Scenic Place in Caithness

Duncansby Head is the most northeasterly point of the British mainland, a dramatic headland of red sandstone just east of John o'Groats in Caithness whose combination of the massive sea stack scenery of the Duncansby Stacks, the puffin colony on the cliff face and the extraordinary views across the Pentland Firth to Orkney make it substantially more dramatic and more rewarding than the more famous John o'Groats immediately to the west. The two great stacks of Duncansby, rising 60 metres from the sea in isolated pinnacles of Devonian sandstone, are among the most impressive sea stacks on the Scottish mainland coast. The walk from the lighthouse at Duncansby Head south along the cliff to the viewpoint above the stacks takes approximately twenty minutes and provides progressively more dramatic views of the stacks as the path approaches the most impressive vantage point. At the height of the summer breeding season the puffins that nest in burrows on the cliff face between the stacks and the lighthouse provide one of the most accessible puffin watching opportunities on the north Scottish coast, the birds coming and going from their burrows at close range throughout the day. The Pentland Firth visible across the water from Duncansby Head is one of the most powerful tidal races in the world, the enormous volume of water flowing through the strait between the Scottish mainland and Orkney creating tidal streams of considerable force. The view of this great tidal strait, with Orkney visible clearly on the far side, provides the most direct appreciation of the geography of this extreme corner of Britain.

John O'Groats occupies a unique place in the British imagination as the northeastern terminus of the most famous end-to-end journey across Britain, the 1,407-kilometre route from Land's End in Cornwall to this remote corner of the Caithness coast in the far north of Scotland. The name alone has come to signify both geographical extremity and personal endurance, and thousands of charity walkers, cyclists, runners and even wheelchair users complete the journey each year, drawn by the particular satisfaction of traversing an entire island from tip to tip. The settlement itself, it must be said, is smaller and simpler than the mythology might suggest. A cluster of buildings around a small harbour, the famous signpost, a hotel, some craft shops and a visitor centre: John O'Groats is a destination that rewards for what it represents rather than what it contains. The signpost pointing to distant cities and the mileage to Land's End is the mandatory photograph for those completing the journey, and the sense of accomplishment felt by those who have walked, cycled or driven the full length of Britain to reach this point is visible and genuine. The landscape surrounding the settlement is what gives the location its real character. The coast here is wild and dramatic, with grey cliffs, grey sea and the constant presence of wind that shapes everything from the stunted vegetation to the stone walls of the farms inland. The Pentland Firth between the mainland and Orkney is one of the most dangerous stretches of water in Britain, with racing tidal currents and standing waves that can challenge even experienced sailors. On clear days the Orkney Islands are plainly visible across the firth, close enough to seem reachable but surrounded by waters that demand respect. The nearby village of Duncansby, two kilometres east, provides access to Duncansby Head, the true northeastern tip of mainland Britain and, many would argue, a more dramatically beautiful destination than John O'Groats itself. The lighthouse here overlooks sea stacks, natural arches and spectacular cliff scenery that constitutes some of the finest coastal walking in the far north. The Duncansby Stacks, particularly, are among the most photogenic geological features in Scotland. Regular ferry services to Orkney depart from nearby Gills Bay and from the ferry terminal at the town of Thurso, making John O'Groats an excellent staging post for the short crossing to explore the remarkable prehistoric and Norse heritage of the Orkney Islands.