Ord of Caithness

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Ord of Caithness is a large granite hill on Scotland’s east coast, in the Highland council area. It sits on the border between Sutherland and Caithness, about 2 miles northeast of Helmsdale. The hill forms a headland called Ord Point and rises 198 metres (650 feet) above the sea. The A9 road runs along the top and along the edge, with sharp bends as it hugs the slope. Historically, the Ord was seen as a barrier that kept Caithness isolated, and travelers noted how dramatic and challenging the road was. In the 19th century, an old road over the Ord was described as steep and intimidating, though the newer road built in 1811 also has stiff gradients. There is a superstition that it is unlucky for any Sinclair to cross the Ord on a Monday, the day the clan’s young men left Caithness for Flodden Field and did not return.