{"id":26709,"date":"2023-05-09T13:36:25","date_gmt":"2023-05-09T11:36:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/?p=26709&preview=true&preview_id=26709"},"modified":"2023-05-10T11:17:00","modified_gmt":"2023-05-10T09:17:00","slug":"18-highland-duncansby-head","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/2023\/05\/09\/18-highland-duncansby-head\/","title":{"rendered":"18. Highland, Duncansby Head"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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SCOTLAND<\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

18. HIGHLAND, DUNCANSBY HEAD<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 6 miles\/9.6km | Time: 3-4 hours | Grade: Moderate | Total ascent: 165m
For more walks and days out visit countryfile.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

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The towering red-sandstone sea stacks of Duncansby Head are packed with seabirds <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n
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Walked by Fergal MacErlean <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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Although hundreds of visitors come to John o\u2019Groats every year, very few venture out to the extreme north-east of mainland Scotland, Duncansby Head. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

From the northerly village, an initially easy walk with views of the Pentland Firth leads by sandy bays before a dramatic cliff-lined section of coast is followed. The air is filled with the sounds of puffins, kittiwakes and other seabirds as the path looks out to the remarkable, pointed sea stacks of Duncansby.<\/p>\n\n

1. START <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

From John o\u2019Groats car park, walk down to see the famous signpost before following the coast to the right. This is waymarked as the John o\u2019Groats Trail, with octagonal markers and white paint, and extends to Inverness. With good weather and little cloud cover, you will be able to see the abandoned Island of Stroma, and, beyond, the southernmost Orkney islands. <\/p>\n\n

The path leads easily by the shoreline to run by a bay. Then it veers left to reach the headland, the Ness of Duncansby. <\/p>\n\n

2. 1.3 MILES <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

Cross a burn at the sandy Bay of Sannick before climbing steeply up a grassy slope. Stay well back from the cliff edge to walk by The Glupe, a natural arch. Next walk towards the minor road. <\/p>\n\n

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3. 1.9 MILES <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

Turn left on Duncansby Head Road to reach a sturdily built lighthouse designed by Robert Stevenson, the grandfather of author Robert Louis Stevenson.<\/p>\n\n

This remote location is the most north-easterly point of the Scottish mainland. Views extend north over Orkney and west to John o\u2019Groats and Dunnet Head. This latter headland, which also has a Stevenson-designed lighthouse, is mainland Scotland\u2019s most northerly point by quite a margin over John o\u2019Groats. <\/p>\n\n

The onward path is signed from the adjacent car park, which is an alternative start point for a shorter walk. After a few minutes, you will be close to the Geo of Sclaites, heralded by the raucous sound of thousands of nesting seabirds. They are attracted to the vertiginous deep \u2018geo\u2019 or cleft in the old red sandstone cliffs; gannets, fulmars, skuas, razorbills, shags and puffins can be seen. The unusual name comes from the Norse word \u2018gya\u2019, meaning creek. <\/p>\n\n

4. 2.6 MILES <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

The path descends to the lowest point on the coast before rising to a view of the Thirle Door sea arch and, further away, the stacks of Duncansby. It\u2019s well worth continuing to get a closer look at these jagged pinnacles. <\/p>\n\n

5. 3 MILES <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n

The return follows the outward route back to John o\u2019Groats. <\/p>\n\n

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USEFUL INFO <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Starting point <\/strong>
John o\u2019Groats Car Park, KW1 4YR. \u00a33 per day. Stagecoach bus number 80 (Thurso\/Scrabster- John o\u2019Groats). Travelinescotland.com<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terrain <\/strong>
The waymarked route is mainly on grassy paths with some boggy parts. Take extreme care on the clifftop sections. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Map <\/strong>
OS Explorer 451 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eat\/drink <\/strong>
Stacks Deli and Coffee House, Craft Centre at John o\u2019 Groats, serves good wholesome food. stacksbistro.co.uk<\/a> <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n

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In association with<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Although hundreds of visitors come to John o\u2019Groats every year, very few venture out to the extreme north-east of mainland Scotland, Duncansby Head. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9135,"featured_media":26893,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","purple_page_number":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_page_number":"","purple_seq_number":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_seq_number":"","purple_source_article":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_article":"","purple_source_issue":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_source_issue":"Special-2023","purple_external_id":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_external_id":"Special-2023-6cfbc1e8-de1f-46e6-8e10-9fd2673e2270","purple_issue_code":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_issue_code":"|0000084069||","purple_android_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_android_product":"com.im.countryfile.203","purple_ios_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_ios_product":"com.im.countryfile.203","purple_web_product":"","purple_custom_meta_purple_web_product":"","purple_publication_id":"","purple_migrated":"","kt_blocks_editor_width":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"2023-05-04T16:51:46Z","apple_news_article-theme":"","apple_news_api_id":"8dad95ac-1f50-4603-b83c-648c45e823f7","apple_news_api_modified_at":"2023-05-08T06:52:25Z","apple_news_api_revision":"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADQ==","apple_news_api_share_url":"https:\/\/apple.news\/Aja2VrB9QRgO4PGSMRegj9w","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":true,"apple_news_is_preview":true,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_article_theme":"","apple_news_sections":"[]"},"categories":[135],"tags":[],"apple_news_notices":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/duncansey.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Katie.Hood@ourmedia.co.uk","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/katie-hoodourmedia-co-uk\/"},"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"3","apple_news_title":""},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/duncansey.png",621,345,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/duncansey-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/duncansey-300x167.png",300,167,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/duncansey.png",621,345,false],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/duncansey.png",621,345,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/duncansey.png",621,345,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/05\/duncansey.png",621,345,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Katie.Hood@ourmedia.co.uk","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/author\/katie-hoodourmedia-co-uk\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Although hundreds of visitors come to John o\u2019Groats every year, very few venture out to the extreme north-east of mainland Scotland, Duncansby Head.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26709"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9135"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26709"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27009,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26709\/revisions\/27009"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}