Duncansby Head – Along the Shore from John o' Groats
About 5.3 miles on foot.
Most people photograph the signpost at John o' Groats and drive on.
The better plan is to walk east from it along the shore, past the white sand of the Bay of Sannick, to the lighthouse on Duncansby Head, the real north-east corner of the mainland. It's about five miles there and back on grassy clifftops, with Orkney across the water the whole way.
- Time
- Two and a half to three hours: 8.5 km (5.25 miles) there and back, with 110 metres of climbing. Mostly grassy clifftop, boggy in places.
- The path
- Grassy clifftop, sand and a few boggy patches.
- Where to start
- The car parks by the harbour at John o' Groats. Paid: the machines show the charge.
- Set off
- From November to January, set off by 11am to be back in daylight.
- When to go
- All year in daylight, and not in a strong wind. From November to January set off by 11am.
- Dogs
- On a lead: sheep graze the headland and the cliff edge is close.
- Children
- A long walk for small legs, with unfenced cliff edges.
- Toilets
- Public toilets by the car parks at John o' Groats. None at the lighthouse.
- Before you set out
- Only part of the cliff edge is fenced: keep back from it, above all in wind.
The walk
Park in one of the car parks by the harbour at John o' Groats. They're paid car parks, and the machines show the charge. The public toilets are beside them, and there are none further on. Walkhighlands gives the walk to Duncansby Head and back as 8.5 km, with 110 metres of climbing, and allows two and a half to three hours. It's mostly on grassy clifftop, with a few boggy patches after rain, so boots are the thing.
The shore runs east from the harbour to the Bay of Sannick, a curve of pale sand under green slopes that many visitors to John o' Groats never see. Beyond it the ground rises to Duncansby Head and its square lighthouse, built in 1924. John o' Groats has the famous name, but this headland is the true north-eastern point of the mainland. Orkney lies across the Pentland Firth, in sight for most of the way. The Stacks of Duncansby are a little further round the head and have a day out of their own.
This is an open coast, and only part of the cliff edge is fenced. Keep back from the edge, keep children close, and in a strong wind leave the walk for a calmer day. Sheep graze the headland, so dogs stay on a lead. From November to January, set off by 11am to be back in daylight. Café Groats, by the signpost, says it welcomes visitors all year, but ring 07733 472395 in the dark months before you count on it.
If it rains
This is an open coast with no shelter between the harbour and the lighthouse, and wind matters more than rain here. On a wild day, walk as far as the Bay of Sannick and turn round.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
The nearest of ours is House of the Northern Gate, 11 miles away. Sleeps 18.
For further reading, before you go.