Scrabster | Caithness, Highlands of Scotland

Scrabster Harbour, Orkney Ferry, Marina and Sea Fishing Boat Charter, Sandy Scrabster Beach

Scrabster is a harbour, ferry, fishing port and industrial business centre near Thurso in the far north of Scotland. The port is well known for its recreational sea angling with boat trips fishing off the Caithness coast and Orkney. The Scrabster to Stromness Ferry provides year round access to and from Orkney, weather permitting. Scrabster has an important commercial fishing industry where large boat off load their catch for processing and sale, while local boats fish for crab and lobster.

Scrabster Harbour and Marina

Scrabster also gets visits from the occasional large cruise ship and smaller privately owned boats. The marina has greatly expanded the recreational use of the harbour and has been off great benefit for local users as well as visiting guests to the area. Scrabster has accommodation overlooking the port and in the nearby town of Thurso which is around 3 miles away.

Eye of the Wind Sailing Ship

Pictures of the charter ship Eye of the Wind on 25th August 2019.

Visiting Cruise Ships - The Seabourn Ovation

Pictures of the cruise ship Seabourn Ovation at Scrabster.

Cruise Ship Saga Pearl II

Pictures of The cruise ship Saga Pearl II

Cruise Ship MV Boudicca

Pictures of The cruise ship MV Boudicca at Scrabster in August 2018 - 12 pictures

Scrabster to Orkney Ferry

The Scrabster to Stromness ferry provides a quick way to travel over to Orkney in comfort with the 90 minute ferry journey. During the summer months there is three ferries over from Scrabster to Orkney, Monday to Saturday and two sailings available on a Sunday. Outwith the summer sailing times there is two sailing times available from Scrabster.

For all sailings you need to be at the ferry arrival point at least 30 minutes before sailing, for cars boarding the ferry it is recommended you arrive 1 hour before departure. You need photo id such as a passport or drivers licence to board this ferry with a vehicle.

Scrabster Beach

Scrabster has a lovely sandy beach which can be accessed most days, except for the highest tide times. The Pentland Firth Yacht Club has its club house and car park next to the beach.

The beach extends behond the car park area for the Pentland Firth Yacht club / Facebook

Scrabster Fish

Sea angling fishing trips are available from Scrabster and a number of species can be caught off the Caithness and Orkney including cod, haddock, ling, dog fish, shark, flounder are among the fish species caught off the charter boats operating from Scrabster. Protected species are returned alive.

Scrabster Fishing Charter Boats

Scrabster has tremendous sea angling off the Caithness and Orkney coastline. A number of boat charters are available from Scrabster. The boats Eun Na Mara and Hebridean Warrior are available with an experienced skipper from Chris Bennet who can be contacted on 07989 473204.

Sunset photographed from charter boat out from Scrabster

Scrabster Harbour

Pictures of Scrabster harbour. A small, yet very important port, marina and business centre near Thurso.

Scrabster Marina

Pictures of Scrabster marina

The marina is open to visiting leisure boats as well as for local boats and yachts. The new pontoon layout makes it safe and easy to board boats throughout the day irrespective of tides. Before this marina development getting on/off boats would often involve using the harbour ladders, not idea when lugging fishing tackle and off loading fish caught on day trips on the local fishing boat charters.

In 2008 Scrabster Harbour Trust started a port infrastructure development with the redevelopment of the Old Fishmarket Pier to create the new Jubilee Quay, was completed in June 2013. The harbour plays an important role in supporting the Oil and Gas offshore industries as well as renewables including offshore wind farms and the new technologies being developed to harness tidal energy in the Pentland Firth.

Fishing and Commercial Boats at Scrabster Harbour

Pictures of Commercial and Local Fishing Boats at Scrabster harbour

The port supports the local fishing industries with a fish off loading facility and market as well as berthing for local fishing boats. The catch of fish, prawn, crab, lobster and shellfish is processed locally and often sold at the Scrabster seafood market before being transported to market in the UK and abroad.