Which is the most northerly … Dunnet Head is … but don’t miss John O Groats.

John O Groats is popular with tourists as one end of the longest distance between two inhabited British points on the mainland, with Land's End in Cornwall lying 876 miles to the southwest.

You can hook up with all sorts of wild life cruises and day trips to Orkney from John O Groats plus you can see where the Pentland Firth meets the sea … on the day we were there it was very choppy.

 Dunnet Head was stunning … the drive however was terrifying.

There is a lighthouse some guest cottages and even a wedding venue up here. There are also minor fortifications built during World War II to protect the naval base at Scapa Flow, including a radar station and a bunker used by the Royal Observer Corps during the Cold War. There was also an artillery range on Dunnet Head during World War II.

The views were spectacular.

Photos in John O groats Album

We stayed in the little town of Dornoch in the Scottish Highlands. Our accommodation was in what was left of the Castle that is almost certainly on the site of the original Bishop’s Palace of St. Gilbert. William de Moravia (St Gilbert) founded the Cathedral across the street in the early 13th Century. However, it is not known when the oldest surviving part of the present building was put up.

The Cathedral was built in the reign of King Alexander II (1214–49) as the cathedral church of the diocese of Caithness. William, 1st Earl of Sutherland, was buried in the cathedral in 1248.[3]

In 1570, the Cathedral was burnt down by the Mackays of Strathnaver during local feuding. Full 'repairs' (amounting to one of the most drastic over-restorations on any important Scottish medieval building) were not carried out until 1835-37 however it is still a beautiful Church.

This little church was where Madonna and Guy Ritchie’s son Rocco was baptised and where billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk married actress Talulah Riley in 2018.

If you know me, you will know that I love history and I love a good romance. There are two castles I have wanted to visit for a long time that fit both categories for me.

Tantallon Castle because it is the home of the Red Douglas’s, an illegitimate branch of the family and because it is built of the most beautiful red sandstone on a cliff overlooking the sea. How amazing this castle have looked in its heyday in the 1300’s. 

The last medieval curtain wall castle to be constructed in Scotland, Tantallon comprises a single wall blocking off the headland, with the other three sides naturally protected by sea cliffs. The curtain wall is over 15 metres high, 3.6 metres thick, and around 90 metres long. It had deep ditches in front of it and magnificent defences including a gate house and drawbridge and it was never breached.

There was a six-story tower that was built as family quarters and another mirroring it for guests … how magical this must have looked.

When I imagine a damsel in distress and knights on white chargers the castle always seems to look like Tantallon.

Kildrummy Castle in Aberdeenshire is a spectacular ruin. Though ruined, it is one of the most extensive castles dating from the 13th century to survive in eastern Scotland, and was the seat of the Earls of Mar. The castle also had a keep, called the Snow Tower, taller than the other towers, built in the French style.

This castle was central to the Robert the Bruce story.

His first wife Isabell of Mar was born here (it is said that they were very much in love which is why he didn't marry again for six years) and his eldest daughter Marjorie was born here (she was the grandmother of the first Stuart king).

He sent his female relatives (second wife, daughter and sisters and Isabel McDuff Countess of Buchan) here to safety. They castle was betrayed by the blacksmith and his brother Neil hung drawn and quarter while the women were captured and taken into custody for 6 years by Edward I.

For me two larger than life castles.

Both Palaces have connections with Mary Queen of Scots … She was born in one and her secretary Rizzio was murdered in the other.

Linlithgow was where she was born and after the England and Scotland joined the palace fell into ruins … still a stunning and evocative site.

From 1425 (James I started building) to just after Mary was born here in 1542 that Palace was widely used by royalty. After this time it started to fall into disrepair and what you see today is what was left after the Duke of Cumberland and his soldiers left the Palace. On their way out they set fire to the palace and the town of Linlithgow.

The Palace of Holyrood is still used as a Royal residence today (so no photos).

We wandered through the 14 state rooms and royal apartments all stunning. We visited Darnley’s bedroom, walked up the stairs they used to attack Rizzio, walked through Mary’s bedroom and stood in the room where Rizzio was murdered. Amazing stuff.

We also wandered through the ruined abbey.

We also visited an exhibition on Charles II … here was the last Stuart King.

A church with possibly the biggest 'wow' factor in the counties, St Peter's is unusual in that lots of the exterior looks Norman but is in fact late 18th century imitation which goes slightly over the top on the sides not shown in the photo.

However, it is the Norman chancel arch which is the main attraction, and photographs never do it justice. Walking in via the door on the right, the arch looms large above you and it really is most impressive, even if it is slightly lop-sided.

The arch dates from around 1165 and as can be seen there are six 'orders', or bands of carving, each of which is decorated with different patterns. From left to right these patterns are called: beak heads, embattled, grotesques, zig-zag, stepped abstract, billet hood mould.

As if this wasn't enough, the chancel is also very interesting. The six part rib-vault rises to a Norman boss, and is very unusual for England in this period.

It is thought that this was orgingally a one room church of ease with the archway as the orgininal door and the added another room which saved the archway.