Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
A Highland Blend
  • WHO IS A HIGHLAND BLEND?
    • AHB Quick Links
    • AHB Press Pack
    • TERMS/PRIVACY
  • Services for businesses
    • Testimonials
  • Business Blog Posts
  • A Highland Blend Shop
  • VISITING SCOTLAND?
    • CAITHNESS & NC500 Posts
    • Top places to eat in and around the #NorthCoast500
    • Inverness City Guide | What to see, do, eat & drink in the Highland Capital

NC500 East Coast: Ellen’s Geo

May 17, 2018 by Susan 2 Comments

We’re really enjoying exploring all areas of Caithness, there is so much to see and learn about the area. Before moving north, we had passed this sign many times and without fail, everytime I always said “I must find out what Ellen’s Geo actually is”, and after our visit to the nearby Whaligoe Steps Cafe, we decided on a bit of exploration was in order.

ellen

Parking about 50 metres along the track from the A9 turnoff (taking care not to block any of the vehicles belonging to one of the properties, we went exploring in search of Ellen’s Geo.

ellen

In gaining access to Ellen’s Geo, we crossed a bit of farmland complete with geese, hens and the biggest turkey I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if that was actually the correct way to get across the ground. If we had seen the houseowners we would have asked (so if you’re reading this and it’s your house, I hope we did the right thing!)

Mr Turkey was certainly a proud beast puffing his chest out well and his plumage was very impressive!

ellen

We spied a gate and used that to gain access to a downhill stretch of land  -making sure we weren’t about to let any geese escape! To start with we decided to keep next to the fence (left in the picture below) just in case the ground was boggy, but in line with the white shed below, was an absolutely ginormous pig sleeping in the sun!

ellen

As our dog wasn’t on a lead (but shows zero interest in chasing anything unless it’s a biscuit) and fearing the consequences of disturbing the sleeping pig, we headed in an south-easterly direction to a good landmark for our first closer look at the cliffs and the horizon.

ellen

This part of the land is fenced off, so there’s no danger in getting too close to the edge, and there’s some great mustard lichen on the clifftop stones which are a lovely pop of colour against the greys and greens.

ellen

As you get nearer to the cliffs, you can see for miles in either direction. Keen walkers will have their eyes on the John O’Groats trail which is currently under development.  At the moment a lot of the northern sections can be walked, with the JOGT group maintaining or getting other sections ready for walkers.

ellen

Keeping close to the fence, we then walked north for a few minutes to reach a gap in the fence – handily marked!

ellen

I crossed the bridge while Mr B waited with the dog (as there are no fences on the cliff top here, we didn’t want to chance an inquistive labrador falling off a high cliff!) and again stuck close to red waymarkers placed so there are no accidents.

A Geo is a long, narrow, steep-sided cleft formed by erosion in coastal cliffs, and at one point I did get fairly close to the edge of the cliff but feeling a bit nervous at being alone at the top of an exposed cliff, I turned back. Sufferers of vertigo might want to give this section a miss, but you can still get great views of the coastline even if you don’t follow the waymarkers to the end of the viewpoint.

ellen

We’ll definitely make a return trip to Ellen’s Geo, and maybe we’ll even find out more about the elusive Ellen!

 

Filed Under: CAITHNESS & NC500 Posts Tagged With: caithness, cliff, ellen, ellen's geo, farmland, nc500

Previous Post: « NC500 East Coast: Whaligoe Steps Cafe
Next Post: NC500 East Coast: Dunbeath Gardens »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Willie Taylor

    May 17, 2018 at 6:02 pm

    Great post as usual. Now I’ll be looking for that sign post when I am up next home to Wick. Shared on Facebook.

    Reply
    • Susan

      May 17, 2018 at 9:29 pm

      I know – there’s also a lighthouse near Ltherok that i’ve seen the top of from the road – must find how to get to that too!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Portrait shot of Susan with sand dunes and sea behind her

I’m Susan and welcome to A Highland Blend – a business service primarily promoting the people, products and places in the far north of Scotland. I offer digital media and VA support services for businesses in Caithness and beyond. To find out more, please check out my About Me or Available Services pages. To sign up for monthly business emails, please click on the image below!

Sign up to join my email newsletter list

I also love to help locals and tourists alike discover the best of Caithness and the rest of the Scottish Highlands, so you’ll also find blog posts that will help plan your itinerary, whether you are looking for ideas of places to visit or to eat and drink.

If you’d like to get in touch, please contact me by email or by any of the social media links below.

GET IN TOUCH

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

BUSINESS BLOG POSTS

Communicating your business value to the world

Marketing services for small businesses – what does A Highland Blend offer?

Building a Business website | The woes, worries and wins!

A Highland Blend’s reflection on 2020 – a year like no other

A Caithness Christmas Shopping Guide | PopUps, Private Shopping and more!

Reframing thought processes: a business mindset | Reflections on risk and investment

8 ways to prepare for a COVID Christmas in Caithness

What I’ve learned from local businesses in Caithness

Why I’ve launched A Highland Blend to work with Caithness businesses

SEE ALL BUSINESS BLOG POSTS

NC500

Caithness in literature | A recommended reading list

A Caithness Christmas Shopping Guide | PopUps, Private Shopping and more!

TASTE NORTH 2020

Taste North 2020 goes digital

Caithness Pizza

Lockdown Eats | Caithness Pizza

Getting out and about during COVID-19: Walks in East Caithness

Creatives in ‘e county: #CaithnessMarket

SEE ALL NC500 POSTS

SCOTLAND

Forests in Scotland | Taking a walk in the woods

Abzshire Prince Albert Cairn

A change of scene during COVID-19 | A week in Abzshire (Aberdeenshire)

Perthshire Walks | An autumnal wonderland

East Mainland

East Mainland Orkney |Explorations in Kirkwall and beyond

A Peedie Stroll around Stromness | Ring of Brodgar’s Prehistoric Past

Orkney – West Mainland Explorations

SEE ALL SCOTLAND POSTS

 

Archives

Categories

COPYRIGHT

All content (C) A Highland Blend 2013 – 2021.

For more information, please see my terms page.

Footer

GET IN TOUCH

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

POSTS FOR VISITORS TO SCOTLAND

Forests in Scotland | Taking a walk in the woods

Abzshire Prince Albert Cairn

A change of scene during COVID-19 | A week in Abzshire (Aberdeenshire)

Perthshire Walks | An autumnal wonderland

East Mainland

East Mainland Orkney |Explorations in Kirkwall and beyond

Copyright © 2021 A Highland Blend on the Foodie Pro Theme