Ferries from Scrabster, Scotland

Scrabster has the distinction of having the northernmost large port in all of mainland Britain – it is located just outside of Thurso near to the iconic Holburn Head cliffs.

It is the main ferry port for journeys to Orkney, and as such it can be a busy place at times.

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It was busy even centuries ago. Scrabster’s natural and large harbour was the obvious place for the Vikings to land, and land they did with their longships. They called the town Skarabolstadr, but no one seems entirely sure as to what it means as it can be translated in a number of ways.

There was once a castle (Scrabster Castle) but hardly anything remains of this once impressive construction. If you do enjoy architecture then look out for the imposing Scrabster House, a beautiful building that looks out across the harbour. It is said that the house is built on the spot where the Bishop of Caithness once lived.

The main tourist attraction in Scrabster is the Holburn Head lighthouse. It was built in 1862 by the family of author Robert Louis Stevenson. Although the lighthouse itself is now a private dwelling, the area around it has the most spectacular views and is an invigorating walk along the clifftops.