Legal: Outaboutscotland.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk. This easy-going trail rewards visitors with stunning views at every section of its 65-mile length and there are plenty of opportunities to deviate onto nearby attractions along the way. The Duncansby Stacks at Duncansby Head, Scotland A stack or sea stack is a geological landform consisting of a steep and often vertical column or columns of rock in the sea near a coast, formed by wave erosion. Duncansby Stacks, rock pinnacles south of Duncansby Head near John o' Groats, Caithness, Highland, Scottish Highlands, Scotland, UK. It includes the Duncansby Stacks, prominent sea stacks just off the coast. It’s a relatively flat, pleasant walk and most of your company is more likely to be sheep or some of the Scottish wildlife than fellow tourists. Buy OS Landranger maps direct from Ordnance Survey. Moray and Caithness: A landscape fashioned by geology The far north-east of Scotland encompasses a wide range of landscapes, from the rolling hills of Moray and the coastal flagstone cliffs of Caithness, to the blanket peat bogs of the Flow Country and the ancient rugged mountains of eastern Sutherland. For another amazing coastal view I recommend heading a few miles south to, If you just want to see Duncansby Head and the stacks you can drive to the lighthouse car park instead of the one at. At it's very tip is situated the Duncansby Head Lighthouse, built in 1924 and fully automated in 1997. … These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The headland juts into the North Sea, with the Pentland Firth to its north and west and the Moray Firth to its south. John O'Groats Tourism; John O'Groats Hotels; John O'Groats Bed and Breakfast; John O'Groats Vacation Rentals; John O'Groats Vacation Packages; Flights to John O'Groats This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Thirle Door and the Stacks of Duncansby. Duncansby Head is the furthest point by road, on the north/east coast, from Lands End, down in Cornwall, being a good mile or two further on than the nearby John O'Groats. The path from John o’ Groats closely follows the sea and passes alongside some beautifully clean beaches before opening up into wide-open fields that are home to lots of curious sheep, so don’t be surprised to have a hundred pairs of eyes watching you as you make your way across the short-cropped turf. There’s a car park right next to the lighthouse so you can miss out the section from John o’ Groats if you want but that would be missing some of the best bits of the walk. So to sum up – I think whether you’re an enthusiastic walker, a fanatical bird watcher, or simply looking for something to do after visiting John o’ Groats you’re pretty much guaranteed a great experience if you take the time to explore the beautiful coastline surrounding Duncansby Head. Duncansby Head in Caithness on the north - east coast of Scotland. The area is popular with visitors due to the number of seabirds that thrive in the area, with the adorable puffin frequently see nesting in the sheer cliff faces. Book your tickets online for Duncansby Head, John O'Groats: See 685 reviews, articles, and 597 photos of Duncansby Head, ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor among 8 attractions in John O'Groats. This is a wild and untamed part of Scotland – think steep cliffs, windswept moors and miles of uninterrupted coastline – and it’s one I whole-heartedly recommend you take the time to explore if you like the thought of going off-grid for a few days. [8], In 2016, it was reported in The Sunday Post newspaper that scientists from the Atomic Weapons Establishment in Aldemarston had proposed a nuclear weapon test on the Stacks of Duncansby in 1953, but that the prevailing wet weather was too much for contemporary electronics and the idea was shelved. This part of Scotland’s coastline is absolutely gorgeous though, so I had no problem grabbing my walking boots to head off from the John o’ Groats car park to see what the furthest north-east point of the UK looks like, and once I’d set off I was blown away by how pretty it is around there. [1] On the steep cliffs stands a lighthouse built in 1924. That was my main reason for visiting the tourist-trap of John o’ Groats, and while I have to admit the visitor centre is quite good I was a bit miffed when I found out the real northern-most point of mainland Britain is actually a few miles further along the coast at Dunnet Head. Free parking is available at the headland. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Stick some sandwiches in your backpack. Punta ang Duncansby Head sa Hiniusang Gingharian. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. This vast chasm cuts right through the cliffs to the crashing waves more than a hundred feet below and in every nook and cranny you’ll see gulls and puffins clinging on to their little piece of rock. The stacks are just a 40-minute walk from the lighthouse across easy-going paths along the cliff edge and are the mid-point for the short walk shown on the map below, but you can carry on all the way to Inverness if you want. Even so I still recommend picking up an Ordnance Survey map once you get there because there are so many great places to go for walks in this part of Caithness, and a decent map will certainly help you make the most of the area. Your options are to simply retrace your steps back along the same path you came on or circle around the fields towards John o’ Groats village, with both routes using the stacks as their mid-point. High quality Caithness inspired Mugs by independent artists and designers from around the world. The stacks are home to huge seabird colonies and it’s worth taking the time to watch the birds coming in to land and heading back out to sea on the hunt for fish, especially if you’ve got your binoculars with you. Geology & Geomorphology The structure of the coastline is relatively solid in comparison to the fragmented western coast, with 74% (416km) comprised of hard or mixed geology and only 1% (7km) of soft coastline (Fitton et al., 20173). In this website I’ll show you the best places to visit and give you lots of tips for making the most of your visit. Duncansby Head, Caithness; Tarbat Ness, Easter Ross; North Islay, Argyll and Bute; Bullers of Buchan, Aberdeenshire; Dunbar, East Lothian; St Abb’s Head, Berwickshire; Soft-rock cliffs. It sits atop high cliffs that rise to the east of John o' Groats and is home to a lighthouse built in 1924 and automated in 1997. Follow my adventures on Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube or contact me here. 4 thoughts on “ Duncansby Head, Caithness ” Valerie on 19 July 2017 at 01:22 said: Interesting geology with the rocky cliffs and pinnacles, and that chasm opening to the sea. The forests of Arran offer some of the best mountain biking routes of any of the west-coast islands and any cycle ride is almost guaranteed to include sightings of Arran’s famed red squirrels. It is located in Caithness, Highland, in north-eastern Scotland. rugged coastal landscape with the rock spikes duncansby stacks, coast of duncansby head, county of caithness, scotland, great britain - duncansby head stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images Duncansby Stacks, rock pinnacles south of Duncansby Head near John o' Groats, Caithness, Highland, Scottish Highlands, Scotland, UK. The little beaches are clean and great for kids and the cliffs are dramatic and full of wildlife. Duncansby Head: Stunning views - See 685 traveller reviews, 597 candid photos, and great deals for John O'Groats, UK, at Tripadvisor. Several walks offer excellent bird-spotting opportunities, especially Handa Island, Dunnet Head and Duncansby Head which all have large and important colonies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. You’ll get plenty of photo opportunities along the way and as the return route can be completed at a leisurely pace in around 3 hours you’ll not feel too rushed to get back to the car park. At John O'Groats, venture to Duncansby Head for dramatic views of the sea. As well as this there are some magnificent views of the Orkney Islands from the mainland as well as the nearby Pentland Skerries Lighthouse … We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. EIA Report Volume 3b - SLVIA Visualisations - Viewpoint 1 - Duncansby Head: 19.35 MB: EIA Report Volume 3b - SLVIA Visualisations - Viewpoint 2 - Keiss: 25.09 MB: EIA Report Volume 3b - SLVIA Visualisations - Viewpoint 3 - Wick: 66.03 MB: EIA Report Volume 3b - SLVIA Visualisations - Viewpoint 4 - Sarclet: 19.52 MB It’s obviously a popular spot for birdwatchers because there are wooden boards laid into the ground so that you don’t get too caught up in the muddy quagmire, and there’s a fence all the way around the gorge so you don’t get too close – which is a good idea because these cliffs are almost vertical to the point where it makes you dizzy looking down. There are several points of interest along this popular walking trail, from the white-sand beaches near the Ness of Duncansby and Sannick Bay to the Duncansby Lighthouse and nearby Duncansby Stacks, and of course not forgetting the dramatic Geo of Sclaites with its cacophony of nesting seagulls and puffins. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. Duncansby Head. Stacks are formed over time by wind and water, processes of coastal geomorphology. The visitor centre at John o’ Groats is great and there are a couple of decent cafes for a pre/post walk munch. [5] The headland juts into the North Sea, with the Pentland Firth to its north and west and the Moray Firth to its south. The Stacks of Duncansby are some of the most impressive in the British Isles. Duncansby Head (Scottish Gaelic: Ceann Dhunngain or Dùn Gasbaith ) is the most northeasterly part of the British mainland, slightly northeast of John o' Groats. The Complete Guide to Visiting John o’ Groats in North Scotland, The Complete Guide to The Arran Coastal Way, The Complete Guide to Visiting Holy Isle, Arran, The Complete Guide to Visiting Brodick Castle on Arran. Allow about 90 minutes if you decide to reach the head on foot. Outaboutscotland.com also participates in affiliate programs with Awin, CJ, and other sites. Our geological and glacial inheritance means that Scotland has very few examples of soft-rock cliffs. If you’re unfamiliar with John o’ Groats and Duncansby Head you might be wondering how difficult it is to find, but rest assured there are plenty of tourist signs pointing in both directions from Wick in the south to Thurso further round the coast to the west, and the area is featured on all the free NC500 maps. It’s an amazing sight but to be honest I was more impressed by the enormous gorge a little way nearer the lighthouse called the Geo of Sclaites. Significance: an imposing set of pyramidal or pillar-like stacks developed in horizontally-bedded sandstones isolated by cliff retreat. Duncansby Head is the northeastern tip of Scotland, near the village of John o 'Groats. 9.1.1. Sannick Bay is a very picturesque beach and is definitely picnic-worthy. Head to the most northeasterly point on the British mainland with a day trip to John O'Groats. Duncansby Head and Stacks are located approximately 5 miles along the coast from John o’ Groats and are the true most-northerly point of mainland Britain. Brodick Castle, former seat of power of the Dukes of Hamilton, is a grand 19th-century castle located a few miles north of the town of Brodick on the Isle of Arran. (Photo by: Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Continue reading if you want to learn more. Duncansby Stacks are a row of three sea stacks (offshore pinnacles of steep-sided rock) just south of Duncansby Head in Caithness, northeast Scotland, around two kilometres east of John o' Groats. These cookies do not store any personal information. Duncansby Head near John o’ Groats on the north-east coast. Ang kinahabogang dapit sa palibot dunay gihabogon nga 62 ka metro ug 1.3 km sa … Or maybe like me you’ve already visited Lands End and want to tick the box to say you’ve been both as far north and south as you can go on our little island. Getting there: Car park on-site (at John o’ Groats visitor centre and Duncansby Head lighthouse), On-site conveniences: Gift shop, Hot drinks, Picnic area, Restaurant or cafe, Snacks, Toilets (all at John o’ Groats). Copyright: All photos, videos, downloadable files and texts are the property of Craig Smith unless otherwise cited or under a CC0 licence and may not be used or reproduced elsewhere without permission. Duncansby Head is overshadowed in name but not in stature by its westerly neighbour, John o' Groats. Inland, the great peat bogs of the Flow Country, covering almost half of the area, are a vital habitat, constituting 13 … This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Duncansby Head (Scottish Gaelic: Ceann Dhunngain[3] or Dùn Gasbaith[4]) is the most northeasterly part of the British mainland, slightly northeast of John o' Groats. It is located in Caithness, Highland, in north-eastern Scotland. Book your tickets online for Duncansby Head, John O'Groats: See 684 reviews, articles, and 597 photos of Duncansby Head, ranked No.1 on Tripadvisor among 8 attractions in John O'Groats. The Great Stack is over 60 m high and rises above the summit of the adjacent cliff. Duncansby Head is the real north eastern tip of the Scottish mainland, and probably exceeds John o' Groat's distance from … England has the White Cliffs of Dover, Ireland has the Cliffs of Moher and the Scottish Highlands has Duncansby Head. Clean and great for kids and the Moray Firth to its north and west and the cliffs dramatic. Me here above the summit of the adjacent cliff Highlands has Duncansby Head which have... 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