Caithness and North Coast
Sutherland is a largely area of unspoilt, dramatic scenery in the far north of Scotland, indeed, on the extreme edge of Europe.
The borders of Caithness are
the Pentland Firth to the north, and Moray Firth to the east. Caithness meets Sutherland, together covering the far north coast
of Scotland.
The coast is low-lying on the east, and majestic on the north, with high cliffs
and offshore stacks at places like Duncansby Head. Wick and Thurso are the main
settlements, based around harbours and making their living on a mix of fishing
and tourism. Inland is the desolate flat peat bog and moorland of the Flow
Country, one of the last true wilderness areas in Europe.
While the population of the Flow Country is sparse, it is a popular home for
numerous rare plants, insects and birds.
A walk round the rugged
coast or the wetter inland areas of peat bog (now part of the worlds best
preserved area of natural peat bog and its flora and fauna) will let anyone see
that to survive in earlier times meant strength, ingenuity and the need to
continually strive for improvements. That legacy still remains to this
day and despite the downturn in many industries the people of Caithnesshave survived through the worst of times in several centuries and still came
out intact enjoying life to the full wherever they went.
Caithness has over 4000 monuments dating from Prehistoric
right up to the more recent Highland Clearances era.
Tours that visit Caithness:
From Inverness
John O’Groats and the Far North (1 day)From Edinburgh
Scottish Wilderness (3 days)Best of the Highlands (4 days)
Highland Explorer (5 days)
From Glasgow
Scottish Wilderness (3 days)Best of the Highlands (4 days)
Highland Explorer (5 days)