We now also have a Travel Magazine free on line
ADOPT A PATH
There are adopt a path groups in the Cairngorms. Now, you can adopt a path in Lyth and input to our Fitbit for Scotland at the same time.
The North West Geopark is on the North Highland Way.
PASSPORT TO THE NORTH HIGHLAND WAY JOIN US IN OUR VIRTUAL FIELD CENTRE IN LYTH.
Get it in our shop and get it stamped at the Co op Thurso and Wick, at the Bettyhill campsite and the Spar Shops at Spar at Castletown and Durness.
Join us in our virtual Visitor Centre.
Get our tours for 2025 - with the Far North Naturalist...first and third Saturday from Forsinard at 14:30 and Wednesday evenings... Get with the World Trail Ambassador. Book here. Join him on a trip from Northern Ireland.
We are in touch with the Flow Country Partnership, and all of the members.
Talking of Northern Ireland, the 12 July 2025 is the Latheron Show where we will be out and about looking at the wonderful displays and preparing a page advertisement in the September issue of Environmental News. It is also the day King William III invaded Ireland.
Which species of tree did King William sit under before he went into Battle.
Why do we wear orange? Maybe the folk in the photo know the answer.. The winner gets a free copy of Spanish Gold comes to Northern Ireland. Entries here
Halkirk Highland Games
Starts: 10:30am Ends: 5:30pm
Adults £10, Concessions £5, Children 12 to 16 years £5,
Children under 12 years - free.
The Halkirk Highland Games, a traditional and spectacular Scottish sporting event is held in Caithness in the far North of Scotland, near to Thurso, the North Coast 500 travel route and the famous end of the road landmark of John O’Groats. It is always held on the last Saturday in July and attracts a crowd of around 3,000.
Below is a summary of the Planning Aid Scotland project we input to in 2024.
Understanding and engaging the public on climate change.
This report was commissioned as part of the Scottish Government’s work to develop a new Public Engagement Strategy for climate change. At the core of this work is the need to understand public attitudes to climate change and review different models of public engagement to examine what works in achieving the transformation needed.
Key findings
Levels of concern about climate change have increased in recent years. The review finds that most people in Scotland believe that climate change is happening, and agree that climate change is an immediate and urgent issue. Scots are more likely to say they believe human activity has been a factor in the causes of climate change than people in England and Wales.
The Scottish public generally feel that more could be done to tackle climate change and support climate targets and agreements, and believe that governments should be showing leadership for tackling climate change. (Sic: the Climate Change Hubs are not scientifically measured)
The review identifies a number of ways governments can engage the public on climate change – no one identified as the ‘best’ approach. Each approach offer strengths and limitations, and reflect the range of different purposes it is designed to serve.
The findings lend weight to the Scottish Government’s focus on public behaviours and public engagement as part of its work to tackle the climate emergency. However, levels of concern about and personal action on climate change issues vary across different demographic groups.
In the design and facilitation of public engagement it is therefore worth considering carefully the different ‘starting points’ that different groups may have in terms of understanding and engagement on climate change. For effective engagement, it is important to make climate change easy to understand and relatable to the public.
It is worth noting that the vast majority of studies included in the review took place prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Two of the surveys and six of the public engagement examples included in this review were carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic. As these were conducted during a time of crisis and transition, it is too soon to say whether these findings accurately reflect the attitudes and behaviours of the public in a post-COVID-19 world. This review also does not have enough data to make comparisons on public attitudes to climate change before and after COVID-19. (We have been collecting data from various sources)"
In April 2025 people still did not understand that the North Highland Way, which has been wanted since 1992, is not a one man band to develop. In this case it is not "my trail" as described by Tina Wrighton of Dounreay and a local resident. It benefits me personally not at all.
However, we pressed on and now two more sections of the trail are being put forward as Core Path.
Rail closures at Dingwall from 8-21 June 2025 for maintenance. Bus to Wick, presumably no stop off at Forsinard.
PARKING - Parking in thurso was discussed some time ago. See update here.
http://www.greentourismonline.uk
Are members of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council
Although the wheelchair fleet is in Dornoch, you can contact them to see if they can come north.
Get our special offer.. when you download and pay for one newsletter from our members area, you can get three downloads free
At John o Groats shops - the Tourist Office, the First and Last and the Christmas shop, you can get 10% off with a Veterans Card. Thank you Mr. Walter Mowatt, you are a gentleman of the first order.
Tescos advise on the north coast.
He sells Highland Cow paraphernalia in his shops.
We have achieved our aim.. The North Highland Way is linked with the South West Path, we have a consortium of Walking Festivals for 2026, we have an Ambassador for the World Trails and we have a magazine
Our job is done, and now we can put the company up for sale.. This includes this web site and the web site at www.greentourismonline.uk
and membership of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
For those who have purchased the Environmental News, they can get a further benefit with a card here.
We also think it would be a good place to measure kelp and pick litter. We also have ragwort forks for hire.
If groups want to loan our equipment for a small charge, please express your interest here.
This project was originally set up with the Natural History Museum, but they did not pursue it, but we have all of the equpment. You can submit your results here.
We had a solar energy business in Spain in the 1980s, and hope to start a solar project at the Mill in September.
7 June 2025 is World Trail Day...... Join us, and get your business promoted all over the world.
Get a tshirt at a discounted price when you sign up with our preferred tour guide Graham Thompson, an ecology graduate (1989), with over 30 years experience of working in the nature conservation sector (Wildlife Trusts, RSPB, local government).
He spent 5 years working at an SSSI in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. For 10 years he was on a remote island nature reserve, with Puffins, Manx Shearwaters, and Storm Petrels, among others. Then 4 years in France, observing many 'exotic' species. Then he spent a year on another island with the RSPB (terns, Avocets). For 8 years he worked on the local Flow Country National Nature Reserve at Forsinard (bog waders, ducks, raptors). Now he is going it alone!
As a resident of 12 years in north Sutherland, he is in a fine position to show you the many special species that are to be found up here. This area includes thousands of hectares of land (and sea) designated for their natural history interest, i.e. Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas. These protect: huge seabird populations; rare breeding wading birds, divers and ducks; arctic-alpine plants (growing just above sea level); salmon river; geology and so much more!
A Far North Naturalist
Ardachadh
Forsinard
Sutherland
KW13 6YT
07864 322776
farnorthnaturalist@icloud.com
A Far North Naturalist on Facebook
Beaches
It has been pointed out that it is not easy to book for the Festival. All bookings are done on line.
Firstly, though you will need to register
Citizen Scientists for the Marine Conservation Society project we are running, can sign up also to keep everything in one place.
Except for the Challenge of the Bridges
Book with our sponsor for horse riding.
You can win a Highland Cow hot water bottle when you take our quiz.
You can vote for our challenge and win a Highland Cow Notebook.
Highland Cow Join us... only people who have contributed to the development of the North Highland Way are promoted here
Some years ago, a local historian helped write the book "WWII Sites in Caithness" They are available on Amazon. We have a Help for Heroes scarf, QARANC paraphernalia, cushions etc. and even found some information about WWII in Ireland in an old magazine. We will be publishing it all in a special book in preparation for VE Day.
In 2025, our mascot is the Highland Cow. We have a quiz "What is the difference between a Highland Cow and a Lincolnshire Red" in our magazine Environmental News. No one has come up with the answer yet. We have fluffy Highland Cow notebooks, Highland Cow hot water bottles and will shortly have Highland Cow t shirts. There are so many Highland Cow products. You can have a look in our shop to see if we have any in stock.
With VisitScotland firmly behind the North Highland Way project, and the Caithness and Sutherland Walking Festival already attracting attention in Orkney, we are on a roll.
We have our virtual information here
On the radio
and in Kildare
You can now get your Friends of the North Highland Way Card and get discounts... Pay by Paypal to
REGISTER FOR THE CAITHNESS AND SUTHERLAND WALKING FESTIVAL
GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE WEEK - we took part in 2024!
WORLD TRAILS NETWORK Join us in the task teams. Last month we were in Canada at the World Trails Conference, on line. Join the task teams.. send us an email. In order to help small businesses, then only businesses within the Caithness and Sutherland area may apply. There is a charge of £50 to cover the Company's administration costs., payable by Paypal to tinadirving@gmail.com
We already have representatives being signed up in Northern Ireland and Spain. So, the developer of the North Highland Way is also responsible for bringing business to those areas.
MINI DESTINATION MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION
Supported by Mini DMO We care about Climate Change and measure it.
SHOPPING
Get your military gear here.. in time for VE Day on 8 June 2024
Tours with VisitScotland
Creating the North Highland Way
Durnesshttps://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walk-coast-path/south-west-coast-path-national-trail/
In joining the World Trails Network, we have achieved our ambition of joining up with the developers, the South West Path in England, as well as Friends of the North Highland Way in Spain.
Here we support Greenpeace
Get on the potential Scotlands Great Trail from Tongue to Borgie forest
Note: The only individuals and organisations on this page are those who have contributed to the development of the North Highland Way as a multi use route.
Public Services