John O Groats in General

John o' Groats, the famous northerly point in Scotland supposedly takes its name from Jan de Groot, a Dutchman who obtained a grant for the ferry from the Scottish mainland to Orkney, the islands having been recently acquired from Norway, from King James IV in 1496 An early important point to make is that, as has been said, John o' Groats is not the most northerly point in the mainland UK as there are actually various places which are further north and Dunnet Head being the place most widely credited with being the real most northerly point. However, the village is still full of plenty of kitsch end of the line memorabelia and the end point of many end-to-end ...  Read the complete review

If you want to visit the most northerly point on the British mainland, don’t go to John o’Groats. (Brief pause to allow digestion of confusing information) Don’t misunderstand me. I do, very much, want you to visit this spectacular, if somewhat remote, outpost. But don’t be misled by the propaganda. The most northerly point is Dunnet Head, a little to the west. Am I being pedantic? Not intentionally. We’re going to visit both, and a little more besides. Head north from Wick on the A9 (making sure to turn right at Reiss – the main road goes straight on, but the A9 turns right!). Put your foot down and go ...  Read the complete review

Everybody in Britain should try to visit the wonderful town of John O’Groats at the North East tip of Scotland at least once. Almost everybody knows of this town but very few people seem to have visited it. This area of Scotland is beautiful, with its lovely futile land leading down to the coast. By the harbour of John O’Groats there are a number of small shops selling local produce as well as tasteful souvenirs for the tourists, but the biggest attraction is the quiet and the cleanliness. The air is fresh and clean, the sea is clear and bright and the town is neat and tidy. From the harbour you can take the ferry to the Orkney Isles, or in the ...  Read the complete review