Thurso Bay

Thurso Bay

Thurso Bay, known also as Scrabster Bay, is a bay on the north coast of Caithness, looking out on the Pentland Firth and the Atlantic Ocean. Ity extends between the points of Clairdon Head and Holborn Head.

The bay receives fresh water from the River Thurso and the Wolf Burn. The river mouth is at the most southerly reach of the bay and at least two kilometres from the more northerly and more open waters of the Atlantic. The Atlantic here has Orkney to the northeast and the Pentland Firth and Dunnet Bay to the east. The points of Clairdon Head and Holborn Head are separated by four or five kilometres of water, which is also the bay's widest extent.

Within the bay, about three two miles west-northwest of the river mouth, Scrabster harbour has deep water in the shelter of Holborn Head and berths a ferry which links mainland Great Britain with Stromness in Orkney. Holborn Head Lighthouse is less than a mile south of the headland's point and close to Scrabster Harbour.

The river mouth serves now as a small harbour and was a busy commercial port during the 19th century. Tidal water reaches inland about half a mile above beyond the rivermouth and about twice the distance usually indicated on Ordnance Survey maps. Sandy beach and the burgh of Thurso front the bay west of the river mouth.

Wolf Burn enters the bay at Burnside, midway between the river mouth and Scrabster Harbour.

Outside links

• Location map: 58.617 -3.517