Forss House – Thurso, Caithness
Caithness is compelling: eerie landscapes, enigmatic standing stones, the enchanting Castle of Mey, light-filled night skies in summer, amazing stars and northern lights in winter – and much more. At Forss House, close to Britain’s most northerly point, Dunnet Head, you’ll find easily the best base from which to explore, plus excellent and comfortable salmon fishing on the River Forss, which flows in a picturesque arc around the hotel. Sabine and Ian Richards have owned Forss House for the past dozen years and have decorated it in a way that respects tradition yet also feels fresh. You’ll find tartan carpets, a malt whisky bar, a sunny conservatory for breakfast and an elegant ripple of a shallow Georgian staircase from the light and spacious first-floor master bedrooms. The food is exceptional: don’t miss the Mey Selections beef or Halkirk raspberry soufflé. In short, Forss House is a gem, whose best asset is its manager Anne Mackenzie, the life force here for 30 years. Doubles from £135.
tip
Name to Know: Anne. Ask her why you should have a teardrop with your dram.
See: Walk on Dunnet Beach, watch the waves crashing against Duncansby Stacks, go surfing at Thurso East and visit the Castle of Mey.
Eat: Try some hand dived scallops.
Buy: Some Dunnet Bay Distillers Gin or a ticket for a day trip to Orkney.
Want to find out more? Visit the hotel's website.
Back to all Great British Hotels
