Castle of Old Wick
The oldest castle in Caithness, a ruined tower on a spine of rock between two deep gullies on the cliffs south of Wick, open at all times.
A mile south of Wick, a single stout tower stands at the very edge of the land, on a narrow spine of rock running out into the North Sea between two deep, sheer-sided gullies.
The Castle of Old Wick is the oldest castle in Caithness, known to some as the Old Man of Wick.
The tower probably dates from the 1300s, though the site may have been fortified two centuries earlier by the Norse earl Harald Maddadson. It once rose four storeys, and though its seaward side fell long ago, you can still see its narrow window slits, the ledges that held its timber floors and a fireplace high in the wall. A deep ditch cut in the rock, once crossed by a drawbridge, guarded the landward side.
A short, easy path leads from the car park to the castle. Carry on south along the clifftops to see Brig o' Stack, a sea stack still joined to the land by a bridge of rock.
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Open at all times, in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.
The walk from the car park is short and easy.
- Where
- South of Wick, signed Castle of Old Wick.
- Built
- Probably the later 1300s.
- Walk
- About 1.5km there and back.
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Add your reviewOn the cliffs a mile south of Wick; follow the brown signs for the Castle of Old Wick to the car park.
Brig o' StackA sea stack a little further south.Under a mile 1 min by road
The Trinkie1 mile 7 min by road
CaithnessCaithness runs from the Pentland Firth to the Moray Firth and together with Sutherland covers the north coast of Scotland.2 miles 7 min by road
Bord de l'EauFrench dinner in Wick.2 miles 8 min by road
Castle Sinclair GirnigoeAnother cliff castle north of Wick.6 miles 23 min by road
Places to stay near the castle, and when each is next free.
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What we have written about it and more in Caithness.
For further reading, before you go. The details on this page were checked on .