Wick, Caithness

Traditionally one of two burghs in Caithness, Wick has a population of around 7,300 people. The name Wick comes from the Norse work vik, meaning bay. Wick has it's own airport, Sheriff Court & the Caithness General Hospital.

Sir John Sinclair of Ulbster built a quay at Wick in 1768 to promote the town as a centre for herring fishing. By the early 1790's over 200 fishing boats were based in Wick, producing 13,000 barrels of salted herring a year.  In the 1860's there were 1,100 herring boats based in Wick harbour.  For a time it was the busiest fishing port in the United Kingdom.  During the summer when shoals of herring were passing around the Wick coast the population of the town increased from 6,000 to 15,000 as migrant workers flocked in. By the 1930's the herring population was in steep decline, leaving roughly 30 boats operating from Wick ever since. The Wick Heritage Museum gives visitors a glimpse in Wick's past, focussing mainly on the "herring years".

North Sea Oil has helped bridge the gap in the economy since the loss of the herring industry.

Wick castle, also known as the Old Man of Wick was built in the 12th century. It is about 1km south of the town along the coast. All that remains today is a tower on the very edge of the cliffs, originally it had 4 stories and other outbuildings. It was abandoned in the 18th century.

Wick Airport was originally just a grass airfield used by Captain E. E. Fresson's Highland Airways Ltd, from 1933 to 1939.  During the second world war it was taken over by the Air Ministry.  Wick airport now provides daily flights to Aberdeen & Edinburgh.

The Old Pulteney Distillery is located in Pulteneytown, (part of Wick).  Established in 1826 it is the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland. There is a visitor centre on Huddart Street.