Thurso - A Walking Tour

This is roundabout where I walk Maggie and Thatcher in the evening.  First, we head out and cross the football fields and across the pedestrian bridge.  The River Thurso is variable and heavily affected by the sea.  This photo was taken during the highest tide I've witnessed - you couldn't even get onto the beach because the water was all the way up to wall.  

During low tide, the River is just a tiny 8-10 feet wide 'normal' river.  One morning while walking the dogs, I was at least a mile up river and I heard this whooshing noise.  I turned around and saw 2 (1-2 foot waves) coming up the river.  The ducks were unhappy.  There was another that followed a few minutes later.  It was cool.

Looking down the River Thurso heading out to sea, Old St. Peter's Kirk is about dead center on the far bank

The next day: looking down the River Thurso out to sea - low tide aka: normal river

This church sits in the middle of town.  I think it is in pretty good shape, which is probably attributed to it being used until the late 1800s.  It used to be open for you to walk around in, but some kids painted graffiti on some gravestones and now it is always locked.

St. Peter's Kirk - founded 1220. Surrounded by a wall and cemetery

Thurso has a big surfing population.  Everyone told me this, and I thought it was a bit crazy, but in the evening while walking the dogs, I often see a couple of guys walking to or from the beach with their boards and their 6ml wetsuits.  Dedication.  

The houses along the sea and in the older part of town tend to be all constructed together with little alleys and alcoves that you can take to get to the next street; some of them dead end and some of them don't.

The esplanade 'boardwalk' on the sea wall

There are several baker's, butchers, and shopping places.  Most of the really good ones are multi-purpose, like a hardware, home store, wedding registry place or the whisky shop that sells ducks eggs, bacon and the cheese that I like.

Thurso's High Street

I love this little building.  It makes me think of hobbits.  Some interesting Thurso factoids - the Thurso post office does not sell postage.  If you want postage, you have to go to the co-op, which is a grocery store.

Meadow Well used by the town of Thurso for water for 100s of years - also used by fishwives for gossip hub

The square has created a really tricky intersection and causes much frustration during 'rush hour.'  It is the best possible place to make some sort of traffic infraction.  I have never seen anyone use the square or the church, but it's pretty.  When I stayed here the first time I was in a hotel just next to the church - it was winter, the window didn't close all the way, and the clock tower chimes all night...

Sir Johns Square with St. Peters/Andrews Church

Now we head back across the river on the vehicle bridge.  Maggie and Thatcher know they are close to home.  Depending on their mood, this can make them slow down or speed up.  On this particular day, my dogs were so miserable they'd just settle into a little march.  You see when we left the weather was nice, but then it wasn't.  We hid out in a doorway for about 10 minutes, but only me and Maggie fit and Thatcher got pelted with sleet.  Let me tell you, there is no amount of freeze dried liver to make up for that sort of grievance.

Looking Up the River Thurso at Maggie and Thatcher's Park