The Pilot House looks out over Wick Bay. You can usually see people sitting passing the time of day here now. It used to be used by the Pilots who skippered the Pilot Boats to guide vessels in to Wick Harbour. As the whole bay is visible from the Pilot House the tours will be given from there. The Pilot house will also exhibit tourist leaflets on behalf of local businesses for which a small donation is expected.
The pilots used it as their base and to store the equipment and flags that formed an important part of their trade.
It was used as a meeting place for fishermen and local people who met to share news of the fishing and to observe the boats arriving and leaving the harbour.
There are four wooden seats attached to the four outer walls to give shelter whatever weather prevailed. From the Pilot House one can get a panoramic view of the town and the harbour. A Royal Burgh from 1589, the town of Wick has even more ancient origins, as shown by its name which comes from the Norse ‘Vic’, the word for bay. It lies on the north east coast of Scotland 19 miles south of John O’Groats.
Local historical displays are arranged within the building by the founder and former Chairman of The Wick Society, Iain Sutherland.
