Right at the very top of the UK, as everyone knows, is John O’Groats. It’s a
very tiny but very pretty little fishing village. However, I was surprised at
how much there was to do there. I guess it’s geared up for tourists. The
surrounding area, though beautiful in its own way, seemed strangely quite flat.
The village seems to ‘stick out’ into the sea, and so everywhere you look, you
are surrounded by water. In the village, there is a gift shop, Hotels, Bed &
Breakfasts, a woollen products shop, accompanied by an assortment of other small
craft shops etc. Most importantly, there’s a little fuel station.
The views surrounding John O’ Groats are breathtaking. There are islands in the
distance, which were probably miles away, but looked as though you could swim to
them. There are plenty of nice walks, and a stroll along the adjoining coastline
is simply awe-inspiring. For the Bird spotters among you, it’s a great
opportunity to take along your Binoculars, as apparently, unusual Birds nest in
the cliffs along there. You can also take advantage of the day trips to the
Orkney isles, or go on Fishing trips.
The Camp Site itself is situated right at the very top of the village, literally
overlooking the sea. If I had parked my car another 20 feet forward, it would
have got wet ! It’s not the largest site I’ve ever been to, but not tiny either.
I think there were about 90 pitches in total. They accommodate Tents, Trailer
Tents, Caravans and Motor Caravans. Everything was a bit basic when we went a
couple of years ago. The site office was a Static Caravan, and there was no
shop. However, you could buy Gas on site, and there was a shop a short walk away
in the village. The showers were clean and tidy and worked perfectly. However,
it was one of those really annoying ‘20p in the slot’ type affairs. Again, the
toilets were clean and acceptable. The site is nicely laid out, and when we
went, you could choose where you wanted to park. Electric Hook Up is available,
but not on every pitch, so if you’d like this facility, you may have to book
first. There are obviously fresh water points aplenty, waste disposal points
too, and a small laundrette. If you want to eat out, there are a selection of
local B & B’s that serve non-residents. I think the main attraction for the site
was the beautiful location, along with the fact that it was the only Camp Site
in John O’Groats! There is another one down the road in a town called ‘Wick’,
but I don’t think the scenery would have been as beautiful. And obviously, no
trip to ‘J O’ G’ would be complete, without a picture standing next to the
famous Signpost. We’ve still got ours !
To get to John O’ Groats, it couldn’t be simpler ! Depending on where you’re
coming from of course. The only problem we found, was the immense distance
involved. However, we combined this visit with a grand tour of Scotland. From
the Midlands, we took the M6, M74, then the A9, takes you all the way to the top
of the Country. It’s very simple to find, and is very well sign posted. It’s
impossible to miss it really, as you can’t actually drive any further on. Unless
you’ve got a car that’s also a boat ! So basically, head North up the A9, and
you can’t go wrong ! From our house in the Midlands, it was about 600 or so
miles. We had a leisurely drive over about a week, stopping off in different
places. We had a really nice holiday, and I would recommend a visit to John
O’Groats wholeheartedly. However, it would be a quiet holiday. If you’re looking
for a ‘Blackpool’ type break, this isn’t for you. But if it’s a relaxing,
scenic, low action ‘road trip’ you’re after, you could do much worse.
It’s been a few years since we went to the John O’ Groats Camping & Caravan
Site, but when we went, it was about £8.00 per night. It’s probably changed
since then, so it’s a good idea to phone first to get price and availability.
Details;-
John O’ Groats Caravan & Camping Site.
John O’ Groats,
Near Wick,
Highland,
Scotland.
KW1 4YS