Yarrows Loch, Brochs and Archaeological Trail

Beautiful Scenery, lochs, ancient history and brochs at Yarrows in Caithness

History is everywhere you go in the county of Caithness, just look on an OS Map of the north of Scotland and you will find numerous map references to brochs, ancient buildings and settlements of between 2,000 and 5,000 years old. Yarrows, near Thrumster, is a short drive from Wick. The estate is managed by Thrumster Estates where they have holiday accommodation available as well as the fishing rights for the several lochs that are full of wild brown trout. The notable areas areas where you can find brochs, chambered cairns, standing stones and ancient forts include the Loch of Yarrows, Hill of Yarrows, Warehouse Hill, Loch Watenan (near Whaligoe Steps) and Battle Moss.

Yarrows broch

The broch is beside the Loch of Yarrows. This loch is well stocked with brown trout and permits are available on a daily or longer basis. Bank and boat fishing on the loch, fly only.

Loch of Yarrows

Loch of Yarrows and the broch beside the loch

The area around Yarrows is known for the Yarrows Archaeological Trail where you can take around 2 hours to walk around historical sites going back 5,000 or more years and explore brochs, burial mounds and other signs of communities that lived and worked the land from the Iron Age onwards. While evidence of people living in this area dates to 10,000 years little is left to show how they lived.

Loch of Yarrows with view over broch

Loch of Yarrows with view over broch

This area is exciting to visit and is one of Scotland’s best kept secrets, yet the broch on the Loch of Yarrows must be one of the best archaeological sites where you can visit for free. It only takes a short 5-10 minute walk down from the Yarrows Trail car park. The scenery and the wildlife make this a wonderful place to visit and to experience Scotland’s ancient past while also seeing the land being used for farming and estate management.

Loch Brickagoe

Old ruins of crofts beside Loch Brickigoe

Old ruins of crofts

Abandoned crofts beside Loch Brickigoe at Yarrows

Broch

Broch (and dog) picture taken in 2010 with my two collies.

Yarrows Loch - Loch Brickigoe

One of the Yarrows Lochs - Loch Brickigoe can be fished with a day or season ticket, fly only.

Loch of Yarrows

Loch of Yarrows with the Caithness coastline and the North Sea in the distance.

Yarrows Location Map

Yarrows location map

Yarrows, Caithness map location.

External sites: Thrumster Estate for holiday accommodation and trout fishing on the Thrumster Estate, Yarrows Lochs.