Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There & Away
Boat
From May to September, a
passenger ferry
(
01955-611353;
www.jogferry.co.uk
)
shuttles across to Burwick in Orkney. Ninety-minute wildlife cruises to the island of
Stroma or Duncansby Head cost £17 (late June to August).
BusStagecoach
(
www.stagecoachbus.com
)
runs buses between John O'Groats and Wick
(40 minutes, two to three daily). There are also three to eight services Monday to Saturday
to/from Thurso.
Mey
The
Castle of Mey
(
www.castleofmey.org.uk
;
adult/child £10/5.50; 10.20am-5pm
May-Sep, last admission to castle 4pm)
, a big crowd-puller for its Queen Mother connec-
tions, is about 6 miles west of John O'Groats, off the A836 to Thurso. The exterior may
seem grand but inside it feels domestic and everything is imbued with the character of the
late Queen Mum: from a surprisingly casual lounge area with TV showing her favourite
show (
Dad's Army,
since you asked), to a photo of the corgis' evening meal - they didn't
dine badly. The highlight is the genteel guided tour, with various anecdotes recounted by
staff who once worked for her. Outside in the castle grounds there's a farm zoo, an unusu-
al walled garden that's worth a stroll and lovely views over the Pentland Firth. The castle
normally closes for a couple of weeks at the end of July for royal visits.
On the main road just near the castle, excellent
The Hawthorns
(
01847-851710;
www.thehawthornsbnb.co.uk
;
s/d £40/70; )
is a modern, easygoing B&B with a
contemporary artistic flair, a genuine welcome and four very spruce, superspacious rooms
with mini-fridges. There are good options for families here, and one room with disabled
access.
Dunnet Head
Eight miles east of Thurso a minor road leads to dramatic Dunnet Head, the
most north-
erly point on the British mainland
, which beats John O'Groats hands down. There are
majestic cliffs dropping into the turbulent Pentland Firth, inspiring views of the Orkney
Islands, basking seals and nesting seabirds below, and a lighthouse built by Robert Louis
Stevenson's granddad. Also on the headland, near the main road, is
Mary-Ann's Cottage
(adult/child £3/50p; 2-4.30pm Jun-Sep)
, well worth a visit. Mary-Ann lived in this
