Festival sees John O’Groats celebrate its Norse heritage
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John O’Groats embraced its Norse heritage at the weekend when it played host to its first Viking Taster Festival.
Organised by the John O'Groats Development Trust, it featured half a dozen members of the Glasgow Vikings re-enactment group who set up camp in the village’s event field. Visitors were able to wander around the tents and see cooking, handmade jewellery and other skills.
On Friday three of the Vikings had visited Canisbay and Castletown primary schools to tell pupils about Norse life.
After the torrential rain on Saturday, the weather brightened up considerably on Sunday for the main event of the weekend, the taster festival.
As well as the Vikings themselves, the Caithness Archers provided introductory sessions on the sport and there were marquees with food, drink and craft stalls.
Mark Gibson of John O’Groats Development Trust said: “It has been a team effort and a lot of local people in John O’Groats have come together to actually make it happen.
“For a first run at things I think it has been quite successful. There has been a steady stream of people coming through.
“We seem to have hit a nerve in terms of the Vikings. The Glasgow Vikings are very friendly and they are sticklers for accuracy.
“I hope there will be more of this type of thing in future.”
Rania Ragnarsdottir, Glasgow Vikings’ schools officer and authenticity officer, said it had been a “thoroughly worthwhile” trip.
“I’m so pleased that there has been a good turnout today after all the wonderful effort that the organisers have put in to it,” she said during a break from cooking a Viking meal on Sunday afternoon.
“The weather has been against us but we’ve managed to work through it. We’ve lost a pottery jug and a tent pole so far but hopefully there won’t be any more disasters as the wind has kindly died down a bit.
“The school pupils at Canisbay and Castletown were absolutely brilliant – so many questions, and it’s nice to see kids engaging so well with their local history.”
Souvenir programmes containing information about the Vikings in Caithness were on sale at the gate.
