Scrabster Scotland
United Kingdom
9
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
Frequently Asked Questions
At Scrabster's own quay, the northernmost port on mainland Scotland's coast in Caithness, between ferry departures for Stromness. The port is a working one, with trawlers and a fish market: there is no cruise terminal and no shops on the quay.
By the courtesy shuttle provided by the port authority, which covers the two kilometres or so into Thurso. Walking is possible but follows a road without continuous pavement; the shuttle is the simplest way to reach shops and cafés.
The northernmost town on mainland Britain lines its dark sandstone houses along an unpretentious shopping street: bakeries, woollens, cafés. From the esplanade the view carries across the bay to the cliffs of the island of Hoy.
An organised excursion is the surest way to combine two or three sites: Dunnet Head, the Castle of Mey and John o' Groats all lie within an hour's drive. Local taxis book up early on call days, as there are few of them.
At Dunnet Head, not John o' Groats, contrary to popular belief. This massive cliff topped by a lighthouse sits about twenty minutes' drive from Scrabster. On a clear day the view takes in the whole Pentland Firth and the coasts of Orkney.
Yes, in the cliffs of Dunnet Head, where puffins and fulmars nest in spring and summer. The wind blows almost constantly there: binoculars and a windproof layer are basic kit for this outing.
The summer residence of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who bought and restored it in the 1950s. The rooms are shown by guides who keep her memory warmly alive, and the walled gardens, sheltered from the wind by high walls, hold an unexpected softness for this latitude.
Sterling and English. Cards are accepted throughout Thurso; still, keep some coins for small shops and for donations at volunteer-run sites.
The strait separating mainland Scotland from Orkney, respected by sailors for some of the fiercest currents in Europe. From the quay the tide drives rivers of dark water between the islands and ferries seem to fight an invisible conveyor belt. Thurso's surfers, meanwhile, find waves rated among Europe's best.
May to August, for long light, seabird colonies in full activity and clear roads to the north coast sites. The wind is a year-round companion: even in summer, pack layers and a windproof jacket.
