Wick (Scotland)
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Wick is a town in Caithness in the far northeast of the Scottish Highlands. The name comes from Norse vik, meaning a bay. The town first grew up north of the river: in the 19th C the fishing port of Pulteney was established to the south, when herring shoals moved away from the Hebrides to the seas around here, and initially only a rickety footbridge connected the two settlements. Caithness Glass originated in Wick, though production has now all moved to Perth. Wick (along with Thurso) is a good base for exploring the rugged northern coast around John O'Groats, or as a stopover for the Orkney ferries.
Get in
By plane: has a flight (not Tu or Sat) from Edinburgh by Loganair, and two flights (M-F) from Aberdeen by Flybe. The airport is 1.5 miles north of town off A99 to Thurso: Bus 82 stops on that road, or take a taxi, or walk. There's a small cafe in the terminal.
By train: Four trains a day M-Sat (one on Sunday) run north from Inverness via Dingwall, Tain, Golspie (for Dunrobin Castle), Brora, Helmsdale and Georgemas Junction to Thurso, taking four hours. The train then returns south through Georgemas Junction and branches off to reach Wick, another 30 mins.
By bus: Stagecoach Highlands X98 / X99 runs four times M-Sat, twice Sunday, from Inverness via Tain, Dornoch, Brora and Helmsdale to Wick, 3 hr 30 min. These buses continue to Thurso and Scrabster.
By road: the A9 from Inverness crosses Kessock Bridge and Black Isle, running north via Tain, Dornoch, Brora, Helmsdale and Latheron. Turn off onto A99 for Wick: in total about 100 miles (160 km) of undivided highway, reckon three hours. A99 used to be the historic A9 via Wick to John O'Groats, but the A9 now runs to Thurso and Scrabster.
By ferry: see Thurso for the Scrabster-Stromness route, and John O'Groats for the Gills Land - St Margaret's Hope and John o'Groats - Burwick ferries.
Get around
Bus 82 runs between Thurso and Wick, hourly M-Sat and every two hours Sunday, taking an hour. You can also take the Stagecoach Bus X98 / X99 or the trains for Inverness.
Bus 77 runs between Wick and John o'Groats, M-F three times a day, taking 30 mins. In summer it continues to Gills Land for the ferry sailings.
See
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address: 18-27 Bank Row, Wick KW1 5EHMain collection shows life and times of bygone Wick. Also includes Johnston photography collection, Wick Voices oral history and "Isabella Fortune" fishing vessel.
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address: Ebenezer PlaceA street that is 6ft 9in (2m) long.
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phone: +44 1667 460232Ruins of castle dating from 1100, in a stunning location on a narrow promontory.
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Castle Sinclair Girnigoe
address: KW1 4QTCastle Girnigoe was built late 15th C, then Castle Sinclair on top of it from 1606. In 1680 rival members of the Sinclair family fought so keenly to own it that it was left a shattered stump. Cairn o'Get5000 year old burial tomb
Do
Buy
There's a Tesco north edge of town by the airport.
Eat
- The main collection of eating places is along High St, north bank of the river.
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phone: +44 1955 604400address: 2 Market StFrench restaurant serving quality food.
- Queens Hotel at 16 Francis St south of the river has rooms but you mostly come for the food.
Drink
- Alexander Bain is a JD Wetherspoon on High St. Crown Bar is next door.
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address: Huddart St KW1 5BAWhisky distillery, tours at 11:00 & 14:00.
Sleep
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phone: +44 1955 605420address: Riverside Drive, KW1 5SPOpen mid-April thru Sept, this is a friendly well-run site by the river, 5 minutes walk from town centre.
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phone: +44 1955 602044address: Louisburgh StGood family-run hotel with bar food.
- Lots more small B&Bs in town.
Connect
Decent mobile coverage in town and along the main roads.
Go next
- North to John O'Groats and the rugged north coast past Castle of Mey and Dunnet Head to Thurso.
- To the Orkney Islands: choice of routes, Scrabster-Stromness is best for onward transport.
- South to Dunrobin Castle at Golspie, see dolphins in Moray Firth, explore the scenic Black Isle, and over the bridge to Inverness.