St Duthus
Bed & BreakfastHalkirk, Caithness, KW12 6YH
What’s On
Caithness has much to offer throughout the year ~ Highland Games, art exhibitions, live music and lots more…..
SCOTLAND’S HISTORIC SITES ~ castles etc, including Skara Brae on Orkney ~ visits may still need to be booked in advance. See www.historicenvironment.scot
SCOTTISH OUTDOOR ACCESS ~ Know The Code Before You Go. Check what you should know…outdooraccess-scotland.com
ANNUAL EVENTS
HALKIRK HIGHLAND GAMES
2022: July 30, 10.30am-5.30pm
The premier sporting event in the North of Scotland ~ always the last Saturday in July.
We trust the event will go ahead and that there will be no travel restrictions preventing participants from other countries attending.
CAITHNESS ARTISTS EXHIBITION
2022: 25 July – 5 August
The event ran online in 2020 and 2021 with hundreds of pieces, most for sale
MEY HIGHLAND GAMES
2022: August 6, 10am-5pm ~ awaiting confirmation
John O’Groats
Highland & Cultural Games, and Scotland’s only Adaptive Para-Athlete Highland Games.
The Duke of Rothesay (Prince Charles’ title when in Scotland) is Chieftain of the Games.
CAITHNESS INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FESTIVAL ~ usually March/April
The annual Science Festival went digital last year with a series of free online events but unfortunately it did not go ahead this year
Entertaining speakers, exciting experiments…lots of fun but educational too
2021: Craters, cryptology, meteorites, plants and animals, forensics, live-diving, stargazing, the moon, offshore wind, human digestion, space hub Sutherland, science of gin, and ex-NASA astronaut Duane ‘Digger’ Carey presenting ‘Escape to the Moon’ and ‘Our Shared Journey to Space’. And not forgetting the Spectacular Science Show!
DOORS OPEN DAYS ~ get into buildings!
2022: Caithness region ~ September dates to be confirmed
2021: Wick Heritage Museum – access to newly refurbished Cowie’s building adjacent to the Museum, plus other events within the Museum which is situated in the historic Thomas Telford-designed Pultneytown
JOHN O’GROATS BOOK FESTIVAL
2022: March 13 onwards
Organised under the auspices of the John O’ Groats Development Trust.
Visit Facebook
CAITHNESS COUNTY SHOW
2022: July 15 & 16
County Show to be held in Thurso this year (held alternate years in Wick/Thurso)
www.caithnessshow.co.uk
SPECIAL TREATS COMING UP…
SCOTTISH OPERA
Opera Highlights ~ touring in 2022
‘Opera’s greatest hits and lesser-known gems’ from La Boheme, Faust, Billy Budd, Die Fledermaus…
19 Feb ~ Assembly Rooms, Wick
(With four singers and a pianist, Opera Highlights is usually presented at different venues each year, in our region during Spring. In 2018 it was in Halkirk’s Ross Institute ~ excellent evening!)
Check online to see what’s free to view in your own home!
NORTHERN PILGRIM’S WAY ~
walk it in 2022!
The Northern Pilgrim’s Way group encourages people to explore this little-known part of Scotland.
It was expected to declare the Way open during 2021 with Pilgrimage Event services in Tain, Thurso and Kirkwall (Orkney). Owing to covid restrictions, only Tain and Kirkwall went ahead – these events were recorded onto YouTube and can be found on the website.
SCOTTISH NATIONAL SHEEP DOG TRIALS
Not in our area for 2022
August 2021 ~ the trials were back in Caithness for the first time in 29 years!
The venue was 7 Holding, Forss, Thurso KW14 7XU by courtesy of the Shearer family, Lythmore Farm, Thurso
DISCOVER THURSO FESTIVAL
August & September 2022 ~
dates to be confirmed
2021: A celebration of our coast and green spaces with events, workshops, activities, walks and talks. The festival included an art exhibition and watersport taster sessions.
The event ended in Harbour Day.
THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
WICK PIPE BAND
Pipe Band Hall, High Street,Wick
www.wickpipeband.org ~ also on facebook
Weekly Scottish Variety Shows, July-September.
Street Parades during the summer.
The band performs at many local events ~ shows, Games, galas…
THURSO PIPE BAND also performs throughout the year at local events and in the Street Parades.
LYTH ARTS CENTRE, Lyth, Wick ~ lytharts.org.uk
Theatre, music, film, art, workshops…
DURING COVID RESTRICTIONS ~ both on and offline activities were planned for the 6 months October-March ~ keep an eye on the website!
MERLIN CINEMA, Thurso ~ merlincinemas.co.uk
Films and Event Cinema (live streaming of Royal Opera House and National Theatre productions).
Movie & Meal Deals £14.25 (£12.25 concessions)
ORKNEY
A variety of music festivals and other events run throughout the year ~ plenty of info online.
