Things to Do In John O’Groats | Boat Trips & Meteor Showers at the Northernmost Tip of Mainland Britain

All the best things to do in John O’Groats, a small village famous for its location at the northernmost tip of mainland Britain.

John O’Groats, Scotland

John O’Groats usually see two types of visitors: those who come on tour buses for a few hours in the afternoon, and walkers either starting or ending the iconic LEJoG walk. There’s not much to do here but the scenery and wildlife are so spectacular that it warrants at least a two-day stay to walk the windswept clifftops and soak in the solitude.

It is a place to unwind and relax. It is a place where seals sunbathe and seabirds nest, where the skies glitter with stars and the Northern Lights dance in the midnight darkness. We visited in August when the days were clear and sunny and the nights cool. The rolling fields were peppered with the bright yellow blossoms of canola and there were clusters of wildflowers popping up everywhere. Not many people live in John O’Groats, but there are farmsteads and crofts dotting the landscape. Outside John O’Groats, desolation and vastness appear to be key themes: whitewashed houses amidst empty tracts as far as the eye can see, then endless empty moorlands and clumps of purple heather in summer. It was incredibly windy, and that is a given in any season considering that it is a clifftop village at the edge of Britain, and it is best to keep this in mind when picking a camping spot. We walked the clifftops, watched seals and birds, saw the sky turn pink and mauve at sunset and sunrise, and marvelled at shooting stars. If you are seeking solitude and isolation, John O’Groats is the place you should visit.

To find more information on how to reach John O’Groats by public transport, when to visit John O’Groats, and other logistics, see our John O’Groats Travel Guide.

Things to do in John O’Groats

• Where to Stay in John O’Groats
• Things to do in John O’Groats
  • Walk to Duncansby Stacks from John O’Groats
  • Go on a Boat Trip to Stroma from John O’Groats
  • Visit The Castle & Gardens of Mey
  • Enjoy Birdwatching around John O’Groats
  • Marvel at the Night Skies in John O’Groats
  • Try some Whisky at 8 Doors Distillery
  • Tour the Windswept Town of Thurso
  • Eat some Seafood at Captain’s Galley in Thurso
  • Walk to Holborn Head
  • See the Sunset from Dunnet Head
  • Climb Down Whaligoe Steps

Where to Stay in John O’Groats

There are some fabulous places to stay in John O’Groats.

• 🧡 Nordic-style self-catering guesthouses with floor-to-ceiling glass walls that offer sweeping views of the Pentland Firth. We stayed at one of these guesthouses with our friends and can’t recommend them enough! The views from the living room and kitchen were unparalleled! From the front deck, we could see the Pentland Forth and also stunning views of the sunset. The kitchen was very well equipped and the entire property was very spacious. They also had WiFi and the connection was reliable. We had booked a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house but there are a variety of configurations such as 4-beds and studios available to book on Booking.com. The guesthouses are a 2-minute walk from the centre of John O’Groats, so you are close to all the shops and eateries, and also to the beaches and the cruise pier. Because of their stunning location, they tend to get sold out, especially in the summer, so make sure to book ahead.
• Granary Lodge Bed and Breakfast: Stay at a luxurious bed and breakfast near the historic Mey Castle. The BnB is managed by the Castle of Mey trust and service is excellent. The sea-facing rooms offer beautiful views and spectacular sunsets over the Pentland Firth.
• Camping: Wild camping is allowed in Scotland but if you are looking for a designated campsite, the clifftop John O’Groats Caravan and Camping site is an excellent choice.

Things to do in John O’Groats

There are lots of things to do in John O’Groats.

Walk to Duncansby Stacks from John O’Groats

A short walk from John O’Groats will bring you to the spectacular Duncasby Stacks, a set of wind-swept rock formations that rise like needles from the sea. Craggy and isolated, they are a reminder of how exposed to the elements one is at the very tip of Britain. Seabirds nest in crannies of the cliffs and the stacks and swoop around them as if in an airborne dance. The clifftop trail follows the coastline and you can walk down to some solitary beaches for a cold swim and a picnic. You can spot seals sunbathing and a host of seabirds on the route. The John O’Groats to Duncasby Stacks trail is part of the John O’Groats trail, which runs from John O’Groats to Inverness along the northeastern coast of Scotland. We walked to Duncasby Lighthouse and further along the cliffs to see the sea stacks, and the views were breathtaking all along the way. It was a brilliant day and we had lots of visitors for company. If you do not wish to walk all the way, there’s a road that leads all the way to the lighthouse; the stacks are only a short way ahead.

Go on a Boat Trip to Stroma from John O’Groats

Don’t miss the boat trip when you are visiting John O’Groats for the thrill of being on open waters coupled with the excitement of spotting wild creatures is next to none! The cruise takes you on a trip around the uninhabited island of Stroma. From the ship, you can see abandoned crofts, a forgotten pier, and other structures that dot this rocky landform anchored to the sea. To our surprise, there were sheep grazing on the island! The cruise offers a chance to see whales and dolphins that are regularly spotted in this area. We weren’t so lucky but we saw whole colonies of seals, a single puffin bobbing on the water, countless shags, a few gannets, and of course, bevies of gulls. They also take you to see some “caves” and rock formations that are particularly interesting to geologists as you can see the rocks and strata up close.

Visit The Castle & Gardens of Mey

Located 6 miles west of John O’Groats are the Castle and Gardens of Mey, once the holiday home of the Queen Mother who bought the derelict property, then known as Barrogill Castle, in 1952 and had it restored. If you enjoy visiting castles, this is certainly one of the top things to do in John O’Groats. For £16 (adults, 2024), you can visit the gardens and the castle, including the rooms that Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother stayed at. You can also climb the tower in the walled garden for some breathtaking views across the Pentland Firth to Hoy, the nearest of the Orkney Islands.

Enjoy Birdwatching around John O’Groats

We weren’t into birds and then we moved to Scotland! The number of birds we see on every trip, even on walks in Edinburgh, is mindboggling. The best time to see birds in John O’Groats is mid-summer, from June to July. There are shags, guillemots, gannets, puffins, gulls, fulmars, kittiwakes, cormorants, and tonnes of other seabirds. Besides seabirds, you can spot oystercatchers, wheatears, skylarks, and more. If you are interested in rare sightings, see Birdguides for the latest updates.

Marvel at the Night Skies in John O’Groats

Incredible dark skies with little to no light pollution make John O’Groats a fantastic destination for astronomy enthusiasts. One of the best things to do in John O’Groats is stargazing, so bundle up and watch celestial bodies traverse the sky. We visited during the Perseid meteor shower in August and were treated to a magical show. There were shooting stars lighting up the star-studded sky; I had never seen so many stars before.

Try some Whisky at 8 Doors Distillery

8 Doors Distillery is a local distillery in John O’Groats that makes and sells blended whiskies and liqueurs. They also have a lovely cafe where you can sit for a cuppa or join a whisky-tasting session. Their orange-flavoured liqueur is absolutely stunning, particularly if you like oranges and spices, and I say buy a bottle if you can get your hands on it.

Tour the Windswept Town of Thurso

Thurso is the largest town near John O’Groats and chances are, if you arrive by train, you will use the Thurso railway station. Thurso’s history stretches back to at least the era of Norse Orcadian rule in Caithness, which ended conclusively in 1266. It was an important Norse port and had a later history of trade with ports throughout northern Europe until the 19th century. Today Thurso is a little town full of historic buildings such as Old St. Peter’s Kirk. The town also has some excellent bakeries such as Jamieson’s Bakery where Aninda had one of his most memorable pies — and he has had quite a few in these past years — and Johnston’s of Thurso. The city centre also has some lovely gift shops where you can buy artworks by local artists. Thurso has a variety of accommodation options including a budget backpacker’s hostel called Sandra’s Backpackers. We stayed there and though the rooms were a little too small and the walls a little too thin, the staff was very friendly and accommodating. They also have a well-equipped and clean kitchen. If you are looking for a mid-range option, there’s Pentland Hotel (with an attractive and cosy bar) and Royal Thurso Hotel.

Eat some Seafood at Captain’s Galley in Thurso

The tastiest and most reasonably priced lobster I have had was at a fantastic restaurant called Captain’s Galley in Scabster, a few miles west of Thurso on the harbour. The menu is peppered with locally sourced seafood and it changes daily depending on the day’s catch. From lobsters to scallops, from monkfish to plaice, you will be spoiled by choice. If you don’t like seafood, they also serve a variety of seasonal produce and meat sourced from the highlands.

Walk to Holborn Head

One of the most exhilarating walks in Scotland is the Holborn Head walk above the clifftops of Scabster. The trail runs over the undulating cliffs and offers uncomparable views of Dunnet Head, Orkney Islands, and the city of Thurso with its spires and steeples. The cliff faces are breeding grounds for seabirds and in June and July, you can see countless guillemots and fulmars nesting there.

See the Sunset from Dunnet Head

Dunnet Head is a short drive from John O’Groats and because of its location at the edge of the British landmass, it offers crazy views of the open ocean and also sunsets. The road to Dunnet Head Lighthouse winds through a pockmarked landscape dotted with lochans and blanketed in heather– very much like the weirdly scenic landscape of Assynt— and it is one of my favourite drives. The skies weren’t immaculate the day we visited but we still got to see the blood-red light spilling over the horizon as the sun disappeared behind a cushion of moody clouds. On clear days, I hear, it is otherworldly, so keep an eye out on the weather forecast.

Climb Down Whaligoe Steps

Just a short drive south of John O’Groats is one of Scotland’s most thrilling walks: a steep staircase to a natural harbour. Located south of Wick, one of the bigger towns in Caithness, is the Whaligoe Steps, a stunning walk that takes you from the clifftop to the waters down a steep staircase cut into the rocky cliff face. It is a thrilling walk but not for those afraid of heights. Surrounded by 250-foot-tall cliffs, Whaligoe Haven is one of the most remarkable harbours in Scotland. 365 steps were hewn in the cliffside for fishwives who climbed up with heavy baskets laden with salmon, whitefish, and shellfish from the fishing boats that anchored in Whaligoe Haven below. They then carried them on foot to the town of Wick where they were sold in the market.

What are your favourite things to do in John O’Groats?

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