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What to See and Do in the Wick area

What to See and Do in the Wick area

Wick was once the busiest herring port in Europe and there are many places where you can find old photographs showing the herring industry at its height. Wick has a half-day every Wednesday.

Today's Wick is a combination of old and new, the harbour remaining active and the town centre retaining its traditional character. The Wick Heritage Centre, which tells the story of the town's herring years, is visited by tourists every year, while the Pulteneytown Distillery is also a popular port of call.

Northern Martial Arts Studios (NMAS),Wick

How to find Whaligoe Steps

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  • Whaligoe, between Wick and Lybster, Caithness

    Similar in almost all aspects to Sarclet, the difference being the grassy roadway is exchanged for 360 steps.

    Explore the fishing station, admire the hardiness of the fisherwomen who carried the daily catch up the steps, but leave your dive gear at the top!

  • How to find Whaligoe Steps

    Whaligoe steps are notoriously hard to find so follow the directions below and you will be fine!

    Whaligoe is a small natural harbour in use at the peak of the herring fishing era. When the boats arrived with the herring, local women would go and carry the herring back up the steps in baskets balanced on their heads.

    There are supposed to be 365 steps, one for each day of the year.

  • Lybster, Caithness

    Shed sized holes connected with doorway sized fissures in a crazy random pattern below a canopy of kelp.

    Practice your navigation skills or get lost in the maze. Pop above the canopy for a direct route home.

  • What to See and Do in and around Keiss

    This part of the coastline was a favourite landing place of raiders and pirates from Norway and Denmark. Keiss is 7 miles north of Wick. Local people devised methods to thwart the raiders, one of which was a beacon on Warth Hill, a blaze at night when raiders were spotted and a smoke beacon in the daytime.

  • Wick, Caithness

    There is a slipway into the river harbour near Carters bar. Beware of submerged rocks and broken glass, better to launch at Staxigoe for any diving in this area.

  • Wick Area

    Wick Area Including: John O'Groats, Watten, Thrumster and Lyth
    Telephone Code (+44) 1955 from outwith Britain
    From within Britain 01955

  • The Pilot House

    The Pilot House looks out over Wick Bay. You can usually see people sitting passing the time of day here now. It used to be used by the Pilots who skippered the Pilot Boats to guide vessels in to Wick Harbour. As the whole bay is visible from the Pilot House the tours will be given from there.