John o' Groats

John o 'Groats is a village in the county of Caithness at the northeast tip of Scotland (now part of Highland Region). He has about 300 inhabitants ( 2007).

Strictly speaking, it is not the northernmost point of mainland Britain; this is Dunnet Head is a little further west and has no village. John o 'Groats is located in the north-south axis just a little over two kilometers south, but still nearly 25 km to the east of the country point at the northeast tip of Scotland. Since these the felt - because farthest - " actual" other country end of the range- diagonal to Land's End (which is also not the southernmost point is, this is Lizard Point ) represents the village is the measure of all distances in Britain: Once through the whole country is synonymous with From John o 'Groats to Land's end.

This 874 miles ( 1406 km ) are the longest direct road distance between two locations on the main island. This corresponds to the distance between Hamburg and Monaco.

Directly east of John o 'Groats is the headland Duncansby Head, which is famous for its spectacular rock pinnacles, the Duncansby stacks, and as a nesting site for many rare sea birds, including puffins.

The name John o 'Groats to be derived from the Dutchman Jan de Groot, who was awarded the 1496 ferry rights to the offshore Orkney Islands. The islands were at that time only recently in the possession of the Scottish crown. De Groot demanded a mite of four pence for the ferry transport. The coin related was known as a groat.

Jan de Groot said to have built an octagonal house for himself and his sons, and therein erected an octagonal table, so that everyone could sit on a front page, so not all were equal.

In 2007, the actor Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman from John o 'Groats from their Long Way Down began.