Lybster Village and Harbour | Caithness
Lybster is a an old fishing village with a working harbour in Caithness, far north of Scotland
The village of Lybster is off the A99 road that leads north to Wick and John O' Groats. The village has hotels and a small 9-hole golf course that is open to visitors. Lybster harbour in the 19th and early 20th century was a busy fishing port, during the boom in the herring fishing there was around 100 herring boats using the harbour. Today the harbour still has a few local boats, laying creels and fishing along the coastline for lobster, crab, prawn and fish for the creels.
To get to the harbour turn off the A99 at the Portland Arms Hotel and go through the village onto the Harbour Road, then follow the Shore Road to the harbour. At the harbour is the Waterlines Heritage Centre with displays and a local history exhibit about the fishing industry at Lybster and Caithness. You will always get a warm welcome at Waterlines cafe and shop and if this is closed then the Portland Hotel is another nearby location for coffee, lunch or a dram. The Bayview Hotel is another local hotel. The harbour area is an ideal stop off point when driving around the NC500 route to stretch your legs and appreciate the local scenery and fishing heritage of the north-east of Scotland.
Lybster Harbour
Lybster harbour has a protected inner harbour that protects berthed boats from the worse gales off the north sea. It is still a busy harbour and visiting leisure boats and yachts are welcome.
Lybster Harbour Buildings and Waterlines Heritage Centre and Cafe
The car park for the Waterlines Heritage Centre and cafe is in front of the harbour buildings along with outside tables where you can sit and enjoy your coffee or soup and a sandwich.
Boats out of the harbour for storage (in winter) and for routine maintenance and repairs.
Shore Road Bridge Lybster
An impressive bridge takes the Shore Road over to the harbour.
A small fishing boat arriving back at Lybster harbour.
Lybster Harbour Picnic Area
There is a fairly large picnic area down at Lybster harbour with free parking. Care should be taken if you have young children due to the deep harbour water nearby.
Lybster Harbour Shoreline and Harbour Light
The Lybster harbour shoreline can be used for landing or launching a sea kayak for exploring around the fascinating coastline and caves in this area.
The light at the entrance of the harbour would have been a welcome sight to many a tired fisherman coming back from the fishing in past years, especially in cloudy weather when there would have been little visible light at night from the moon and before the days of modern navigation aids and GPS.
Portland Hotel at Lybster website and Facebook
Lybster Location Map
Lybster Location Map
