Highland district, Scotland, United Kingdom

Places to visit near Thurso

Thurso is a town in Highland district, Scotland, United Kingdom, home to about 7,760 people. Within 50 km by road there are 183 places to visit — 100 forts & heritage, 27 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 14 beaches & coast and 10 hill stations & viewpoints. The must-see places are Old St. Peter's Kirk (1 km), Scrabster Castle (Site Of) (1 km) and Thurso Castle (2 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Thurso on the map

Thurso, Scotland
Thurso, Highland district, Scotland, United Kingdom. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Thurso at a glance

Location
Highland district, Scotland, United Kingdom
Population
about 7,760
Coordinates
58.5927° N, 3.5259° W
Places within 50 km
183 (42 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for forts & heritage; August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs

Top places to visit near Thurso

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Thurso: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near Thurso, by type

Forts & heritage near Thurso

131 forts & heritage within 100 km of Thurso. The closest is Scrabster Castle (Site Of) (1 km). Best time: october to february.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Thurso

38 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Thurso. The closest is Loch Calder (12 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

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Beaches & coast near Thurso

22 beaches & coast within 100 km of Thurso. The closest is Thurso Bay (2 km); the best-known is Holburn Head (3 km). Best time: october to march.

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Hill stations & viewpoints near Thurso

21 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Thurso. The closest is Ben Dorrery (18 km); the best-known is Strath Halladale (31 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

  • Strath Halladale · viewpoint · Highland · ~31 km · Must-see
  • Ben Dorrery · viewpoint · Highland · ~18 km
  • Ward Hill · viewpoint · Orkney Islands · ~45 km · Must-see
  • Maiden Pap · viewpoint · Highland · ~49 km · Must-see
  • West Hill · viewpoint · Orkney Islands · ~50 km · Must-see
  • East Scaraben · viewpoint · Highland · ~51 km · Must-see

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Churches near Thurso

19 churches within 100 km of Thurso. The closest is St Peters and St Andrews (1 km); the best-known is Old St. Peter's Kirk (1 km). Best time: year-round.

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Museums near Thurso

7 museums within 100 km of Thurso. The closest is North Coast Visitor Centre (1 km). Best time: year-round.

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A one-day trip from Thurso

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 23 km on the road.

  1. Start in Thurso
  2. 1 km Old St. Peter's Kirk · church, Highland
  3. 1 km Thurso Castle · heritage site, Highland
  4. 2 km Scrabster Castle (Site Of) · heritage site, Highland
  5. 2 km Holburn Head · beach, Highland
  6. 8 km Brims Castle · heritage site, Highland
  7. 9 km Back to Thurso

Plan a longer trip from Thurso — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Thurso

No traveller has reported from around Thurso yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Thurso

    All places near Thurso by distance

    Within 15 km of Thurso

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Thurso by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Forts & heritage100131Scrabster Castle (Site Of) (1 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs2738Loch Calder (12 km)
    Beaches & coast1422Thurso Bay (2 km)
    Hill stations & viewpoints1021Ben Dorrery (18 km)
    Churches1319St Peters and St Andrews (1 km)
    Museums57North Coast Visitor Centre (1 km)
    Rivers, islands & mangroves66Clett (4 km)
    Other attractions33Wolfburn Distillery (2 km)
    Caves33The Gloup (32 km)
    Waterfalls11Falls of Conon (32 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens11Forsinard Flows National Nature Reserve (38 km)

    Thurso: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Thurso?

    Old St. Peter's Kirk (church, about 1 km), Scrabster Castle (Site Of) (heritage site, about 1 km), Thurso Castle (heritage site, about 2 km), Holburn Head (beach, about 3 km), Brims Castle (heritage site, about 9 km), Braal Castle (heritage site, about 11 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Thurso?

    183 places on Spotwander: 100 forts & heritage, 27 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 14 beaches & coast, 10 hill stations & viewpoints, 13 churches.

    Which is the nearest fort to Thurso?

    Scrabster Castle (Site Of), about 1 km by road; Thurso Castle (2 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest lake to Thurso?

    Loch Calder, about 12 km by road; Lochan Ealach (13 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest beach to Thurso?

    Thurso Bay, about 2 km by road; Holburn Head (3 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Thurso?

    Start in Thurso, visit Old St. Peter's Kirk, then Thurso Castle, then Scrabster Castle (Site Of), then Holburn Head, then Brims Castle, and drive back — about 23 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Thurso?

    October to February for forts & heritage; August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs.

    Towns near Thurso

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Thurso’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Thurso on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.