Wick and East Caithness

Wick and East Caithness sits on the north‑east tip of the Highland council area of Scotland, centred on the former herring port of Wick at the mouth of the Wick River. The ward stretches along a dramatic North Sea coast of cliffs, sandy bays and headlands, with Pulteneytown’s planned harbour, the ruins of the Castle of Old Wick, and the sea stacks around Duncansby Head and John o' Groats giving the area a strong sense of place and plentiful coastal walking and wildlife watching.

Historically shaped by the 19th‑century herring boom and by flagstone quarrying, the local economy today mixes fishing, agriculture, energy and tourism, with airport links that once supported the oil industry. Community life in Caithness still reflects distinct northern traditions and dialects, local heritage attractions such as the Wick Heritage Centre, and a resilient, often ageing population that keeps a close connection to the land and sea.