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and Highland Wildlife ORKNEY Puffin Express
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Short summary:
Remaining dates for 2011: John o'Groats scheduled tour programme is now finished for 2011
Available as a private tour any day of the year - please click here for further information. | ![]() Click on thumbnail, above, for a more detailed map of this and other itineraries. The light blue line - JOG - is the John o'Groats itinerary |

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Visitors to the Highlands often remark that there are fewer Highland cattle than they expected. On this John o'Groats tour we can virtually guarantee you photo opportunities of these shaggy beasts. There's also a New Zealand site with pictures of the different types of Highlanders, black and pale examples as well as the better-known reddish-blonde ones. |
Caithness grew rich with the development of the herring fishing in the 19th century. This resulted in the creation of many exceptionally beautiful harbours in the county and we stop at one of these for lunch. If the weather isn't suitable for a picnic, we stop at a harbour café or pub . Either way you have up to an hour to eat and explore some of the rocky coastline.
In May, June and July we spend more time at the cliffs. On all trips we visit at least one prehistoric site (and point out many more): either a broch; the Hill o' Many Stanes; Camster (below); or the stone 'circle' - actually more a horseshoe - of Achavanich. In April and
August-October we usually have more time to spend at prehistoric sites. Another picture here of the broch.
The guide usually picks whichever feature fits in best with the day's timing and other variables - eg weather! - but if there is a particular prehistoric feature you want to see, let us know when booking.
Built by stone-age man 5,000 years ago to honour his dead, the Grey Cairns of Camster
are the most important passage graves on the mainland of Britain
- only Newgrange in Ireland and Maeshowe in Orkney are more important,
and Camster has the advantage of being a wild site with no habitations
visible; also it's FREE! Three tunnels give access to three different
burial chambers.
Photo by kind courtesy of client KAREN PATTON
Beyond Camster we pass the birthplace and memorial of Alexander Bain, inventor (in 1843) of the facsimile machine.
Between John o'Groats and Wick we stop at one of a number of cliffs. Here, from late April to late July,
we nearly always find PUFFIN. This visit usually includes views of spectacular
cliff and rock scenery, especially the STACKS OF DUNCANSBY.
If you prefer to forego the cliff visit you may visit the Castle of Mey instead
- click here for details of this optional outing (must be booked in advance).
Most days part of the return route is different from the north trip. During this return journey, we tell you about a battle near Dornoch between Viking and Pict and the dead Pict's terrible revenge.
In this itinerary, we mention only a few of the more obvious creatures observed. For a full list of birds & mammals observed, click here: CHECKLIST
This tour has strong links with 3 Commonwealth Prime Ministers: Sir John A Macdonald and John G Diefenbaker of Canada and Peter Fraser of New Zealand. Other more or less well-known people who have associations with this itinerary include the writers Neil Gunn, Robert Louis Stevenson and Harriet Beecher Stowe and the actress Aline Mowat - yes, you've probably seen her in something, even if you don't recognise the name!
John o'Groats scheduled tour programme is now finished for 2011
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