The End of the Road

John O'Groats is a coastal village at the northern tip of Scotland. It was named after a Dutchman who came in 1489 with his brothers to set up a ferry to Orkney. He charged a fee of one groat (historical corn) to ride the ferry. We stopped here before getting on the ferry to Orkney.  It was a relatively quick stop to snap a few pictures and use the comfort facilities.

Coastal village

The John O'Groats signpost is a frequently photographed landmark. It marks the traditional end-to-end distance of 874 miles from Land's End in Cornwall (in England). I couldn't get an unobstructed picture of the sign, so I had to erase people from the photo.

Famous sign post, c. 1964

Obviously, I took notice of the sheep sculpture in front of the John O'Groats Inn. It was created as part of the statewide “Flock To The Show” public art trail launched in 2023 by the Royal Highland & Agricultural Society of Scotland to celebrate sheep farming and rural communities. I had to pose in front of it.

A Cheviot, c. 2023

Posing 

The Inn at John O'Groats was returned to its former glory in the 2000's, reopening in 2013. It was restored from a historical 1875 Inn. The Inn features luxury apartments. The large stones or boulders in front of the inn are a piece of commissioned artwork called Nomadic Boulders. The artwork must be able to withstand 100 mph winds.

John O'Groats Inn

Nomadic Boulders

Colorful houses, part of the Inn

Coastal scenery