John o' Groats is the place people talk about, and it is, in truth, a modest collection of buildings at the north-east corner of Scotland. The name is said to come from Jan de Groot, a Dutchman who is said to have run a ferry to Orkney centuries ago, and the village has long marked the end of the long journey from Land's End, 874 miles away, a pilgrimage for cyclists and walkers. The famous signpost by the harbour, with its distances, is the usual photograph. Wick and Thurso, the nearest towns, are some twenty-five kilometres off.
Though not the northernmost point of the mainland, which lies at Dunnet Head, some twenty kilometres west, it is the traditional end of the road, and a few kilometres east of the village is Duncansby Head, with its lighthouse and a set of sea stacks that are far better than the village. A short walk from the car park leads to the cliff edge, where fulmars, puffins and kittiwakes nest in summer, and the view over the Pentland Firth to Orkney is the real prize. In clear weather the island of Stroma is visible.
The road north from Wick on the A99 is mostly straight and fast, with wide views over a flat, treeless landscape, and the bends are gentle. Wind is a constant companion here, and the sea can be wild, with the tidal races of the Pentland Firth among the strongest in Europe. In summer the evening light lasts until very late, and in June it barely gets dark. A small ferry for passengers runs to Orkney in summer, but vehicle ferries run from Gills Bay a few kilometres west.
The village has a hotel, a cafe and a row of gift shops, but fuel is not reliably available, so fill up in Wick or Thurso. The roads are open all year, but the exposed landscape is harsh in winter, and the best time for a visit is June to August. A light that can turn from sun to squall in minutes means that a waterproof is always sensible.