Caithness and Sutherland
The most northerly counties in mainland Scotland, Caithness and Sutherland have a stormy history. In 1567 the Earl and Countess of Sutherland were poisoned at the instigation of the Earl of Caithness. Caithness then invaded the county of Sutherland, set fire to the town of Dornoch and carried off the 15 year old son and heir of the poisoned couple.
The unhappy youth was then forcibly married to the 32 year old daughter of the Earl of Caithness to seal his hold on the county. Relations are happier now, but many differences remain. Caithness has a Viking heritage, with Norse place names like Wick and Thurso, its two largest towns, and is much less mountainous than its neighbour.
Although Sutherland gets its name from the fact that it was the south part of the Viking kingdom, its background is much more Gaelic.
Dornoch, the county town gets its name from the Gaelic for horse's hoof, after William, Thane of Sutherland, killed an opponent in battle nearby with the leg of a slain horse, after losing his sword ... or so the story goes. Dornoch is also the location of the last official witch burning in Scotland, which occurred in 1722. The unfortunate woman was accused of turning her daughter into a pony and having her shod by the Devil.
Royal Dornoch Golf Club is considered to be one of Scotland's finest, although it has never hosted the Open because of the unpredictable weather. Places to visit in Sutherland include the Shin Falls and the world's most impressive youth hostel in Carbisdale castle.
Above Golspie, the imposing statue of the Duke of Sutherland, who cleared the land of people in order to graze sheep, has become the subject of national debate with many believing he should not be honoured in this way.
Caithness has the most northerly point on mainland Britain at Dunnet Head (This title is usually given mistakenly to John'o'Groats.)
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