A unique photographic inspiration, guide and resource for the wonderful landscapes, mountains and sights of Scotland – featuring the photography of Jason Bonniface.
Caithness
Caithness is in the furthest north east corner of the British mainland, separated from the Orkney islands by a few miles of sea across the Pentland Firth. Whilst part of the Highland region administratively, it has a different character to the rest of the Highlands – being largely lowland! In the west of the county blanket bog and peatlands abound and form the eastern part of the UNESCO World Heritage site nominated Flow Country that extends west into Sutherland. In the east there is less peat and more farming. The land is rolling and populated and the people warm and friendly. The coastline is a major scenic feature of Caithness. Dunnet Beach is a beautiful three kilometre stretch of sand; Dunnet Head is the British mainland’s most northerly point, with a scenic lighthouse and impressive cliffs – which are populated by puffins and other many other birds in the summer months. To the east are John o’Groats and Duncansby. The Duncansby stacks are a spectacular sight. On the east (North Sea) coast there are gems such as Bucholly Castle, Castle Sinclair Girnigoe and the Whaligoe Steps to be discovered.
You can search for accommodation in Thurso or Wick, the two historic towns of Caithness, or in John o’Groats at the far north eastern tip of the British mainland. All are good bases to explore the far north or just stop over on the way round the North Coast 500.
Please enjoy the photos and hopefully be inspired, click on them to find out more. Purchase prints or other products featuring my images in a wide range of sizes and media at my online store at Redbubble.
Find out more about purchasing from Redbubble here.Crashing Waves – Dounreay at Sunset – 2Atlantic Waves on the Caithness Coast at SunsetBucholly Castle EntranceThe North Coast at Sunset from Dunnet HeadThe Dounreay Nuclear Establishment on the Caithness CoastAn Autumn Afternoon on Peedie SandsBucholly Castle from the South, Skirza Head beyondPuffin in contemplation, Dunnet HeadJust a July evening on Dunnet Head hanging out with puffins on the cliffSunset, Dunnet Dunes, CaithnessAcross Dunnet Bay from Peedie SandsSocial Distancing – Peedie Beach, CaithnessRainbow Trees, CaithnessSunset from Dwarwick Head, DunnetSunset at St John’s Point – Wave MotionThe Altnabreac station chicken, an inquisitive and friendly creature
The Brig o’ Stack and Stack of Old WickSunrise, Caithness styleSunset from Peedie BeachSummer Evening Storm – Pentland FirthDunnet Beach ReflectionsPentland Firth EveningDunnet Beach Winter SunsetPuffin on watchA fine looking puffinScarfskerry Harbour SunsetRemote Altnabreac station in a summer rain shower
The morning of the partial eclipse of 10th June 2021 was bright but with extensive cloud cover over Caithness in the north of Scotland - but I was lucky to get a single glimpse and single decent shot as a small break passed in front of the sun and moon ...
Bucholly Castle is a fascinating ruin set in a stunning, remote location on the east coast of Caithness between John o' Groats and Wick, just south of Freswick. It is perched above the North Sea on a rocky peninsula joined to the mainland by a narrow neck of land with ...
A grey Saturday afternoon in Caithness, just a fleeting hint of brightness from the west and a choppy Pentland Firth with Dunnet Head, the most northerly point of the British Mainland, in the distance. Shot during a brief stop on our lockdown cycle and foreshore walk during the Covid-19 shutdown ...
After two weeks away Caithness welcomed us home with a beautiful dawn and sunrise. Happy 2020! As the light developed showers closed in from the north and the clouds were ablaze as the rain fell. Behind, to the north, a complementary rainbow to go with the sunrise; typical Caithness conditions! ...
It’s been a dark, damp and sometimes windy week in the north; so here are photos from a more serene Sunday afternoon a couple of weeks ago. At the west end of the village of Dunnet in Caithness a small road winds down the hill to Dwarwick Harbour where there ...
By September in the north of Scotland, it's really noticeable how much earlier darkness is gathering. The sun is already down several hours earlier than in late June when, although the sun does go down behind the horizon, it doesn't get completely dark. Time to re-visit some of the long ...
Just on the Sutherland side of the Sutherland/Caithness border, on the coast at Drumhollistan Moss, is a complex series of deep geos, or coastal inlets, with a steep sided island called Wester Clett in the middle. Wester Clett has been popularly named "Puffin Island" and the surrounding geos as "Puffin ...
With the first strong northerly winds of the autumn, the weekend of 28-29th October was fairly stormy for the North coast of Scotland. With a strong northerly, the swell in the North Atlantic builds quickly and pounds the coast. A few miles west of Thurso lies the headland of Brims ...
A few pictures of flowers in the verge and lawn. Many Northern Marsh Orchids appear every year at the end of May or start of June in the lawn pictured. Primroses grow in the verges and at first I thought the Common Bugle pictured was a different type of orchid ...