Thurso Bay Caravan & Camping Park

Thurso Bay Caravan & Camping Park combines a coastal setting with the convenience of staying in town. This large, open-field campsite welcomes tents and campervans, with dogs allowed and a toilet and shower block on site. Shops, pubs and restaurants are a short walk away, while beaches on either side give visitors scope for time along the shore. It suits a stop on a North Coast 500 road trip or a longer stay exploring Caithness. The park overlooks Thurso Bay and the Pentland Firth.

In Thurso, the North Coast Visitor Centre on the High Street explores the area’s history through displays covering Pictish heritage, geology and Dounreay’s nuclear research story. Wolfburn Distillery, also in town, offers guided tours and whisky tastings, giving visitors another way to explore local industry and heritage. Tours should be booked in advance.

For a coastal walk, the Thurso Bay and Castle route starts at the town’s Riverside car park rather than the campsite. It follows the eastern side of the bay past the ruined castle, with views towards Dunnet Head and Hoy; the grassy coastal path is rough in places, and walkers should keep clear of the unstable castle walls. Scrabster provides an onward connection to Orkney, with NorthLink’s ferry crossing to Stromness taking around 90 minutes and passing the Old Man of Hoy.