The Whaligoe Steps (ND34SW 121.1), a stairway of 365 stone steps, zigzag down the cliff face from to a small platform and fishing quay (ND34SW 121.00). There was a fishing port and a curing shed at Wh ...

Description The Whaligoe Steps (ND34SW 121.1), a stairway of 365 stone steps, zigzag down the cliff face from to a small platform and fishing quay (ND34SW 121.00). There was a fishing port and a curing shed at Whaligoe by 1640 although the steps are first mentioned in the late 18th century. View of steps from cliffs to south west.

Date 9/4/1993

Catalogue Number SC 873637

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of C 4317 CN

Scope and Content Whaligoe Steps, Caithness, Highland Whaligoe, translated as 'whale geo' or inlet of whales, lies on the north-east coast of Caithness. It is a narrow inlet flanked by sheer cliffs. Built into the north side of the inlet are Whaligoe Steps comprising a stairway of 365 stone steps that descend to a platform and fishing quay. This shows the steep nature of the steps as they zigzag up the cliff face from a terraced platform. At one end of this platform there is the ruin of a small building. The stairway is first mentioned in the late 18th century but a reference from 1640 to a fishing port and a curing shed at Whaligoe suggests the possibility that some of the steps date to the 17th century. The narrow inlet at Whaligoe offered little shelter for small fishing boats. To prevent the smaller boats being dashed against the rocks the fishermen hauled them out of the water and secured them to hooks fixed into the rock face. Small boats were also secured on the platform which was built in the late 18th century. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/873637

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap