John o' Groats

城市概覽

Jan de Groot was a Dutchman who came here in 1489 with his brothers and set up a ferry service to Orkney. Legend claims that he built an octagonal house with eight doors so the brothers could enter independently with no "After you, Alphonse - no Gaston, after you I insist" time-wasting, but the legend is tosh and no trace of such a building has been found. What was real was a boost in travellers, who might be held up for days by bad weather, so they'd need accommodation. The Orkney Islands were Norwegian until ceded to Scotland in 1472, in lieu of the unpaid dowry of Queen Margaret of Denmark. Trade and pilgrimage then increased across the narrow but dangerous Pentland Firth. Another legend says that the fare was a groat (a third of a shilling or four pre-decimal pence), but the ferryman's name means Jan the Great or Big John. Not much else happened here for another 500 years. The prehistoric dwellings and medieval castles of Caithness gradually succumbed to storms and the sea, but were not built over, and these and the scenic cliffs are the main attraction once your 20 minutes around the tourist signpost are up. The big conflicts and battles were away south, but in the 18th century these prompted construction of military roads that became the backbone of the Scottish Highland main roads. The network was formalised in 1923, with routes radiating from the main Post Office in Edinburgh: A1 to London, A7 to Carlisle, A8 to Glasgow, and similarly A1-6 radiating from London. The A9 ran from Edinburgh via Falkirk, Stirling and Perth to Inverness but was soon extended to Wick and John o'Groats. In 1982 the section just north of Inverness was improved and shortened by the opening of Kessock Bridge. Traffic to the far north was mostly to Thurso, for the car ferry to Orkney, so in 1997 that road was re-designated A9 and the former last stretch through Wick to John o'Groats became A99. So John o'Groats is the British mainland's most northerly, um, what? Not the most norther

如何抵達

By car Follow A9 north through Inverness. Historically this ran to John o'Groats, but nowadays the last leg is A99, branching off at Latheron village and passing through Wick. The road is a good undivided highway, but it's a long way. Reckon 280 miles from Edinburgh or Glasgow, and 110 miles (say 2 hours) from Inverness. How are you doing for fuel? From the west follow A836 through Thurso. You come that way if you follow the North Coast 500 route clockwise. Park at the large free car park at the edge of the village.

By bus Bus 77 runs from Wick to John o'Groats, three times M-F taking 30 min, and in summer a couple of extra buses continue to Gills Land for the ferry. Bus 80 runs from Thurso every couple of hours M-F, taking 55 min via Dunnet and Mey. Thurso is the best railway connection, with trains from Inverness.

By boat There are three routes from the Orkney Islands:

Jogferry from Burwick to John o' Groats folded in 2023 and no other operator has yet re-started this route. Pentland Ferries car ferry sails from St Margaret's Hope to Gills Bay, one hour. Scrabster near Thurso has car ferries from Stromness.

當地交通

The village is tiny and only takes a few minutes to walk around. You need wheels for the outlying sights, though Bus 80 is just-about frequent enough for Castle of Mey and Dunnet Head.

必看景點

In the village 1 The signpost is the end of A99, and compulsory photo since the rest of the settlement is ho-hum. The first signpost, with pointers to Land's End, Orkney and Shetland, Edinburgh and New York, was a catchpenny affair installed on private land in 1964. You paid to have your photo next to it, and more to customise it with a pointer to your own home town. (You were paying the same company that made a tacky mess of Land's End, and tried for other iconic sites until howled down.) That was replaced in 2015 by a freely accessible signpost. This is not customisable, though there's nothing to stop a member of your group juxtaposing a sign, like a hitchhiker at an on-ramp. But please don't climb or swing on it, as some idiot did in 2020, and inevitably a pointer snapped. The Orkneys are clearly visible from anywhere along this coast, until the rain and mist set in. Hoy is the cloud-wreathed island well north and to the west. South Ronaldsay is to the east, low-lying and pastoral. Swona is the islet just west of its tip, uninhabited and with no transport. See below for the two islands close to John o'Groats: Stroma (larger and west) and Muckle Skerry (tiny and east) - both part of Caithness not Orkney, but the sheep don't care.

Further west and north 2 Canisbay Parish Church is where the Queen Mother attended when at Mey. Jan de Groot the ferryman lies in the graveyard. 3 Gills Bay is the little harbour for the ferry to St Margaret's Hope on Orkney. It was first used as a port from 1724, when kelp was valuable for soda ash, and was also a base for ships pilots through the Pentland Firth, and for fishermen. A larger pier was built in 1905 with the intention of creating a commercial port for steam ships, ignoring the obvious: the bay is rocky and exposed, only suitable for small craft in summer. There are other boat trips, and shepherds cross to Stroma to tend their flocks. 4 St John's Point is a scenic headland. There are scraps of machinery from the 19th ce

體驗活動

The coastal trail has short hikes with big views. Trek to Land's End: The journey from Land's End to John o' Groats (LeJog, or vice versa JogLe) has often been completed as a personal challenge and to raise funds for good causes. There's no set route; the usual on-road distance is about 900 miles (1400 km), but it can be much longer. It's usually done by walking or cycling, but it's also been done by running, on horseback, driving or by public transport. Feel free to invent your own conveyance; the weirder it is, the more media coverage and public response you'll get. Mey Highland Games are held at the castle, with the next on Sa 1 Aug 2026.

購物

Gift shops and a bookshop are round the car park. There isn't a practical store here. "First and Last in Scotland" is a souvenir shop by the ferry pier, open daily 8AM-8PM. Their title must predate the 15th century, when Orkney and Shetland joined Scotland.

美食

The Cabin next to the signpost is a fish & chips takeaway open daily 8AM-6PM. Stacks by the car park does coffee, baking, deli and takeaway W-Sa 10AM-4PM.

飲品與夜生活

John o'Groats Brewery is near the signpost and offers tours. 8 Doors Distillery (by the car park). Scotland’s most northerly mainland whisky distillery offers tasting tours (£15-24 per person). (updated Jan 2024)

住宿

John o' Groats Campsite, County Road KW1 4YR (opposite car park), ☏ +44 1955 611329. Clean, friendly and efficient. Tent £12, caravan £21. (updated Jul 2022) John o’Groats Lodges, County Road KW1 4YR (by signpost), ☏ +44 1625 416430. The historic hotel by the harbour was built in 1875. Several colourful lodges have been bolted on, sort-of Tobermory meets Faeroes whaling station, for luxury self-cate