News Archive

George - The Saga Continues
Spring means more outdoors but where is the enemy?

Waterlines Museum, Lybster To Build Small Boat
A small traditional boat will be built as part of an ongoing display as part of the museums approach to showing how things were done in the past in Lybster.  The boat will be on display throughout the building of it.

Wick Gala Week Programme
Wick Gala Week is 28 July - 4 August and the committee have excelled in getting the programme out earlier than ever before.  Events will shortly be in the What's On guide but here is a preview of the Gala Week Programme.  any other Gala committees should get in touch to get your details listed.  Yoohoo Thurso Halkirk Lybster Gala Groups where are you?  Space is ready when you are.

Safer Cycling In The Highlands
Has you group got ideas on improving cycling in the area -new cycle paths, better facilities then checkout Highland Councils new grant funding.

Caithness Cottages - Another Scorrie Web Site
Caithness Cottages for letting will be found in the drop down menu at the top of this page and in new holiday property section coming soon.  As we get underway at Scorrie Internet Services with another new web site its worth remembering that all of the web sites will be cross marketing each other.  Business Banners for all Scorrie Internet Services will be seen across a growing range of web sites for much greater coverage.

Dolphins, Porpoises & Whales - Links
This section is in the Kids Links but don't let that fool you.  These links have absolutely masses of information on every aspect and loads of pictures.  so if you ever need to find out about about them you know where to start.

Caithness Genealogy Mailing List
If you are looking for Caithness ancestors then  one site that might help is Rootsweb.  Or try our Genealogy Links. The Message Board may also help.

Hair At No 3, Lybster
Many businesses are now getting their pictures added to the Caithness Business Pages as we hot up the pace in our aim to give all of the businesses in Caithness a FREE page.  If your business is not already in then fill in the submission form to be seen.

Loch Calder Opens For Angling 15 June
Another fine loch in Caithness is to open in time for the summer season.

Reiss Post Office
Another business but remember if your business does not have premises we will put in a picture that best represents your business - a van or an example of your work e.g brickwork, tiles, garden, painting - you decide and send us a picture and it will go in sooner.

Park Hotel, Thurso
The Park Hotel is one of several hotels in Caithness to be recently refurbished.

Highland Artists Grants For Travel
Artists in the Highlands can now access grants of up to £500 to assist with travel and arranging exhibitions of their work both at home and overseas.

House In Lybster
Lybster is much bigger than people might suspect if they drive past on the main road.  This house is just one of many styles you will find in this conservation village.  The main road passes through one end of the village which is ten times longer than the part the main road runs past.  If you are passing take a trip to the harbour and you will see why Lybster once one of the busiest fishing ports in Scotland.  Click here for Main Lybster page.

Attention Anglers - Hoskins Cup Competition
Evening competition on Loch Watten organised by the Dounreay Fly Fishing Association should prove popular once again.

Alex Salmond & John Macadam Confident In Wick
The SNP meeting in Assembly Rooms, Wick saw about 50 people turn out to hear the former SNP leader and candidate John Macadam in the Westminster general election.  Major topics were health, agriculture, fishing, defense, GP services in Dunbeath and Helmsdale, tourism and the economy.

HOYVIKINGUR SA458 Aground Near Thurso
The Thurso lifeboat pulled the Hoyvikingur off the rocks on Sunday morning after it ran aground about 3.30am.

Highland Bus Services Consultation
You have until 15 June to have your say at Roads & Transport.

Community Projects
If your group is looking to raise funds from a variety of sources the new links in our funding for charities page may be helpful.

Station House, Mid Clyth
Another bit of the Wick Lybster Railway.  The former station masters house is now a Bed & Breakfast with ensuite facilities available.  Mid Clyth is a very beautiful part of Caithness especially a sunny day like yesterday.  The railway signs are clearly visible near the station house.  You can still walk a short way along the line of the track both north and south from Mid Clyth.

More Pictures From The Well Head Move
A few more pictures from the move of the well head into and through Wick. More Arrival Pics, Move Across Harbour, Teamwork, Pumping Ballast & Welding.

Lybster Harbour Yesterday
Lybster was busy yesterday with the Laidhay Auction and people visiting the new Waterlines Heritage museum but the harbour was still looking good with a few fishermen repairing their boats and tending to creels.

Laidhay Auction A Great Success
Another successful fundraising auction for Laidhay Croft Museum today as Lybster Community Hall was busy with bidders looking for antique finds and other treasures amongst the lots.  Everything from crockery, furniture, tools and old brass lamps were amongst the hundreds of items under the hammer today.

Police Lybster 1870 And Today

Great New Links in Kids Links
We are still finding great new Kids web sites.  Check out Wee Webbies, Sprocket Works, Crazy Bone and Kids Mysteries.

Mackays Hotel & Views From Near The Hotel
Mackays Hotel, Wick a well known land mark and place to stay that not only runs music of all sorts throughout the year but has a great view of the town and river.

Norseman Hotel - Wick
Another hotel in wick for our collection of pictures.  Overtime a small picture will be added to all of the hotels in the Business Pages.  If any business would like their picture added sooner rather than later send us a picture for inclusion in your free business page.  Cameo Jewellers, and many others are already in.  Our aim is to have a picture for every business in Caithness.  The picture need not be a building.  It can be what best represents the work you carry out.  Bed & Breakfasts - here is your chance to keep your costs really low and advertise.  Get your picture in free.  But think about our low cost banners for a higher profile.  Or even a small web site from Scorrie Internet Services the same team that brought you Caithness.Org.

Old Farmworkers Houses At Forss
These old houses are now used as out buildings but they are in a lovely place beside the Forss River surrounded by trees and just up from the old mill near Forss Hotel which was the estate owners house in the past. 

Laidhay Heritage Annual Auction Sale
Yes its that time again and tomorrow Saturday 26 May, the sale of antiques and other items will be held in the Lybster Community Centre.  Viewing is between 10.00am and 12.00 Noon.  See if you can pick up a bargain from the many lots with all commission going to the Laidhay funds to maintain the museum.  Why not make a day of it a snack at the local cafe or a meal at the newly refurbished Portland Arms Hotel.  If you have time check out the new visitor centre Waterlines at the harbour.  Waterlines also has a coffee shop.  Or take a look round Lybster.

Caithness Business Pages Pictures
Businesses in the Caithness Business Pages will now have a picture of the premises or another suitable picture that best represents the business.  If you would like your business page to have a picture in soon rather than wait on us getting round to taking one send in a picture.  This is being offered as another FREE service to make the Caithness Business Pages more interesting.  Check out the one on Graham Begg's page.  Why not buy a banner to link to your web site?

Want To Know What's On TV?
Just use the latest addition to Caithness.Org - Digi Guide will give you all the TV channels you are looking for.  So if you cannot think where to find a TV channel guide - think Caithness.Org where you can find all of the TV channel information including satellite stations.

New Wick Business Park On Schedule
Gunn's of Lybster are setting a cracking pace on the contract for the new Wick Business Park and things looked great on the site today.

Reiss Garden Display With Farming In Mind

New Wellhead For Mobile Arrives In Wick
Bill spent much of Wednesday taking pictures of the arrival and operations surrounding the latest well-head for the Wester Yard.  Later went aboard the smaller Tug supplied by Seaboard Marine Services, Nigg to watch operations from close up.  The whole operation lasted all day and was still going on at 1.00am.  More pictures later today.

Lybster School Visits Thurso Museum

Caithness Waybaggers 2001/02 Programme
The Waybaggers tackle some serious walks in Caithness and this coming season is no exception.  If you enjoy long walks and seeing some of the most interesting parts of Caithness check out the programme that kicks off with Dunbeath Strath to Tutnaghuill Cemetery on 3 June.  Membership is only £3.

Wick Pipe Band Launches New Web Site
Another Caithness Web Site and at this rate Caithness will soon have more web sites than the rest of the highlands put together.

Happenings at Timespan Art Gallery in Helmsdale
Lots of Caithness links in Timespan at the moment but worth a look in at any time of the season.

John Thurso Highlights Global Issues Today
On the campaign trail today John Thurso highlighted poverty and third world debt as important issues for him and his party.

Election Statement From John Thurso
Caithness.Org is offering to space to all of the candidates to make statements and they will be published in their own section in Election Eye as received.

Isla And Oliver Sutherland, Middleton Farm
Middleton Farm near Forss and near to yesterday's featured farm of Thusater.  The kids are sitting on the new garden wall being constructed by their dad.

E & M Engineering In Thurso
Showing the diversity of work in Caithness is E & M engineering.  These lads could make you almost anything in metal.  Working on Saturday to complete job they stopped for a second for the picture.  More Work Places In Caithness.

Kongsberg Simrad In Wick
Another set of pictures showing where people in Caithness Work. This time its  Kongsberg Simrad who started as Osprey Electronics and are now part of a worldwide group based in Norway.

Mark Ferguson From Orkney Islands
Lots of cyclists were out yesterday in Caithness heading in all directions taking advantage of the quiet roads.  Mark Ferguson seen in Thurso was unusual in that he was coming from even further north than Caithness.  Most folks are heading up to Caithness.  Mark was catching the train to Tain and then cycling to Loch Carron.

Banner Adverts
Businesses or organisations can take out banner ads that will circulate on not only Caithness.org, Caithness Business Pages but a whole series of new Caithness web sites about to be launched over the next few weeks. To ensure maximum coverage and hits get your web site linked into the Caithness Page Banner System by contacting bill@caithness.org

Thusater Farm
And here is one place the guys were all cycling past when the pictures were being taken showing the farmland and coastal scenery set against almost empty roads.  And these are the main roads they were on.  The back roads are even more peaceful.

Jack Selby, Thurso & Yorkshire Lads
The weather is better and local and touring cyclists are taking advantage of it.  Jack Selby from Thurso cycles about 3000 miles a year round Caithness and bits of Sutherland.  Kim and Nick from Yorkshire were doing the grand tour Wick - John O'Groats - Durness - Kinlochbervie and Lairg.

Snapshots In Time - Thurso 1946
Richard Sutherland sends us this memory of Thurso where the locals ran rings round the "ministry mannie".  If anyone else would like to contribute a Snapshot In Time in Caithness get in touch.

Wick High Class 73 Reunion
Hope you have all booked for Wick as another Reunion announces the date as Friday 27 July in the Dounreay Club, Wick.  Check the list of people they are looking for in the section.

Building Houses & Communities At Pentland Housing
A £1 million investment in new homes for rent on the site of a former farmhouse in Thurso includes a build and train element for unemployed young people.  Also report on new Wick homes for elderly.......more

Bike Spotted - Thurso Library
Bikes are coming out now the weather is warmer.  Have you got yours out and back on the road.  Send a picture to prove it.

Caithness Family History Society
Wednesday 13 June 7.00pm
Heirloom Evening
Art Room, Miller Academy, Thurso
Bring your Treasures Along And Share It With Us

JGC Engineering Joins £15million Alliance
A major alliance has been signed between four companies including Caithness based JGC engineering as part of the decommissioning work at Dounreay.

John Thurso with Robert MacLennan in Wick
 Candidates are out banging on doors with only three weeks to go.  John Thurso for the Lib Dems was out with Robert MacLennan the retiring MP in Wick today.

Thurso Library Has Internet Access
There is a lot more to the library than you might think.  The fact is the you can get information on many things local and national, ask the librarian about a multitude of things, get course information and get Internet access FREE of charge.  Take a look at the exhibitions also FREE in the Swanson Gallery.  Have you seen the Caithness Plan.  Its in there for you to consult and make comment on if there are matters of concern.  Check it out.  When were you last in your library?

Borgie Forest Fire
The fire started yesterday flared up again today and involved units from Wick, Thurso and all over the Highlands.

Bridge On Old Road Into Lybster

Dounreay Fly fishing Association
First Competition of the Year, Saturday 19 May at Melvich Lochs.

Castletown Indoor Bowling Club Open Winners
First win by Bower club

Castletown Heritage Opening Times
Monday Night 7.30 - 9.00pm Wednesday 2.30 - 4.00pm
Saturday 2.30 - 4.30pm

Clarty Arties Art Classes
Children every second Saturday 2.00 - 3.30pm Age 8 up
Adults and High School every second Tuesday 7.00pm - 8.30pm -  Dunnet Church Hall - Phone 01847  851778 for more details.

Crown Crowd
The Crown Bar, Wick on Saturday had most people sitting out in the sunshine taking in the Kids Talent Competition on Saturday.

John Macadam SNP
Saturday Electioneering in Wick
The Westminster election campaigns are underway with Scottish National Party candidate already on the trail. John Thurso has already decked out streets in Thurso with his colours.

Serendipidists Singles - New Group
It can be difficult meeting new people so here is a new group gearing up to make life easier.  If you want to meet new folk for enjoyable activities and meetings take a look at the new page.

Gersa School 1936
This picture shows the children dressed up for a school concert and has names.  An earlier 1897 Gersa School picture has no names.

Stemster School 1928
Another early School Days picture now in the growing collection sent in by David Douglas.

Miller Family History
Accounts of the Death of Donald Angus Miller from the Rochdale Observer 1922.

Kids Talent Show In Wick Today
Crowds out today on the warmest day of the year so far.  The temperature soared today.

Bower Inn At The Heart of Caithness
The current owners of the Bower Inn have been upgrading slowly but surely and the pub food on offer is great.  Set in the middle of the Caithness countryside about midway between Wick and Thurso it makes a nice stopover in trip for lunch or evening meal.  High Teas  - Book ahead for 5.00pm  And this is the back by the way.

Names Now In For A Miller Academy Picture 1960
If you have names for any of the other pictures send them in. School Days section is available for anyone to send in their school pictures.

Portland Arms Opens Jo's Kitchen
Another new part of the Portland Arms officially opened and offers even more choice in dining in Caithness as well as demonstration classes from visiting chefs.  The well known cookery writer Lady Claire Macdonald from Skye launched this venture within the hotel.

Forse House
Another of the Caithness Country Houses.  There will be more pictures later of this old house built in 1753.

More Lybster Railway Pictures

Reunions In Caithness
Several reunion groups are having great success contacting folk via Caithness.org.  Wick High 1979 Reunion group have a few people to find and have posted a list of people yet to be contacted.  If anyone can help with information then can they contact Kirsty Shearer.

Rovers 1945
Thanks to Billy Chalmers who now lives in Alness for this picture of the Rovers sent in by his nephew Michael.  Billy also appears in the 1947 East End Boys Club picture.

The Old Railway House, Lybster
A surprising number of buildings from the Wick-Lybster Railway are still in existence and used for many different things but the houses are still houses and built to last.

Wick-Lybster Railway - Lybster Station
The old Wick-Lybster Railway may be long gone but many of the buildings and much of the route can still be seen.  But never ones to throw things away Caithness has a great little Golf Course at Lybster and this is the clubhouse.  £50 per year membership. Why not all join?  And £10 for junior members.

What's On & Coming On - St Fergus & Swanson Galleries in Wick & Thurso
Several exhibitions are on and coming up covering a variety of subjects in the galleries in Caithness.  Also at Swanson Gallery Workshops in Pastel Painting and Paper Making.

Junior Talent Competition
Market Square, Wick, Saturday, 2.00pm
There is still time to enter the competition in several age groups.

Track From Braemore Towards Morven
More pictures in the Morven and Maiden Pap section.

Benefits Updates
Employment Disrupted By Foot & Mouth
New Government Pensions Advice Web Site

Francis Street Darts Weekend Pictures
The Darts Weekend sponsored by Caithness Office supplies was a huge success.  With competitions running Friday through to Sunday and lots of money prizes on offer. Pictures of many winners are now inside.

New Highland Services Aims To Protect Children
This new service aims to bring more protection for children in difficult circumstances in The Highlands.

Cycling Tourist Project Starts From John O'Groats
The trans-national North Sea Cycle Route project will involve two cycle rides and one will commence at John O'Groats on 15 June.

First Aid Kits - Health And Wealth Warning
The Highland Council has issued a "health warning" regarding the unwanted delivery of first aid kits to Highland homes by a company based in Holland.

Peeka - Tabby Cat Missing In Wick
Can anyone help find Peeka missing in Wick.

Bird Hide At Loch Mey
There is a bird hide at Loch Mey where you can get good views of wild fowl and waders.

Devils Pool - Near Dirlot Castle
A few more pictures of the Dirlot Castle site.  Would Sir Reginald de Cheyne have preferred this spot to the site at Loch More only a few miles away. Speculation goes on to this day as to whether he would have built two castles close together  - he already had others elsewhere.

Dusk At Dunbeath Harbour
Caithness is well know to many artists for the quality of the light.  And from Late June to July the sun hardly sets.  Walking the beaches in daylight at 10.00pm is a surprise to many visitors.  Bring a sweater at that time of night.

More Miller York Trip

Dunnet Head Looking West

New Duncansby Pictures

Sir Reginald de Cheyne's Chapel
The burial place of Sir Reginald de Cheyne.

Fractions Fun for Kids Links

Thurso High About 1980 - Reunion Next Year
Karen has sent in this picture but she was not at the school then.  Names In.

More Miller York Trip Pictures
A few more from the trip.  More tomorrow

Gersa School 1912
Another School Days picture from Derek Douglas.  We have no names for this picture so if anyone has any details about the school or the people in the picture please contact us.

More Miller Academy York Trip Pictures Now In
These kids had a great trip to Englandshire taking in more sites and activities than you can imagine.

Pentland Firth Yacht Club Sailing Lessons Underway
Thurso Bay today but where to next year.

Dunnet Head Lochs Now Open For Fishing
The lochs at Dunnet Head the most northerly point on the British mainland are now open.  The trout fishing lochs on the Head are managed by Dunnet Head Fishing Club.  Fishing from the bank - fly only.

Miller Academy Trip To York
A group from Miller Academy have returned from a trip to York.  The first pictures are in and more coming later.

Deutsch In Latheron Hall -An Update
Any children interested in gaining experience in German might like to take a look at the classes in Latheron Village Hall.

John O'Groats School 1931
Thanks to Hugh Ross for another picture from his collection.

On The Slip At Wick
Last Week - In for painting.

Dunbeath Castle From Elf
How Others See Us

Market Town Toolkit
The Countryside Commission has just launched a toolkit aimed at helping small towns look art regenerating their area.  Although aimed at English towns there may well be useful pointers for Caithness

Another Top Safety Award For Dounreay
Proving that safety is a top priority on the site.

Queen Elizabeth Assessment & Rehabilitation Unit
Want to know what happens in Caithness General Hospital as a patient or a visitor?  Well now you can check what is going on as the hospital has begun to produce guides for each unit and Caithness.Org will be building sections for each of them as they are produced.  The sections will be found in Medical Services a growing guide in the  Health & Welfare section.

St John's Loch Opens For Fishing - Saturday
The well know Caithness Fishing Loch -St John's will open for the season on Saturday for boats only. This loch also offers angling for people with a disability. contact the club for more details.

Darts World Champion - Francis Street Club, Wick
Darts Weekend 4/5/2001 to 6/5/2001
The reigning Embassy World Champion John Walton will be in Wick this weekend courtesy of the Francis Street Club.

Daffodil & Fun Day Thrumster Game Fair and Thrumster SWRI
Saturday 5th May from 1:30 onwards. Guided nature walks for the children.

Stacks of Duncansby
One of the famous coastal sites in the north.  Not only is this a great view but hundreds of thousands of nesting birds are currently swarming around sites like this.  not for nothing is the area near here known as "Seabird City"

More Laidhay Croft Pictures
New pictures showing the unusual roof from the inside of the croft museum at Laidhay.

Even More Dunbeath Castle Pictures Today
Several new views of the castle.

Still On The Increase In April
Hits 1,146,403 :: Pages 241,444 :: Visits 48,156
An increase of over 3000 visits helped by a surge in the Business Pages following the addition of new Property and Job Pages.

Halberry Head, Caithness
One of many small headlands in Caithness

Junior Talent Competition
Saturday 12 May  - Wick
Can you sing dance or play and instrument.

 

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