Whaligoe
Encyclopedia
Whaligoe, is a small port which was prospected by Thomas Telford
in 1786 during his tour of the Northern Fishing Harbours for the British Fishing Society – his judgement of the place was that it was a "terrible spot"! However undaunted, Captain David Brodie expended the princely sum of £8 to cut the famous 330 steps; his confidence was rewarded in 1814 with the harbour supporting 14 herring boats.
in Caithness
on Scotland
's most northeasterly coast lies a most spectacular creation. 'Whaligoe Steps' are a man-made stairway with 365 steps that descend to what was once a landing place for fishing boats. The steps date from the 19th century and were once used by fisherwomen to haul up the creels of herring landed at the harbour beneath. Crews of women, some in their early seventies, would gut the fish — Herring
, cod
, Haddock
, or Ling
— would and carry them up the steps in baskets to be taken on foot to be sold in Wick, some 7 to 8 miles away. Barrels made in the cooperage at the top of the cliffs were taken down for salted herring to be stored in then taken away by schooner. Although a popular attraction today, they are notoriously difficult to find as the steps are not signposted on the main road so you'll have to do your research beforehand for directions on how to locate them. (Here's a hint: they are located near the village of Ulbster
just off the A99.) The journey to find them however is well worth the effort as at the bottom of the steps is a naturally formed harbour between two spectacular sea cliffs. Sea birds such as oystercatcher
s and terns nest in the cliffsides and circle on the wind down to the water. On a clear day, it would be the perfect spot for a picnic, and there is also a sea cave that is a treat to explore
Probably the strangest harbour in Caithness
- built in a tiny, narrow creek at the foot of the cliff, it required a flight of flagstone steps to reach the bottom, from the fish curing station at the top. The steps are originally mid-18th century, repaired early 19th century and again very recently. The late Etta Juhle cleared about 30 tons of rubble by herself in 1975 after a landslip and David Nicolson of Ulbster
has worked continuously on the steps with local historian Iain Sutherland and many other volunteers since 1998, repairing the barking kettles, quarrying and manually carrying stone up or down the cliffs and grass-cutting about every three weeks during the summer season. They have also achieved the rare distinction of winning the Shell Best of Britain award twice. In 1808, seven boats worked Whaligoe; by 1826 their number had risen to twenty four, but thereafter it declined rapidly.
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
in 1786 during his tour of the Northern Fishing Harbours for the British Fishing Society – his judgement of the place was that it was a "terrible spot"! However undaunted, Captain David Brodie expended the princely sum of £8 to cut the famous 330 steps; his confidence was rewarded in 1814 with the harbour supporting 14 herring boats.
Whaligoe steps
Just south of the town of WickWick, Highland
Wick is an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically, it is one of two burghs within the county of Caithness, of which Wick was the county town. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay...
in Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
on Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
's most northeasterly coast lies a most spectacular creation. 'Whaligoe Steps' are a man-made stairway with 365 steps that descend to what was once a landing place for fishing boats. The steps date from the 19th century and were once used by fisherwomen to haul up the creels of herring landed at the harbour beneath. Crews of women, some in their early seventies, would gut the fish — Herring
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
, cod
Cod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
, Haddock
Haddock
The haddock , also known as the offshore hake, is a marine fish distributed on both sides of the North Atlantic. Haddock is a popular food fish and is widely fished commercially....
, or Ling
Common Ling
The common ling or simply the ling, Molva molva, is a large member of the cod family. An ocean fish whose habitat is in the Atlantic region and can be found around Iceland, Faroe Islands, British Isles, the Norse coast and occasionally around Newfoundland, the ling has a long slender body that can...
— would and carry them up the steps in baskets to be taken on foot to be sold in Wick, some 7 to 8 miles away. Barrels made in the cooperage at the top of the cliffs were taken down for salted herring to be stored in then taken away by schooner. Although a popular attraction today, they are notoriously difficult to find as the steps are not signposted on the main road so you'll have to do your research beforehand for directions on how to locate them. (Here's a hint: they are located near the village of Ulbster
Ulbster
Ulbster is a scattered crofting township, located on the east coast of the former county of Caithness Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland...
just off the A99.) The journey to find them however is well worth the effort as at the bottom of the steps is a naturally formed harbour between two spectacular sea cliffs. Sea birds such as oystercatcher
Oystercatcher
The oystercatchers are a group of waders; they form the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, Haematopus. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia...
s and terns nest in the cliffsides and circle on the wind down to the water. On a clear day, it would be the perfect spot for a picnic, and there is also a sea cave that is a treat to explore
Probably the strangest harbour in Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
- built in a tiny, narrow creek at the foot of the cliff, it required a flight of flagstone steps to reach the bottom, from the fish curing station at the top. The steps are originally mid-18th century, repaired early 19th century and again very recently. The late Etta Juhle cleared about 30 tons of rubble by herself in 1975 after a landslip and David Nicolson of Ulbster
Ulbster
Ulbster is a scattered crofting township, located on the east coast of the former county of Caithness Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland...
has worked continuously on the steps with local historian Iain Sutherland and many other volunteers since 1998, repairing the barking kettles, quarrying and manually carrying stone up or down the cliffs and grass-cutting about every three weeks during the summer season. They have also achieved the rare distinction of winning the Shell Best of Britain award twice. In 1808, seven boats worked Whaligoe; by 1826 their number had risen to twenty four, but thereafter it declined rapidly.