Travel Guide to the North of Scotland
- Nov 23, 2021
- 6 min read
The North of Scotland is a beautiful place full of natural wonders, gorgeous scenery and picturesque corners. When traveling to the UK not many people think to make their way up north of Scotland, but I am here to say that is is totally worth it!
One of the great things when exploring the North of Scotland, is the natural 'untouched' beauty it holds. There are far more photo-worthy things to see, and very less people trying to see it, making it a great place to get out of the busy cities and experience a slower, more relaxed area that is so bucket-list worthy!
Psst..before we continue, don't forget to check out my travel guide all about road tripping in the rest of Scotland!👇🏼
Where in Northern Scotland?
The North of Scotland consists of the Highlands, Orkeney Islands, the Shetland Islands, and the Western Isles. There are so many gorgeous places to explore in the North, but for the sake of this post, we are going to concentrate on the Highlands and surrounds.
In this post I will touch on the key places in the Highlands that are definite must-sees for you to visit. These specific areas include villages and areas of John o' Groats, Wick, Lybster, Canisbay, Mey and Dunnet (don't worry, it sounds like a lot, but they are all fairly close together).
I have indicated on the map here the exact territory I am talking about within this guide👇🏼
How To Get There
There are many ways to get to the North of Scotland, you can either do what we did and start in Edinburgh and make your way through Scotland all the way up to the North, or you can simply fly in to the nearest airport.
Drive/Road Trip
If you are wanting to see all of Scotland, I would suggest having a read of my Scotland Travel Itinerary post, which explains in details the perfect road trip route to take to make your way all the way up the country into the North. Click here to read my Ultimate Scotland Travel Itinerary
At the end of our road trip we ended up in Inverness, where we left our rental car and took a train into the Highlands. The only reason we did this was because we were actually staying with a family member of mine, who lives in Canisbay, so we knew we didn't need to continue renting a car as we could borrow hers. However, if you can do it, I would highly recommend taking a rental car and driving through to the Northern tip. The drive is a fairly long one from Inverness, but it is so beautiful! If you are not going to rent a car, then I would recommend taking the train straight from Inverness all the way to Wick. Wick is the biggest town in the North, and is where I recommend you stay/ start your journey. There is a fair bit of public transport available to get around this area, so it is possible to get around without a car.
Flying
Unfortunately there used to be an airport right in the town of Wick, but it hasn't been in operation as of late, so the best option would be to fly to Inverness, and from there take a train, bus or car to Wick.
WHERE TO STAY
Within the area there are a few good places to stay. I would recommend staying in either the main towns of Wick OR John o Groats for accommodation, and from there you can venture out to all the necessary places!
Here's a list of places to stay in the area of town of Wick:
Here's a list of places around John o' Groats:
WHAT TO DO / SEE
In the North of Scotland there are so many beautiful things to see and experience! I have compiled a little guide of the best things we have done whilst in the wild Scottish Highlands.
1. Get a great view of Duncansby Head and the Sea Stacks
Duncansby Head is the most northeasterly part of both Scotland and the UK, and is a great lookout spot! At Duncansby Head you can see the lighthouse at the cliffs edge, as well as marvel at the beautiful natural sea stacks jutting out of the ocean. You can find this beautiful spot just outside of John o' Groats.
2. Visit John o' Groats Shops
Within John o' Groats you can go to the harbour where there are also a few cute shops and a cafe. This spot is a popular stop as it has two trails you can walk down to enjoy the coastal edge of John o' Groats itself!
3. Explore Castle of Mey & Gardens
This castle is actually the holiday home of the Royal Family, originally purchased and restored by the Queen Mother herself! During the seasons the royals are not there on holiday, the castle is open to the public, and you can book tickets online to have a tour of the royals home and gardens.
4. Castle Sinclair Grinigoe
This spot is by far a must do! The castle is a ruin that sits right on the cliff's edge, making it a dramatic scene. The castle is a small walk through a path to the edge, and is so worth a visit!
5. Go up Dunnet Head
Dunnet's Head is another great viewpoint, and is famously known as the most Northernly point of Scotland and the UK as a whole! You will need to take a car ride up to this point as the road up is a bit of a longer one. At Dunnet's Head there are even still WW2 shelters standing scattered along the hilltop, which is an amazing thing to see.
6. Walk the Whaligoe Steps
Whaligoe Steps is a beautiful natural harbour wedged between dramatic cliffs. To walk down to the harbour you have to go down the 365 stone steps. This spot is full of history about the fishermen and how the women would carry the sea-catch up the hundreds of steps to the markets in Wick town. It is an amazing spot, and if you can, have a chat with local Davey who is one of the men responsible for the upkeep of the steps and sight. Davey has a lot of great stories to offer and is so knowledgable about the history this space has to boast!
7. Visit Dunrobin Castle & Gardens
Dunrobin castle is an amazing place to go visit. It is a little bit further out from where you'll be staying in a cute village called Golspie. Dunrobin castle is definitely worth a visit, and gives off the most amazing fairytale-castle atmosphere. I would recommend you looking at their website to buy tickets, and making sure they are open for the season that you are visiting.
8. See Canisbay Church
This little church has been in operation since the early 1600s. Canisbay is a Parish church and is a church of Scotland. This building, although seemingly just a quaint local church, holds a lot of history. It is the most Northernly church on the mainland of Britain and is also a Category A listed building, meaning it will always remain and be preserved due to its historical importance. This also happens to be the church members of the royal family visit when holidaying in the castle of Mey.
9. Visit Annie's Bakery
Annie's Bakery is a family run local bakery in Canisbay. When you're there make sure to check out all the amazing homemade treats, as well as all the local gifts, food and products you can buy as souvenirs! Annie's also has an outside sitting area that is sheltered and warmed up for the cold weather where you can sit and enjoy the company of their bakery cat George - who is the sweetest cat in the world!
10. See Peedie Sands
Peedie Sands is a small, secluded beach that offers almost complete privacy and beauty! To get to this beach you do have to walk about 1km through a path and then down to the water's edge, but it is so worth it, and the wild fields and hills around you are incredible!
Although there is so much more to see in the Northern tip of Scotland, these are just a few things that we enjoyed on our visit to the natural beauty. Scotland is one of those amazing places that offers so much to see that it almost feels impossible to see everything in one go!
I hope you enjoyed this travel guide, and I can't wait to share my next adventure with you!
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram to see more adventures, behind the scenes and everyday stories of all my travels!👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼
Lots of love, Britt xx
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