Dunnet Head

Dunnet Head claims the title that many mistakenly attribute to John o' Groats: this is the genuine most northerly point of mainland Britain. The dramatic headland thrusts out into the Pentland Firth, its 100-metre cliffs battered by some of the most treacherous waters in the British Isles. Standing here, with nothing but ocean between you and the Arctic, provides a true sense of reaching land's end.

The Victorian lighthouse, designed by Robert Stevenson and completed in 1831, stands sentinel at the cliff edge, guiding ships through the dangerous currents of the Pentland Firth. On clear days, the views across to Orkney are spectacular, with the islands seeming tantalisingly close. The surrounding heathland is rich in wildflowers and birds, including great skuas that nest on the moor.

Unlike the commercialised atmosphere of John o' Groats, Dunnet Head offers a contemplative experience of genuine remoteness. The drive across Dunnet Forest and open moorland builds a sense of journey's end. A small café near the lighthouse serves refreshments, but otherwise this is a place for quiet reflection on standing at Britain's true northern frontier, where the land finally yields to the endless sea.