Towns & cities · Scottish Islands
John o'Groats
The north-eastern tip of mainland Scotland.
Bill Henderson — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 3 h–6 h
- Free entry
- Family-friendly
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
John o'Groats is located in the Scottish Highlands, with the postcode KW1 4YR. Entry to the town is free. There is no nearest railway station mentioned, and it may be remote for public transport access.
About
John o'Groats is the village on the north-eastern tip of mainland Scotland, 874 road miles from Land's End and the traditional finishing point of end-to-end charity walks, runs and cycles. It is named after Jan de Groot, a 15th-century Dutch ferryman. The Pentland Firth crossing to Orkney is 11 km away; on a clear day the islands of Stroma, Hoy and Mainland Orkney are visible from the harbour wall.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
John o' Groats (Scottish Gaelic: Taigh Iain Ghròta) is a village 2+1⁄2 miles (4 kilometres) northeast of Canisbay, in the historic county of Caithness, Scotland. It lies on Scotland's north-eastern tip and is popular with tourists. The northernmost point of mainland Scotland is nearby Dunnet Head and the northeastern corner is nearby Duncansby Head. John o' Groats is sited 690 mi (1,110 km) from London, 280 mi (450 km) from Edinburgh, 6 mi (10 km) from the Orkney Isles and 2,200 mi (3,500 km) from the North Pole; it is 4+1⁄4 mi (7 km) from the uninhabited Island of Stroma. In summer, a ferry operates between John o' Groats and Burwick on South Ronaldsay in Orkney.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
Visiting
John o' Groats attracts large numbers of tourists from across the world all year round. In 2005, a popular tourist guide, Lonely Planet, described the village as a "seedy tourist trap"; in 2010, John o' Groats received a Carbuncle Award from Urban Realm magazine for being "Scotland's most dismal town". The completion of major redevelopment work in 2013 aimed to revitalise the area. John o' Groats lies at the end of the 14th stage of the John o' Groats Trail, a long-distance walking trail from Inverness to John o' Groats.
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 58.6403, -3.0703
- District
- Highland
- Postcode
- KW1 4YR
- Parliamentary constituency
- Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Sources
- manual: john-o-groats (manual)
- wikipedia: John o' Groats (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Featured in these 4 guides
Itinerary
The North Coast 500: Scotland's classic road trip
516 miles around the Highland coast — Britain's answer to Route 66.
Itinerary
Britain's historic spa towns
Bath, Buxton, Cheltenham, Tunbridge Wells, Royal Leamington Spa.
Itinerary
Britain's biggest summer festivals
Glastonbury, Edinburgh Fringe, Hay-on-Wye, Latitude.
Itinerary
Britain's biggest Bonfire Night events
Lewes, Ottery St Mary, and the original Bonfire Society towns.
Other places nearby
Natural Retreats
Caravan parks · 0.2 km
8 Doors Distillery
Distilleries · 0.3 km
Puffin Croft Petting Farm
Zoos & aquariums · 0.3 km
John O'Groats Caravan and Camping Site
Campsites · 0.4 km
John O'Groats Brewery & Tap Room
Breweries · 0.4 km
Foghorn
Memorials & monuments · 0.4 km
Memorial To The Brave Souls Taken By The Ferocious Seas Of The Pentland Firth
Memorials & monuments · 0.4 km
John O'Groats Mill
Watermills · 0.8 km
Bridge, John O'Groats Mill
Historic bridges · 0.9 km
Huna
Other places · 1.0 km
John O’Groats House
Archaeological sites · 1.1 km
Shell Beach
Beaches · 1.6 km
John o'Groats is located in the Scottish Islands, offering a charming destination for visitors. You can explore the historic Castle of Mey and the traditional John O'Groats Mill during your stay. The area also provides access to nearby natural sites like the Island of Stroma and Muckle Skerry.
At a glance
- Constituency
- Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
- Top categories near here
Things to see in John o'Groats
113 attractions within 12 km — showing the 24 most editorially-significant. Full guide: things to do in John o'Groats →
Flagship📷 5Islands · Scottish Islands
Island of Stroma
Island of Stroma — island off the northern coast of the mainland of Scotland, UK.
Flagship📷 3Islands · Scottish Islands
Muckle Skerry
Muckle Skerry — largest of the Pentland Skerries that lie off the north coast of Scotland, uk.
📷 3Distilleries · Scottish Islands
8 Doors Distillery
8 Doors Distillery — Whisky/spirit distillery.
📷 3Museums · Scottish Islands
Caithness Broch Centre
Caithness Broch Centre — museum in Highland, Scotland, UK.
📷 5Castles · Scottish Islands
Castle of Mey
Castle of Mey — castle in Caithness, Scotland.
📷 3Lighthouses · Scottish Islands
Duncansby Head Lighthouse
Duncansby Head Lighthouse — lighthouse in Highland, Scotland, UK.
📷 3📷 3Breweries · Scottish Islands
John O'Groats Brewery & Tap Room
John O'Groats Brewery & Tap Room — building, presently a brewery, in John O'Groats, Highland, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Watermills · Scottish Islands
John O'Groats Mill
John O'Groats Mill is a watermill in the United Kingdom.
📷 3Castles · Scottish Islands
Keiss Castle
Keiss Castle — castle ruins in Highland, Scotland, UK.
📷 3
📷 2Lighthouses · Scottish Islands
Pentland Skerries High Light
Pentland Skerries High Light — lighthouse in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 2Lighthouses · Scottish Islands
Pentland Skerries Low Light
Pentland Skerries Low Light — lighthouse in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3Mountains & hills · Scottish Islands
Scotland's Haven
Scotland's Haven — bay in Highland, Scotland, UK.
📷 3
📷 3Viewpoints · Scottish Islands
Stacks of Duncansby
Stacks of Duncansby is a viewpoint in the United Kingdom.
📷 3Lighthouses · Scottish Islands
Stroma Lighthouse
Stroma Lighthouse — lighthouse in Caithness, Scotland.
📷 3Lighthouses · Scottish Islands
Swona Lighthouse
Swona Lighthouse — lighthouse in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK.
📷 3
📷 4
📷 5
📷 3
📷 2Memorials & monuments · Scottish Islands
Loch of Mey
Loch of Mey in Orkney + Shetland, United Kingdom.
📷 4Natural landmarks · Scottish Islands
Pentland Firth
Pentland Firth in Orkney + Shetland, United Kingdom.
Nearby
📷 5Caravan parks · Scottish Islands
Natural Retreats
Natural Retreats — a caravan park in scotland islands.
📷 3Distilleries · Scottish Islands
8 Doors Distillery
8 Doors Distillery — Whisky/spirit distillery.
📷 3Zoos & aquariums · Scottish Islands
Puffin Croft Petting Farm
Puffin Croft Petting Farm — a zoo aquarium in scotland-islands, United Kingdom.
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Islands
John O'Groats Caravan and Camping Site
John O'Groats Caravan and Camping Site — a campsite in scotland islands.
📷 3Breweries · Scottish Islands
John O'Groats Brewery & Tap Room
John O'Groats Brewery & Tap Room — building, presently a brewery, in John O'Groats, Highland, Scotland, UK.
📷 5Memorials & monuments · Scottish Islands
Foghorn
Foghorn — a memorial in scotland-islands, United Kingdom.
Where to eat & stay near John o'Groats
Places to stay
📷 5Caravan parks · Scottish Islands
Natural Retreats
Natural Retreats — a caravan park in scotland islands.
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Islands
John O'Groats Caravan and Camping Site
John O'Groats Caravan and Camping Site — a campsite in scotland islands.
📷 5
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Islands
Ferry View Campsite
Ferry View Campsite — a campsite in scotland islands.
📷 5Campsites · Scottish Islands
WIndhaven
WIndhaven — a campsite in scotland islands.
📷 5Caravan parks · Scottish Islands
Dunnet Bay Caravan Club Site
Dunnet Bay Caravan Club Site — a caravan park in scotland islands.
Places to eat & drink
📷 5Historic pubs · Scottish Highlands
The Alexander Bain
The Alexander Bain in Scotland Highlands, United Kingdom.
More towns in this region
📷 3Towns & cities · Scottish Islands
Achmore
Achmore — village on Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.
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📷 5Towns & cities · Scottish Islands
Balivanich
Balivanich — village in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.
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Borve
Borve — village on Barra, in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.
📷 5Towns & cities · Scottish Islands
Callanish
Callanish — village in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, UK.
Frequently asked questions
- Where is John o'Groats?
- John o'Groats is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (postcode KW1 4YR).
- What is John o'Groats?
- The north-eastern tip of mainland Scotland.
- How do I get to John o'Groats?
- Drivers can use postcode KW1 4YR.
- Is John o'Groats free to visit?
- Yes, John o'Groats is free to enter.
- How do I get to John o'Groats?
- Drivers can navigate to postcode KW1 4YR. It sits within the Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross parliamentary constituency.