Just a short walk from Duncansby Head Lighthouse, the stacks are accessed via a scenic clifftop path offering breathtaking views over the Pentland Firth. In addition to the stunning scenery, visitors can enjoy a variety of wildlife and seabirds, including fulmars, kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills, skuas, and even puffins during nesting season.

A clearly marked coastal footpath leads from the Duncansby Head Lighthouse car park to the stacks. The walk takes around 20 minutes each way, is mostly level, and offers panoramic views of the cliffs and, on a clear day, the Orkney Islands. Sturdy footwear is recommended, especially in wet or changeable conditions.

Good to Know

• Getting Here: The Stacks of Duncansby are located just beyond John O’Groats, at the end of the A99. Free parking is available at Duncansby Head Lighthouse, or alternatively, park at John O’Groats and enjoy the scenic coastal walk.
• Nearby Amenities: Public toilets, cafés, shops, and other facilities are available in John O’Groats, less than five minutes away by car.
• Best Time to Visit: The stacks are spectacular year-round, but May to July is ideal for seabird activity. Look out for fulmars, kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills, skuas, and puffins nesting in the grassy clifftops.
• Top Tip: Wear sturdy footwear and outdoor clothing, and be prepared for changeable coastal weather.

Explore the Coast: Walk from John O’Groats to Duncansby Stacks

One of the most rewarding ways to reach the stacks is via a 6 km (there-and-back) coastal walk from John O’Groats Harbour. The route follows the foreshore, where you may spot seals, eider ducks with chicks in season, and a variety of seabirds.

Passing through two kissing gates and across a burn occasionally visited by otters, you’ll reach Robert’s Haven, a quiet, sandy beach ideal for beachcombing. Keep an eye out for ‘Groatie Buckies,’ tiny cowrie shells believed locally to bring good luck!

Continuing around the Ness of Duncansby and on to Sannick Bay, the trail climbs to Duncansby Head Lighthouse. From here, a short cliffside path leads you to the breathtaking stacks, where seabirds nest in abundance throughout the summer months. You can return the same way or follow the quiet road back to John O’Groats.