Is the most northerly town on the British mainland with a population of just under 10,000. Situated in the county of Caithness, or as it has also been described, the lowlands beyond the highlands, it is placed between two prominent headlands with a splendid view of the Pentland Firth and the Orkneys.
Thurso´s origins date back to the Picts, the original inhabitants, but it was the Vikings who would give the town its name. The town was to become an important Norse settlement and the major gateway to mainland Scotland. The derivation of the towns name has been disputed for years. Different spellings and variations have appeared throughout the centuries but it is Thors-a (Thor´s River) which has been commonly accepted. Thursos historic importance in trading is underlined by the fact that King David II decreed that the Caithness pound weight would become the standard for all Scotland.
Thurso held one of the cheapest markets in the north, attracting sellers from as far away as Edinburgh. In the 17th and 18th centuries Thurso benefited from the considerable export trade it had in meal, beef, hides and fish. In the early 19th century with the growth of the Caithness flagstone industry, Thurso became the major port for the regular export of cargoes of paving stones throughout Britain and the continent.
The latter half of the 20th century saw the population of Thurso treble due to the influx of workers and families at the new nuclear establishment at Dounreay which became a world renowned leader. Operations have now ceased and the site is being decommissioned. A US Navy communications base operated in the area from 1964 until 1992.
Well known for its hospitality, Thurso attracts a large number of visitors every year and is fast becoming internationally recognised as a favoured site for surfing. The town has hosted several major championships, attracting visitors from all over the world. The nearby port of Scrabster was the major point of embarkation in conveying servicemen and women to the British fleets anchored in Scapa Flow during both World Wars and has recently been given a new lease of life with the arrival of several cruise liners.