Find your way around Scotland's most
northerly mainland town
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As well as Thurso and Wick, the street map covers the villages of Castletown, Halkirk and Lybster. To order by post direct from the publisher, please click on the 'Map Ordering' button on the left.
Thurso is Scotland's most northerly mainland town and by far the largest community on the northern seaboard. Well situated on a bay at the mouth of the River Thurso, the town was already established by the 12th century. It was developed in three distinct phases, clearly defined today.
Firstly, there is the original old town on the spit of land between the river and the sea; this is distinguished by its irregular street layout and was, to some extent, sympathetically redeveloped around 1960 - an example that was not, unfortunately heeded by many similar towns elsewhere in the country!
In marked contrast is the remarkably spacious strict grid iron layout of the 'new town', laid out by Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster in 1798, with its central square as illustrated on the left above. Thirdly, the town was greatly expanded in the 1950s and 1960s with the establishment of the atomic energy plant at Dounreay to the west. Here are classic 'Radburn' layouts of cul-de-sacs and internal footpaths, served by peripheral service roads. Between 1951 and 1961, the town's population rose sharply from 3,224 to 8,276; for a long time it remained virtually static (8,488 residents in 1991) but there has been a recent fall to 7,737 in 2001.
The town is a fairly good shopping centre, serving a wide area. Although heavily dependent on the Dounreay nuclear plant, alternative sources of employment are being established on a new business estate to the west. There is a popular tourist caravan site with good views over the bay towards the Orkney Islands and the Old Man of Hoy, and, close by, the village of Scrabster is the terminal point of the A9 and of the Stromness ferry.
Click on the button below to find what shops can be found in High Street, Thurso.
Old St Peter's Parish Church - In the heart of the old town are the roofless remains of Thurso's medieval parish church, pictured on the right. It dates originally from the early 12th century but perhaps its most noticeable features today are its stark, traceried windows, one of which is similar to the east window of Dornoch Cathedral, itself restored in 1837 (see 'Dornoch' web page). St Peter's Church was replaced in 1832 by St Peter's and St Andrew's Church, the centrepiece of the 'new town' (see photograph on the upper left).
Thurso Castle - Visible across the rivermouth from the old town are the roofless but impressive remains of Thurso Castle, built here on the shore in 1878 by Sir Tollemache Sinclair. A better idea of its Gothic grandeur can be viewed in its still-intact gatehouse and entrance arch off Castletown Road.
Thurso Museum - Thurso has a small, but interesting, local museum in the High Street.
Tourist Information Centre - Centrally located by the side of the River Thurso, and served by a convenient car park, Thurso's tourist information centre is the place to gather further information on the local area, find out about local events, and seek assistance in finding accommodation.
Leisure and Recreation
Public Park - Thurso has a fine public park on either side of the River Thurso. Adjacent to the Georgian new town with its many fine classical buildings is a formal tree-lined walk, while, on the east bank, is a boating bond.
Golf Course - The town's golf course is situated about two miles south-west of the town centre on a fairly open site towards Newlands of Geise. Generous tree planting will, over time, make this into a fine parkland course.
R P A Smith's local map also covers Wick. For further information on that town, and on other available Highland communities, please click the relevant buttons on the upper left.
R P A Smith's range of Street Plans covers the following Highland towns and villages:
ALNESS
Ardersier
Auldearn
AVIEMORE
Avoch
Balintore
Balloch
Beauly
Boat of Garten
Brora
Caol
Castletown
Conon Bridge
Corpach
Cromarty
Culloden
DINGWALL
DORNOCH
Embo
Evanton
Fearn
FORT WILLIAM
Fortrose
Golspie
GRANTOWN
Halkirk
Helmsdale
Hilton of Cadboll
INVERGORDON
INVERNESS
INVERNESS EAST
KINGUSSIE
Lybster
Maryburgh
Muir of Ord
Munlochy
NAIRN
Nethy Bridge
Newtonmore
OBAN
Portmahomack
Rosemarkie
Shandwick
Strathpeffer
TAIN
THURSO
WICK
