UK — Dunnet Head, Caithness, Scotland
The most northerly point in mainland Britain
August 2016
As a child, one of the great myths I heard was that John O’Groats is the most northerly point in mainland Britain. It’s not.
The title of “most northerly point in mainland Britain” belongs to Dunnet Head (///boggles.thatched.views). Dunnet Head is 2.35 miles (3.78 km) north of John O’Groats.
There is not much at Dunnet Head, but it is worth visiting as it is the most northerly point in mainland Britain. Plus, it has a lighthouse, an abandoned military base, and 20 hectares of nature reserve managed by the RSPB. Hence, it is an excellent place for bird spotting.
At Dunnet Head, you can see seabirds such as Guillemots (Uria aalge), Puffins (Fratercula arctica), Razorbills (Alca torda), Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) and Fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis). And on the coastal heath and grasslands, you can find Skylarks (Alauda arvensis), Twite (Linaria flavirostris), and Rock pipits (Anthus petrosus).
