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View Full Version : My opinions on Caithness, from an Aberdonian



HotFusion
17-Dec-11, 01:10
Alright there? I am a 25 year old male from Aberdeen.

I have visited Caithness twice, both in 2011 and in 2009. I must say I really like it, particularly the town of Wick. I can understand why young people would want to move away due to the lack of jobs, career prospects, things going on and so on, but for me Wick's small size and extreme remoteness by Scottish mainland standards add hugely to its charm. I love how going across Bridge Street in Wick, you can see the countryside from the town centre if you look to the west. I'm not sure I'd want to live in Wick on a permanent basis but I will go back, the place is unique. I stayed at the Mackays Hotel back in 2009 and went to the Alexander Bain for a few drinks.

Aberdeen, despite its hugely successful oil industry, is really just a massive version of Wick. Going across the Bridge of Dee at Garthdee you can again see the countryside if you look to the west, and both Aberdeen and Wick have their airports located to the northwest of them. There are other parallels too if you look for them. Like, Bridge Street is Wick's equivalent of Aberdeen's Holburn Street, and the High Street is Wick's equivalent of Aberdeen's Union Street, and the Alexander Bain pub in Wick is the equivalent of the Archibald Simpson House in Aberdeen, both owned by Wetherspoons.

Thurso and Castletown seem alright too. My sister went out with a guy from that heavy metal band that is or was playing in Thurso recently.

Lybster is an interesting village with a massive main street and Helmsdale, although not strictly in Caithness, is also a nice village.

linnie612
17-Dec-11, 01:18
Welcome to the Org, HotFusion:)

shazzap
17-Dec-11, 01:25
Hello.......:)

Tilly Teckel
17-Dec-11, 01:29
Hi there, nice to hear some positive opinions - hope you stick around ;)

Bobinovich
17-Dec-11, 01:43
Welcome to t'Org :). Aberdeen is home from home for many from Caithness - a lot of our youngsters head off to Uni there, and plenty of folk regularly make the round trip while working offshore too. I took my kids down there for a weeks' holiday earlier this year and it was brilliant being able to walk from our hotel (Premiere Inn) to the beachfront, with all the entertainment the kids (old & young!) could want, and yet we were also able to walk to the main shopping areas on Union Street. It doesn't feel like a city, but certainly has plenty to offer, and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

However there's nothing like coming back over the Ord on the way home - Caithness really does have a draw on many folk that's difficult to explain.

HotFusion
17-Dec-11, 02:06
Thanks people.


Welcome to t'Org :). Aberdeen is home from home for many from Caithness - a lot of our youngsters head off to Uni there, and plenty of folk regularly make the round trip while working offshore too. I took my kids down there for a weeks' holiday earlier this year and it was brilliant being able to walk from our hotel (Premiere Inn) to the beachfront, with all the entertainment the kids (old & young!) could want, and yet we were also able to walk to the main shopping areas on Union Street. It doesn't feel like a city, but certainly has plenty to offer, and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

However there's nothing like coming back over the Ord on the way home - Caithness really does have a draw on many folk that's difficult to explain.
Yeah, I met a girl from Wick in Aberdeen earlier on this year on an educational course.

Aberdeen doesn't feel like a city? Well, I see what you're saying because I said that Aberdeen is really a massive version of Wick. Obviously Aberdeen has got a lot in it, being Scotland's third largest city, but compared to Glasgow, Edinburgh and the Central Belt it is not the same. Depends on what you define as 'feeling like a city'. Go down to England, go to Europe, go to America, go to the rest of the world. There are many massive cities in the world.

The charm of Caithness to a large extent relates to the fact that it is remote and the settlements are small. I can't think of any good parallels. Campbeltown is pretty remote by road, but it's relatively near to central Scotland.

Kodiak
17-Dec-11, 13:40
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