Dive into the stories that built our region.
Museums & Heritage Centres
Step into the stories of Caithness and Sutherland at the region’s fascinating museums and heritage centres. Each one offers a window into the North Highlands’ past, from ancient history and Gaelic traditions to modern-day achievements, brought to life through engaging exhibitions and passionate local storytelling.
In Wick Heritage Museum and the North Coast Visitor Centre in Thurso, uncover tales of coastal industry, herring fishing, and wartime resilience. Timespan in Helmsdale blends art, history, and science into thought-provoking displays, while Strathnaver Museum shares moving accounts of the Highland Clearances and Sutherland’s Gaelic heritage. At Castlehill Heritage Centre, explore the area’s unique link to the flagstone industry.
Many venues feature interactive family-friendly activities, hands-on exhibits, and seasonal events, making them perfect for visitors of all ages. Whether you’re discovering the North Highlands for the first time or tracing your own connections, these museums offer an unforgettable journey through the region’s rich and resilient story.
Carn Liath Broch, Brora
ANCIENT ARCHAEOLOGY: BROCHS, CAIRNS AND STANDING STONES
Caithness and Sutherland’s diverse living landscape is treasured with archaeological gems, from ancient brochs like Carn Liath, medieval castles such as Ardvreck, to the remains of Bronze Age standing stones such as the Hill o’ Many Stanes.
With dedicated archaeological trails, you can choose to set out on an adventure around the region to explore mapped hidden gems. Or if you would rather stay local, visit one of the many visitor centres or interpreted key sites, maintained by local community groups and organisations who work hard to preserve our vibrant past.
Highland Castles
Step back in time and visit some of the region’s iconic castles, from grand French-style châteaus with towering spires such as Dunrobin Castle to dramatic ruins such as Castle Sinclair Girnigoe perched on the rugged Caithness headland.
Many of the region’s castles served as clan strongholds, guarding coastlines and passes in times of war and unrest. Today, some are beautifully preserved and open to the public, while others stand in breathtaking ruin, perfect for photography and exploration. With so many castles to explore, you’re guaranteed to find a past or present stately home with a story or legend of interest in Caithness and Sutherland.
Discover Your Scottish Roots in the North Highlands
Trace your ancestry back to the breathtaking North Highlands of Scotland, where many visitors from around the world come to explore the heartlands of their clans and families. Whether it’s a humble cottage, a stately home, or even a castle once inhabited by your forebears, the region offers a personal connection to the past.
Visitors in the North Highlands can uncover churches where ancestors were baptised or married, walk through graveyards where they were laid to rest, and sometimes even meet locals who still carry stories passed down through generations.
The Far North is one of Scotland’s most stunning and secluded regions, offering dramatic mountain landscapes, rugged cliffs, and pristine beaches. Its sense of remoteness is unmatched in Europe, making it a truly special place to reconnect with your heritage. Prominent Northern clans such as Mackay, Gunn, Sutherland, and Sinclair have deep roots here, and their legacy continues to shape the culture and character of the region.
To begin tracing your lineage, local heritage centres and archives provide an excellent starting point, guiding you along the paths once walked by your ancestors.
Highland Clearances
Discover this tragic and unforgotten chapter in Highland History when during the 18th and 19th centuries, thousands of crofters were evicted from their homes by their landlords to clear for grazing for sheep.
While some people were forcibly resettled in nearby fishing villages, many others travelled uncertain journeys over oceans to places like Canada, America and Australia, creating global ties which still pull visitors back to their ancestorial homes today.
Visitors can explore the story behind the landscape through poignant clearance villages, visitor centres and walking trails. Places like Strathnaver Museum bring these stories to life, offering a deeper understanding of the families who once lived, worked and were ultimately forced off this land.
War Time History
The North Highlands hold a rich, yet often overlooked, war history, having played a vital role in both World Wars and beyond.
Across Caithness and Sutherland, reminders of these times are woven into the landscape. From the Forss Business & Energy Park which started out as an American Naval Base in the Cold War era, to the most remote, heather-covered hills and glens, where traces of wartime remain from disused firing ranges to hidden military aircraft crash sites, which offer silent testimony to the region’s war-time past.
The area’s war history stretches back even further. Evidence of the Jacobite uprisings can still be found in historic trails and battlegrounds such as the sites of the Battle of Littleferry and Battle of Carbisdale. These tell the story of how historic figures like Bonnie Prince Charlie shaped our North Highland History.
Wherever you venture, you’re never far from a reminder of Caithness and Sutherland’s wartime past.
Living History: Stay Where the Past Lives On
Visitors to the North Highlands can immerse themselves in the region’s rich heritage by choosing accommodation that carries the stories of centuries past. From castle grounds once graced by royalty to humble mill cottages and remote lighthouses, these unique stays offer a direct connection to Scotland’s living history.
Whether you’re sleeping in a Victorian manor with royal ties, relaxing in a lighthouse keeper’s cottage perched above dramatic cliffs, or warming yourself by the fire in a centuries-old drovers’ inn, you can be sure your highland holiday will be unforgettable.
LOCAL TOUR GUIDES IN THE NORTH HIGHLANDS
Let someone else take the reins and guide you through the rich history of the North Highlands.
Our local tour guides who specialise in Caithness and Sutherland’s rich history ensure you won’t miss a thing. Whether you’re interested in specific historical periods, cultural highlights, or even a personalised genealogy tour tracing your own roots, there’s a knowledgeable guide ready to share the region’s deep and fascinating past.
These regions offer a fascinating blend of ancient ruins, Viking heritage, dramatic castles, and stories of clan life and the Highland Clearances—all set against stunning landscapes.
Caithness and Sutherland offer exceptional opportunities to explore your Scottish ancestry and learn more about the Northern Clans.
The region is home to several outstanding heritage centres and archives that provide insight into both recent and ancient lives.
The Clan Gunn Heritage Centre in Latheron features one of Scotland’s most comprehensive clan archives, covering Norse origins, clan movements, and the Highland Clearances.
In Bettyhill, the Strathnaver Museum includes a dedicated room for Clan Mackay and presents a compelling narrative of the Clearances and local history.
In Wick, The Nucleus is a state-of-the-art facility housing historical records dating back to 1469. It offers extensive family and local history resources, including charters, maps, photographs, minute books, and cemetery diagrams, with access to nearly 100,000 catalogued items through its public searchroom and microfilm readers.
For those interested in more recent history, the Wick Heritage Centre showcases furnished rooms that reflect traditional Caithness life, featuring authentic household items such as box beds and Caithness chairs. The museum also includes a garden and the historic fishing vessel Isabella Fortuna, offering a vivid glimpse into the region’s industrial and maritime past.
Caithness and Sutherland were once home to ancient peoples, including Norse and Pictish tribes, leaving behind a rich archaeological legacy across the North Highlands. The landscape is dotted with ancient stone monuments, cairns, and place names that echo the stories of these early settlers.
Caithness, in particular, played a prominent role during the Iron Age and is renowned for its remarkable concentration of brochs, tall, drystone circular towers believed to have served as communal dwellings. In fact, Caithness boasts more brochs than any other region in Scotland. The Caithness Broch Centre, located in the hamlet of Auckengill, offers an engaging exploration of these unique structures and their significance in Scotland’s heritage.
For a broader historical perspective, the North Coast Visitor Centre on Thurso High Street presents a permanent exhibition spanning from the Devonian geological period (roughly 416 to 359 million years ago) to the present day. Highlights include the Stones Room, which features locally discovered Pictish artefacts
The Clearances were a period when many Highland families were forced off their land in the 18th and 19th centuries. Strathnaver Museum in Bettyhill and local heritage trails offer powerful insights into this chapter of Scottish history.
Absolutely! Attractions like Dunrobin Castle or the Castle of Mey offer self-guided tours as part of the entry price. Local tour guides specialise in our region’s rich history. Booking your tour ahead of time guarantees availability, allows time to plan around other activities, and ensures you don’t miss out on the historic periods that interest you most.