Thurso

There’s plenty to see and do in and around the delightful town of Thurso.   The town is a hive of lovely traditional shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.  Other great ‘must-sees’ are the circular wellhouse of Meadow Well, a fine public library and the impressive Janet Street overlooking the River Thurso close to Thurso Bridge.  Check out the Swanson Gallery which hosts year round exhibitions of fine artwork, or discover the magical world of Glass Creations by artist Ian Pearson.  Caithness Horizons is also well worth a visit with fascinating museum exhibits and a changing annual gallery programme.

Thurso is also a major surfing area and a premier heavy cold surf destination which hosts surfing championships, including two World Championships for Kayak surfing. The plentiful reefs, points, river mouths and beaches, on top of the consistent year-round surfing opportunities, make the location a paradise for watersports lovers.

West of Thurso is the Dounreay nuclear power station and its story is explained in an exhibition within the Caithness Horizons visitor centre. The dramatic north coast stretches away to the west, while inland is the vast area of blanket bog known as the ‘Flow Country’.