I've been fortunate enough to visit many places in Scotland, but one place still on my list to see is Thurso, Scotland. I'm not sure why since I haven't done much research on it or heard a lot about it or read books set there, but from pictures I've seen it just looks like a quaint little village that would wipe away all my worries and make me feel at home. Maybe I'm completely wrong. Maybe not. But this month, I thought I'd share a bit of information and maybe show you why I want to see it.
Thurso is one of the northern most towns in Scotland. It is
small, and it's usually a stop along the way instead of the destination for a trip. Many people use it as a "stepping stone" on their way to Orkney. But it has shops, places to eat and, of course, an interesting history.
The name Thurso comes from Old Norse meaning Bull's River. The Vikings were here as early as the 900s, with a lot of work fishing and trading by the sea. The oldest part of the town is the Old St. Peter's Church, dating back to early 1100s. (This picture on the right is a different, prettier church, NOT Old St. Peter's.) At one point the building was open to visitors, but within the last few years it has been locked off, not allowing anyone to visit.
In the mid to late 1900s, the Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establishment just outside of Thurso employed about 3500 people and most of them lived in Thurso. The plant is no longer in operation and so many of the residents have moved on.
In the mid to late 1900s, the Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establishment just outside of Thurso employed about 3500 people and most of them lived in Thurso. The plant is no longer in operation and so many of the residents have moved on.
