Thurso - Geography

Geography

Thurso is the most northerly town on the British mainland, situated on the northern coastline overlooking the Orkney Islands. It is situated at the northern terminus of the A9 road, the main road linking Caithness with the south of Scotland, and is 20 miles (32 km) west of John o' Groats and 21 miles (34 km) northwest of Wick, the closest town.

--Climate-- Thurso has an oceanic climate, similar to much of the Scottish Highlands. The highest temperature recorded was 25.c. (July 1995) and the lowest -11.c (December 2010).

Climate Data for Thurso (1971-2000)(1960-extremes)

Record High Jan 14 Feb 16 Mar 16 Apr 19 May 20 Jun 22 Jul 25 Aug 24 Sep 23 Oct 19 Nov 16 Dec 13 Average High Jan 7 Feb 7 Mar Apr May Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Distances (via the national road network):

• Inverness (nearest city) – 110 miles (180 km)
• Edinburgh (Scottish capital) – 264 miles (425 km)
• London (UK capital) – 667 miles (1,073 km)
• Lowestoft, England (Easternmost town in the British Isles) – 671 miles (1,080 km)
• Newlyn, Cornwall, England (Southernmost town in the British Isles) – 822 miles (1,323 km)
• Kirkwall, Orkney Islands – 50 miles (80 km) (road and ferry)
• Lerwick, Shetland Islands – 162 miles (261 km) (road and ferry)

At latitude 59 degrees north, Thurso lies as far north as the Alaskan state capital of Juneau and the city of Stavanger in Norway. Stavanger is 534 kilometres (332 mi) to the east, and the closest point on the Norwegian coast is 497 kilometres (309 mi) away.

Thurso railway station is the most northerly location served by Britain's rail network, which links the town directly with Wick, the county town of Caithness, and with Inverness, which is the administrative centre of the Highland Council area.

The town is within the Parish of Thurso, with the parishes of Olrig and Bower to the east, Halkirk to the south, and Reay to the west. The parish of Thurso also has a north-facing Atlantic coastline stretching from Crosskirk Bay in the west to the Haven in Dunnet Bay in the east.

The River Thurso flows through the town and into Thurso Bay and the Pentland Firth. The river estuary serves as a small harbour. Thurso has a fine harbour and beach and looks out over the Pentland Firth to the Orkney island of Hoy and the famous towering Old Man of Hoy (a stack of rock standing out from the main island).