Extract from an article about Dunnet Head which appeared in the Caithness Explorer in 2004 written by Tina Irving which gives a flavour of the most northerly point of the UK mainland:

"...A site of special scientific interest (SSSI), the location of two radar stations during the 2 nd world war, and home to the North Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica), amongst a multitude of other bird life, Dunnet Head is a cornucopia of historical fascination and rare wildlife.   The sea pounds against the high cliffs which rise majestically to 100m above sea level. Grey seals bask in Brough Bay, sheltering from the vagaries of the Pentland Firth where the ferries to Orkney plough daily through the waves. Deer roam wild on the moor, and Highland cattle graze peacefully alongside sheep, their shaggy heads looking on curiously as   passers by inevitably stop to take a photo or two....."

The information point was enhanced in 2004 by further space being provided and direct access to the toilets to the rear of the property, and benefitted from decoration.   This enabled the guides to have their own work space.    The only down side to the season was the necessity to reduce opening hours during high season due to lack of funds.

As the tourist season draws to a close, the Trust can report that visitor figures have increased in their second year of operating the information centre.   Once again, visitors from all over the world enjoyed the delights of Bob and Frances' hospitality, the cakes, tea, coffee, the Orkney ice cream, and of course the wealth of information available at the centre.   The range of sales was this year extended to priced SNH publications, fridge magnets, walking booklets, a wider selection of postcards, and further merchandise provided by the RSPB.   An email station was again provided and continues to prove popular.   The Centre will close for the season on 19 th September 2004, but information will still be available from the box mounted on the information shelter across the road from the premises.

As promised in the last issue, Bob has a few words to say about working at the centre:

"Greetings! My name is Robert Adam, and as far as I know am not related to the famous architect who is my namesake.   I am job sharing with Frances as one of the information officers at the Dunnet Head Information Point at Brough.   I commenced duties at the beginning of May, which heralded the beginning of a busy tourist summer, and I have never ceased to be amazed at the number of people who find their way to, what is after all, a fairly remote spot in the beautiful north of Scotland.   I came to being a tourist officer, after 38 years as a gas engineer and it was a pleasant change to discover that the general public on holiday are much friendlier than customers complaining about their gas bills!

I have met people at Brough from all over the world and all nationalities, and am always amazed at how good their English is.   They really put me to shame because all I ever learned in the language stakes was how to speak English with an Aberdeen accent!

When I joined Frances the Caithness Walking Festival was in full swing and well attended.   My first job was to ensure that all bookings were confirmed and do my bit to promote this pursuit, which promotes our beautiful countryside with stunning vistas and the chance of seeing rare birds and plants.

To date the number of visitors to the centre has far exceeded last years total and is on target for reaching 2,200 by the time we close for the season on 19 th September.   It is so worthwhile listening to the travel tales of our visitors and hearing of their homelands.   One visitor in particular who stays in mind was a cyclist travelling from Lands End to John o' Groats.   He regaled me with tales of over 1 million miles of cycling since he was a boy!   After spending over an hour with me he was about to leave intending to cycle to Bettyhill for an overnight stop.   Just then my wife and mother in law arrived for a visit (and to see what I get up to) and got chatting and chatting and chatting with the cyclist. The poor man had to tell them his life story again!   I doubt very much if he made Bettyhill that night!

Well now summer is drawing to a close and the autumn breezes and chillier weather lurks on the horizon.   It is inevitable that the tourists will become thinner on the ground and there won't be much demand for Orkney ice cream!   However the beautiful scenery and landscapes await the intrepid traveller next year and I am sure Brough Information Centre will flourish again in the Spring.   I have so enjoyed my time out here and wish everyone concerned with the Centre a good winter and look forward to next year when we can once again share our beautiful county with travellers from all over the world.   Robert Adam"

A few words from the founder of the Trust:

"The Trust has a number of projects in hand, the information centre being the core project.   Projects mentioned in previous issues of the newsletter are still ongoing, and if you have a particular interest in environmental education,   WWII history, or have any ideas which could help the Trust generate income, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We are keen for as many people to be involved with the work of the Trust as possible and help carry projects forward.   We are particularly keen to source old photos and information about the area for our growing collection.   We have a number of letters from ladies who were members of the WAAF during WWII and several photos of Dunnet Head and Burifa Hill during the War.

So ... if you have some time to spare and would like to help out, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Sincerely,    Tina Irving"

Guided tours aimed at specific aspects of the heritage and natural history of the area.   The second of these will be on 8 th September as part of the Scottish Archaeology Month when Frances will lead a walk to the Long Byre, a natural feature, which was formerly used for holding cattle overnight.

The Dunnet Head lighthouse was built in 1831 by Robert Stevenson, grandfather of the author Robert Louis Stevenson. It was automated in 1989. From the viewpoint on a clear day you can see as far as Cape Wrath to the west and enjoy a stupendous panoramic view across the Pentland Firth to the Orkney Islands to the north. Looking east you can see along the coast to John O'Groats, and Duncansby Head. To the south lies Morven, the highest mountain in Caithness. A stunning vista of Dunnet Bay with its three miles of golden beach can be seen from the car park.

Networking

The Trust supported the Caithness Walking Festival by providing a telephone messaging service, information about the festival and a contact point for visitors.   This proved invaluable as Caithness is little known as a walking destination and visitors like to be reassured that the event was well organised and that information was available.  

The Dunnet Head Fishing Association held a meeting at the centre on 13 th August.

The Trust are glad to be involved with the Caithness Horizons Project and two members of the Trust had a very informative meeting with the project coordinator and members of the Thurso Heritage Society on 31 st August.   They had a guided tour of the Town Hall and shown the plans for the building, which are available on their web site at http://caithnesshorizons.co.uk and at   http://caithnesshorizons.com/
Scottish Archaeology Month   - Frances will lead a walk to the Long Byre, a natural feature, which was used in Victorian times for shelter for cattle.   There are 34 archaeological sites on Dunnet Head, some of them inaccessible, but some mounds and cairns can be identified. There is a millstone and the remains of the WWII Burifa Hill military installation. The walk will take place on Wednesday, 8 th September - meet at the centre at 13:00. Duration of the walk: 2.5 hours.    The Trust are also having a Doors Open day on 11 th September - opening hours from 11am to 5pm.

Talks on an environmental theme were organised during the season.   The first of these was in June when the Chief Executive of the Friends of the Earth was invited to speak about the work of the organisation and all local members were invited.   In July Jon Priddy from HIE Renewable Energy Unit explained about the community benefits of renewable energy, and in August John Coll from the Environmental Research Institute (ERI) gave an excellent talk about climate change

Access Development Plan

A feasibility study was carried out for a network of tracks in the Thurso - Castletown - Dunnet/Brough areas. The brief was to identify future requirements for access that satisfy the needs of communities, land managers and visitors for the area. The aim of the plan was to assess needs and requirements and prioritise projects; identify where access improvements need to be made and identify what type of works are required and at what cost. The output is an overplan for the whole area, with a sub plan for the Dunnet area. The Plan is now available in Thurso library.   There are extensive tracks planned for the Dunnet area, and it is hoped that local groups will work together to make them a reality.

Brochure

A brochure about the Dunnet area has now been published and is available from the centre, or from the box across the road when the centre is closed. It is packed with information about the area, and kindly grant

SOME THINGS TO SEE IN THE AREA

•  The WWII radar station which formed part of the Gee communications chain

•    The lighthouse on Dunnet Head.

•  The Ranger station at Dunnet Bay above the caravan site office.

•  Dunnet Forest opposite the caravan site -   a wealth of flora and fauna, including the indigenous primula scotica.   Web site:   http://www.dunnetforest.org.

•  Mary-Ann's Cottage - an excellent   example of an old croft - opens 2 - 4 pm, closed Mondays.

•  Castle of Mey

•  Forsinard RSPB centre, essential if you are interested in birds and the peatland.

•  Castlehill Trail

Useful web sites

•  http://fishing-highland.co.u k .   Fishing permits for the Dunnet Head Lochs are available here!

•  http://www.caithness.org - a wealth of information about the County.

Environmental

Caithness Renewable Energy Forum - will have their AGM on 7 th September at 7.30p.m. at   Thurso High School - it's not ALL about wind! See their web site at http://www.cref.co.uk

Environmental Research Institute - http://www.erionline.co.uk .