The north and northwest Highlands - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 251

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE THURSO

By train Trains to Thurso leave from Inverness and go
up the east coast via Lairg. The following services are all
Mon-Sat 4 daily, Sun 1 daily.
Destinations Inverness (4hr); Lairg (2hr 10min); Wick
(30min).
By bus Buses depart from the train station, Olrig St and
Sir George's St.

Destinations Inverness (4-5 daily; 3hr 30min); John
O'Groats (Mon-Fri 6-10 daily, Sat 5 daily; 1hr); Wick
(Mon-Fri 8 daily, Sat 4 daily; 35min).
By ferry NorthLink ferries ( W northlinkferries.co.uk)
operate ferries to Stromness, Orkney (4-6 daily; 90min)
from Scrabster, a mile west of town, linked by buses from
the train station.

INFORMAT ION AND ACTIVITIES
Tourist of ce Located in the foyer of Caithness Horizons,
on the High St (April-Sept Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun
11am-4pm; Oct-March Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; T 01847
896508).

Tempest Surf Riverside Rd, by Thurso harbour
T 01847 892500. Offers equipment hire, including boards
(£20/day), wetsuits (£20/day), and boots and gloves
(£5/day).

ACCOMMODAT ION
Forss House Hotel 3 miles west of Thurso on A836
T 01847 861201, W forsshousehotel.co.uk. Built in
1810 as a hunting lodge, this thirteen-bedroom hotel
offers an upmarket stay, with a choice of traditional accom-
modation in the main house or more modern rooms
in annexes. The Forss River, which wends through the
grounds, offer s fine salmon fishing - the hotel can provide
a ghillie. £130
The Marine 38 Shore St T 01847 890676, W themarine
thurso.co.uk. Opened in 2013, the newest B&B in town
has modern furnishings and tweed headboards for a
relaxed, contemporary style. More appealing than the
rooms is the small conservatory off the brea kfast room
with superb sea views - surfers take note. £90
Murray House 1 Campbell St T 01847 895759, W murray
housebb.com. Central, comfortable and friendly, this B&B is

a proper home from home, with five cottagey rooms of floral
wallpaper and warm saffron and cream colours, all en suite.
Mod cons include flats creen TVs and wi-fi. Off-street parking
available for residents. £70
Sandra's 24-26 Princes St T 01847 894575, W sandras
-backpackers.co.uk. The only hostel in town is a clean and
well-run 26-bed place that's managed by the owners of
the popular chippy downstairs. Refurbished in 2013, its
small but neat rooms are all en suit e. Free int erne t access
and discount bike rental. Dorms £16 ; doubles £38
Thurso Bay Camping & Caravan Park Scrabster
Terrace T 01847 892244, W thursobaycamping.co.uk.
Large, trim site a 5min walk west from the town centre.
As well as views to Dunnet Head and Orkney, it has an
on-site café with free wi-fi and a laundry. April-Sept.
£15.50 /pitch

4

EATING
Ì Captain's Galley Harbour, Scrabster T 01847
894999. Fish fresh off the boat is the speciality - unfussy
dishes like roast hake with borlotti broth and mussels - on
three-course menus (£49) that win awards for sustain-
ability as much as flavour. Also offers takeaway fish and
chips of whatever's freshest (Tues-Sat 12.30-6.30pm).
Reservations essential. Easter-Oct Tues-Sat 6-10pm;
Nov-Easter Thurs-Sat 6-10pm.
Le Bistro 2 Traill St T 01847 893737. An ever-popular
option in Thurso even though it can feel cramped at
peak times. The reason is reliable bistro dishes with
a Scottish twist such as chicken stuffed with local
haggis or Orkney herring. Mains £12-16. June-Aug

Tues-Sat 10am-9pm; Sept-May Tues-Wed 10am-
3pm, Thurs-Sat 10am-9pm.
Tempest Surf Café Riverside Rd T 01847 892500.
Home-baking, toasties and home-made burgers (£5-8)
served in a harbourside café with a laidback surf-shack
vibe: think surfboards and surf posters and driftwood art
on the walls. Daily 10am-5pm.
The Upper Deck The Ferry Inn, Scrabster T 01847
872814. The place to head for a huge Aberdeen Angus
steak - choose your cut and select your size - plus tradi-
tional dishes like pork in Dijon mustard and surf 'n'turf
classics; mains average £15. It's above a popular pub which
locals swear by for afternoon tea. Daily 6.30-9pm.

Dunnet and around
Despite the publicity given to John O'Groats, the most northerly point of mainland
Britain is actually Dunnet Head four miles north of the unremarkable village of
DUNNET . It's a far more evocative spot too, covered in heather and bog and
plummeting in red cliffs at the headland, marked by a Stevenson lighthouse, and