave as Storm Floris was approaching, and I still had half an hour to drive to Wick. I’d covered quite the distance and hadn’t had a proper rest, so we spent a few hours in the hotel resting up and planning the next day.
Castle Sinclair Girnigoe
As Storm Floris reached the height of its winds, I thought, I’m not done with the day yet, and found some nearby castle ruins just a 12-minute drive away.
We got in the car and drove around fallen trees, parking in the small car park for the nearby lighthouse. I crazily ran down the path, through a field, toward the castle. Mark was behind me, probably second-guessing every decision he’d ever made. Being on the coast, we felt every blast from Storm Floris. There were some decent photography opportunities and moments to shelter and just enjoy nature and the elements.
Back at the hotel, I crashed out. I was done.
Grey Cairns of Camster
After breakfast we checked out of the hotel. The Grey Cairns of Camster had been marked on my maps for a while. These chambered cairns are thought to be over 5,000 years old! Of course, parts of them have been reconstructed in modern times.
A boardwalk led us through the bog toward the cairns. The first, the Long Cairn, had two entrances. I crawled through the first one, though I had to go on my hands and knees, avoiding a shallow puddle. Being about 5’4” made it a bit easier for me to squeeze in. I was mesmerised by being inside such a small, ancient space until a severe wave of panic hit when I saw not just one spider, but hundreds. Huge ones. I bolted out of there fast. My panicked screams turned into laughter as I finally saw daylight again.
After that “tremendous” first experience, I had to try the second entrance. This one was a little bigger, and Mark was able to come in too. No panic attack this time. It was quite a surreal experience standing inside the cairn. One of the information panels said that human bones were found in here as it was some sort or burial ritual that took place.
The second cairn, the Round Cairn, only had a single entrance, which looked even smaller than the first, so I decided to admire it from the outside. We then attempted a short walk to the Loch of Camster, but it was far too boggy.
Latheronwheel Harbour
Our original plan was to visit some coastal caves, but it was high tide so we couldn’t even attempt it. Latheronwheel Harbour was absolutely stunning, though. A campervan was just leaving as we arrived, giving us the rare chance to explore the harbour by ourselves.
We walked up the hill and across a bridge to see the harbour from above, where there were some ruins at the top. I’ll definitely need to come back here to see the caves, ideally at low tide to fully appreciate them.
Big Burn Walk, Golspie
The Big Burn Walk leads to the Big Burn Falls and is very close to Dunrobin Castle, a place I visited back in May.
It took us about an hour to walk the circular path, crossing many bridges and passing two remarkable waterfalls. The walk wasn’t overly busy since it was a Tuesday afternoon. It reminded me a little of Maspie Den and Alva Glen, both a bit closer to home.
There was another trail, the Skating Pond Trail, which seemed to go in the opposite direction from the car park. The weather had improved, so I’d left my hoodie in the car, but when the rain started again we decided to head back and move on to our next stop.
Fairy Glen Falls, Fortrose
About 30 minutes from Inverness, Fairy Glen Falls was remarkable, similar to the Big Burn Walk, but I was more impressed with the waterfalls and bridges here. We had time to sit and relax for a while, enjoying the scenery and the sounds of nature.
I’m not sure how long we stayed, as I forgot to stop recording on the AllTrails app and it claimed I’d travelled 260 km all the way back to Fife. The trail could be a little tricky in places; if you slipped, you could fall from quite a height, so extra care is definitely needed.
Once back at the car, I ate the meatballs I’d bought earlier and we headed for the A9 to refuel at Tore Services. I was ready for the drive home and made it into bed just after 9 pm, ready to be back at work on Wednesday. Back to reality.
I’m already planning a return trip. There’s still so much I want to see but couldn’t. The caves, which were inaccessible due to high tide, and the Castle and Gardens of Mey, which is closed Monday and Tuesday, are top of my list. I might even make it back before I head to Poland in September.