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Major city · United Kingdom

WickInbhir Ùige

Give Wick one night as a base for the far north coast and Orkney ferries; two nights only if you want Whaligoe and the Camster cairns too.

Wick is a working harbour town on Scotland's far northeast coast, 4 h 20 min by train from Inverness and 30 min from Thurso. It is not a sightseeing town in itself: you come for the cliff castles, Iron Age brochs and chambered cairns strung along the A99 and A9, and as a stopover before the Orkney ferries at Scrabster or Gills Bay. Most travellers need one night, or two if they want to walk the Whaligoe steps and reach the Grey Cairns of Camster without rushing.

basic guide: no trip line yet
More
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Nov–Feb (short days, wind and rain); midge season Jul–Aug inland
Airport
Wick John o'Groats (WIC)
Nights
1–2

About Wick

Wick is a town in Caithness, in Scotland's far northeast, with a population of 6870 in 2020. Its name derives from the Norse word vik, meaning a bay. The original settlement lay north of the river; in the 19th century the fishing port of Pulteney grew to the south after herring shoals shifted from the Hebrides to these waters, and at first a flimsy footbridge was all that joined the two parts. Caithness Glass began in Wick in 1961, though production later moved to Crieff in Perthshire. Along with Thurso, Wick serves as a base for the rugged coast around John o' Groats and as a stopover for the Orkney ferries.

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide for Wick: no airport-to-bed path, walking clusters or day plans yet. Fares and schedules here are unverified. What this page does cover
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices

See

What is worth your time in Wick.

  • Ebenezer Place — The Guinness Book of Records lists it as the world's shortest street, at 2.06 m, forming the tip of a flatiron building.
  • Wick Heritage Museum — Its main collection covers the town's past and includes the Johnston photography collection, Wick Voices oral history and the fishing vessel Isabella Fortuna.
  • Castle of Old Wick — Ruins of a castle from 1100 that was a stronghold of the medieval Norse Earls of Orkney, abandoned in the 18th century.
  • Castle Sinclair Girnigoe — Castle Girnigoe was built in the late 15th century, with Castle Sinclair added from 1606; feuding Sinclair branches left it a shattered stump in 1680.
  • Hill o' Many Stanes — An array of some 200 stones up to a metre tall, possibly from the Bronze Age 4000 years ago, reached up Red Burn Lane off the A99 at Clyth.

Do

  • Negotiate the 365 steps cut down the cliff at Whaligoe, a natural harbour six miles south of Wick.
  • Swim in the North Baths, a tide-filled pool on the north harbour shore.
  • Play a round at Wick GC on the coast at Reiss, four miles north along the A99.
  • Research family history at Caithness Archives at Wick Airport, open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 10AM-4PM.

Eat and drink

Specialities of this place.

  • Spice Tandoori — One of the eating places on High Street on the north bank of the river.
  • Devitas Pizzeria — A pizzeria among the High Street eating places on the north bank.
  • Bombay Spice — Listed among the High Street restaurants on the north bank of the river.
  • Sabz Spice — Another of the High Street eating places on the north bank.

Customs

  • The town's name comes from the Norse vik, meaning a bay.
  • Latheron is Latharn in Gaelic, meaning a muddy place.
  • Cave dwelling at Tinkers Cave was made illegal in 1915, not for welfare reasons but because fires might help enemy submarines.
Emergency numbers for Wick999 ▾
  • Police, fire, ambulance, coastguard999
  • EU emergency number (works in the UK)112
  • NHS non-urgent advice111
  • Police non-urgent101

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Wick, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeCoffee or tea in a café£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course£12–20 (≈ US$16–30)
  • BeerDraught beer, pint£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi across town£5–8 (≈ US$7–11)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)
  • Budget bedCampsite pitch, two-person tent, a night, per room£19 (≈ US$30)
  • Mid-range bedHotel or B&B double room, a night, per room£110 (≈ US$150)
  • High-end bedHotel or B&B double room, a night, per room£180 (≈ US$250)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £85 (≈ US$120) · High £160 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Castle of Old WickCastle Sinclair Girnigoe at Noss HeadOld Pulteney distilleryWhaligoe steps and harbourGrey Cairns of Camster
Airports
WIC Wick John o'Groats Airport (Eastern Airways from Aberdeen, about 40 min, Sun–Fri; 1.5 miles north of town on the A99, Bus 82 stops on the road)

Map of Wick

Where it is, and the guides within about 120 km.

John o'GroatsThursoHelmsdaleStromnessKirkwallStennessBirsayLossiemouth

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

  • Wick
  • Basic guide

Directions in Google Maps · Apple Maps

Guides nearby

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    6°C (43°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    6°C (43°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    8°C (46°F)

  4. Apr

    not flagged

    9°C (48°F)

  5. May

    Best

    12°C (54°F)

  6. Jun

    Best

    14°C (57°F)

  7. Jul

    Care

    16°C (61°F)

  8. Aug

    Care

    16°C (61°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    14°C (57°F)

  10. Oct

    not flagged

    11°C (52°F)

  11. Nov

    Avoid

    8°C (46°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    6°C (43°F)

Best: May–Jun, Sep. Mixed: Jul–Aug. Avoid: Nov–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (16°C (61°F)), coolest Jan (1°C (34°F) low), wettest Jan (18 rain days), driest May (12). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Wick: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

6°C (43°F)

1°C (34°F)

18 rd

Feb

6°C (43°F)

1°C (34°F)

15 rd

Mar

8°C (46°F)

2°C (36°F)

16 rd

Apr

9°C (48°F)

3°C (37°F)

14 rd

May

12°C (54°F)

5°C (41°F)

12 rd

Jun

14°C (57°F)

8°C (46°F)

12 rd

Jul

16°C (61°F)

10°C (50°F)

13 rd

Aug

16°C (61°F)

10°C (50°F)

14 rd

Sep

14°C (57°F)

9°C (48°F)

15 rd

Oct

11°C (52°F)

6°C (43°F)

17 rd

Nov

8°C (46°F)

3°C (37°F)

18 rd

Dec

6°C (43°F)

1°C (34°F)

18 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The town centre is small enough to walk. Bus 77 runs to John o'Groats three times Mon–Fri (about 30 min); Bus 82 links Wick, Halkirk and Thurso hourly Mon–Fri, every two hours Saturday, four on Sunday; Bus 75 heads south to Lybster, Dunbeath and Berriedale every couple of hours Mon–Fri. Trains run to Thurso in 30 min and Inverness in about 4 h 20 min. Taxis: Jimmy's and Miller Cabs. Hertz hires cars at the airport, which is the practical way to reach the cliff castles and cairns.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

John o'Groats

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Bus 77 from Wick, about 30 min, three times Mon–Fri

The end-of-the-road sign and the Gills Bay ferry link; the coast road north past Keiss is the better half of the trip.

Thurso

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Train or Bus 82, about 30 min

Gateway to the Scrabster–Stromness ferry and the north coast; easy half-day.

Whaligoe steps and Cairn o'Get

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Drive south on the A99 about 6 miles, then walk

365 zigzag steps down to a natural harbour, plus a 5,000-year-old chambered cairn half a mile inland. No public transport: car or taxi.

Grey Cairns of Camster

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Drive the narrow lane between Watten and Lybster

Two large 5,000-year-old burial chambers you can crawl inside; free, open 24 h, no facilities.

Helmsdale

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min by train

Train south from Wick, or drive the A9

Dunrobin Castle at Golspie is the stronger stop; check train times, there are only a few a day.

Orkney Islands

overnight

Door to door: 3–4 h to Stromness

Drive or bus to Scrabster or Gills Bay, then ferry

Not a day trip: sleep on Orkney and come back another day.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Town centre, north bank (High St and Bridge St)

Walkable to the harbour, museum, distillery and railway station; most eating places are here.

South bank around Riverside and Louisburgh St

Quieter, still 5–10 min on foot from the centre; the riverside campsite is here.

Thurso (30 min by train or Bus 82)

Use Thurso instead if your priority is the Scrabster–Stromness ferry rather than Wick's own sights.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–70 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
£70–120 (≈ US$95–160) excl. bed
High
£120 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel or B&B double room1 × 1 night × £110£110
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £85£170
Car hire, one day1 × £65 · check£65
Old Pulteney distillery tour2 × £15£30
Wick GC visitor round2 × £50£100
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £10£20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£50
Trip total≈ £273 per person per day, bed included£545≈ US$750

2026 estimate in pounds; travel to Wick excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee or tea in a café£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub main course£12–20 (≈ US$16–30)
Fish and chips£10–15 (≈ US$14–20)
Hotel restaurant main£10–25 (≈ US$14–35)
Draught beer, pint£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
Taxi across town£5–8 (≈ US$7–11)
Train Wick → Invernessbook ahead for the cheaper fareabout £20–30 (≈ US$30–40)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week£8–15 (≈ US$11–20)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Wick is a small, low-crime town and feels safe at night. The real risks are coastal: unguarded cliff edges at Whaligoe, Old Keiss and Noss Head, fast-changing weather, and long, empty single-track roads where help is far away.
  • Rural buses are sparse, especially on Sundays: check times before you commit to a car-free day out.
  • Cliff-edge sites such as Old Keiss Castle and Whaligoe have no barriers: stay back from the edge in wind.
  • Mobile coverage is patchy: 4G from EE and a basic Vodafone signal, little or nothing from O2 or Three, and no 5G.
  • The Castle of Old Wick interior is unsafe to enter; view it from outside.
  • Book accommodation ahead in summer: the town is small and fills with North Coast 500 traffic.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance, coastguard
999
EU emergency number (works in the UK)
112
NHS non-urgent advice
111
Police non-urgent
101

Pocket card

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WickInbhir Ùige

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Don seòladh seo, mas e do thoil eTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance, coastguard999
  • EU emergency number112
  • NHS non-urgent111
  • Police non-urgent101

Embassy

No embassies or consulates in Wick; for consular help go to Edinburgh or London. US citizens: the US Consulate General is in Edinburgh (check the address and hours).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Train Wick → Thurso: about 30 min
  • Train Wick → Inverness: about 4 h 20 min, four trains Mon–Sat, one Sunday
  • Bus 77 Wick → John o'Groats: about 30 min, three times Mon–Fri
  • Bus 82 Wick → Thurso: about 55 min, hourly Mon–Fri

Say or show

  • Tapadh leat — Thank you (TAH-pah let)
  • Madainn mhath — Good morning (MA-ting vah)
  • Mas e do thoil e — Please (mas eh do hull eh)
  • Càite a bheil an taigh-beag? — Where is the toilet? (KAH-tcheh a vayl an ty vek)
  • Dè a' phrìs a th' ann? — How much is it? (djeh a PREEZ a hown)
  • Slàinte — Cheers (SLAHN-tcheh)

Scottish Gaelic is a heritage language here and English is what everyone speaks; the phrases above are a courtesy, not a necessity.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Wick. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Nov–Feb (short days, wind and rain); midge season Jul–Aug inland · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 6 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for WIC: Eastern Airways arrival times, Bus 82 stop on the A99, taxi fallback and the walk into town.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: harbour and Heritage Museum, High St eating and drinking, the river bridges, and the distillery.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Castle of Old Wick, Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, Whaligoe, Camster, Old Pulteney tours) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Rural bus fixtures for Bus 75, 77 and 82 so car-free days can go green or be ruled out.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources

Ask about Wick

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