John o' Groats 186254 224546137 2008-07-09T10:07:40Z 81.86.72.99 Fixed minor formatting error - must remember to preview changes! {{Infobox UK place | official_name= John o' Groats | gaelic_name= Taigh Iain Ghròt | country= Scotland | population= 300 | os_grid_reference= ND380734 | latitude= 58.64 | longitude= -3.07 | post_town= WICK | postcode_area= KW | postcode_district= KW1 | dial_code= 01955 | constituency_westminster= [[Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (UK Parliament constituency)|Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross]] | unitary_scotland= [[Highland (council area)|Highland]] | lieutenancy_scotland= [[Caithness]] | constituency_scottish_parliament= [[Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross]] | static_image=[[Image:John o' Groats.JPG|240px]] | static_image_caption=<small>John o' Groats House</small> }} '''John o' Groats''' ('''''Taigh Iain Ghròt''''' in [[Scottish Gaelic]]) ({{gbmapping|ND380734}}) is a village in the [[Highland (council area)|Highland]] [[Council areas of Scotland|council area]] of [[Scotland]]. Once a part of the [[Counties of Scotland|county]] of [[Caithness]], John o' Groats is usually regarded as the most northerly settlement of mainland [[Great Britain]]. The actual location of the most northerly point, however, is at nearby [[Dunnet Head]] ({{gbmappingsmall|ND202767}}). The name John o' Groats has a particular resonance because it is often used as a starting or ending point for walks and charitable events to and from [[Land's End]] (at the extreme south-western tip of the [[Cornwall|Cornish]] peninsula in [[England]]). The phrase ''[[Land's End to John o' Groats]]'' is frequently heard both as a literal journey (being the longest possible in Great Britain) and as a [[metaphor]] for great or all-encompassing distance, similar to the American phrase ''[[coast to coast]]''. The punctuation and capitalisation in ''John o' Groats'' is the correct form. The space after ''o''' appears to vary but was probably the correct older form. The town takes its name from Jan de Groot, a [[Netherlands|Dutchman]] who obtained a grant for the ferry from the Scottish mainland to [[Orkney]], recently acquired from [[Norway]], from [[James IV of Scotland|King James IV]] in [[1496]]. ==Demography== The population of John o' Groats is approximately 300, ±10 (John o' Groats tourist information, 29 October 2007). The village is dispersed but has a linear centre where council housing, sports park, and a shop which is on the main road from the nearest town of [[Wick]]. ==Tourism== John o' Groats attracts large numbers of tourists from all across the world all year round, despite critism from the national press slamming the village as "seedy" {{Fact|date=June 2008}} ==Signpost== The famous "Journey's End" signpost at John o' Groats is privately owned and operated by the same [[Penzance]]-based photography company which operates its counterpart at [[Land's End]], with a fee payable for having pictures taken next to the signpost. A free signpost is situated on the wall next to the First and Last souvenir shop and the harbour. ==Sport== John o' Groats is home to two football clubs, John o' Groats and Canisbay Juniors. John o' Groats FC are an amateur outfit who play in the top flight of [[Caithness]] Amateur Football, they also enter a team into the Winter 7s which are played in [[Thurso]]. They are current champions of the second division. The also have the distinction of being the most northernly British mainland club. Canisbay Juniors are the "feeder" team to John o' Groats FC with many of key first team players having played for the juniors side at one time. They play in the youth development leagues in Caithness where they enter teams at all age groups. ==Hotel== The famous hotel has very much became a landmark to recognise John o' Groats by. It is no longer a hotel and the public bar was shut down recently as it will move across the carpark to the hexagonal building where it will become a cafe/bar. That makes the building empty and locals are trying to mount a community buyout of the hotel. It was built on the ground where Jan de Groot's house lay. ==External links== *[http://www.visitjohnogroats.com/ Visit John o' Groats] *[http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/johnogroats/johnogroats/ Undiscovered Scotland page] about the village and area [[Category:Caithness]] [[Category:Villages in Highland]] [[Category:Visitor attractions in Highland]] [[da:John o' Groats]] [[de:John o' Groats]] [[es:John o' Groats]] [[eo:John o' Groats]] [[nl:John o' Groats]] [[no:John o' Groats]] [[pl:John o' Groats]] [[sv:John o' Groats]]