Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
19th-century croft for nigh on a century, and in-depth guided tours take you round her
humble but cosy farm and house: a fascinating back-in-time experience.
Just west,
Dunnet Bay
offers you one of Scotland's finest beaches, backed by high
dunes, as well as
Seadrift
(
01847-821531; admission free; 2pm-5pm May, Jun &
Sep, 10.30-5pm Jul & Aug, closed Thu & Sat)
- a small wildlife display and the base for
local rangers, who organise walks in summer - and a caravan-dominated
campsite
(
01847-821319;
www.caravanclub.co.uk
;
members pitch £14.55; Apr-Sep; )
backing
the beach.
Thurso & Scrabster
POP 7700
Britain's most northerly mainland town, Thurso makes a handy overnight stop if you're
heading west or across to Orkney. There's a pretty town beach, riverbank strolls and a
good museum. Ferries cross from Scrabster, 2.5 miles west of Thurso, to Orkney.
Sights
MUSEUM
Caithness Horizons
(
www.caithnesshorizons.co.uk
;
High St, Thurso; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, also 11am-4pm
Sun Apr-Sep)
This museum brings much of the history and lore of Caithness to life
through its excellent displays. A couple of fine Pictish cross-slabs greet the visitor down-
stairs; the main exhibition is a wide-ranging look at local history using plenty of audi-
ovisuals - check out the wistful account of the now-abandoned island of Stroma for an
emotional slice of social history. There's also a gallery space, an exhibition on the Doun-
reay nuclear reactor and a cafe.
Activities
Thurso is an unlikely surfing centre but the nearby coast has arguably the best and most
regular surf on mainland Britain. There's an excellent right-hand reef break on the eastern
side of town, directly in front of Lord Thurso's castle (closed to the public), and another
shallow reef break 5 miles west at
Brimms Ness
. Pack a drysuit: this is no Hawaii.
Thurso Surf
(
07590-419078;
www.thursosurf.co.uk
; lessons £35)
gives lessons, nor-
mally on the beach at Dunnet Bay east of town.
