Waterlines in Highland

Hidden away but well worth seeking out, lovely peaceful spot and part of the silver darlings, the movie is on YouTube to watch

We went for a Crab Sandwich but they only serve them on Wednesdays. One staff member on duty and although the place was quiet she neither greeted us on arrival or spoke on departure. The exhibitions we outdated. Empty display cabinet which needs a clean. Faded photos and most exhibits seemed to be focused on youngsters. No cran sandwiches available. So we headed to Dunbeath where they open daily 100 till 5pm.

Visited here on the penultimate day of the season. Great wee museum with lots of information well presented about the harbour and fishing industry. Nice little cafe with friendly volunteer staff. (They are not always able to open currently depending on availability of volunteers).

Great little cafe attached to the Small Heritage Museum. Great for Coffee and Cakes. Like a lot of places post Covid/Brexit, it struggles to get staff. If they're open then you're in luck. It surely deserves to be open more.

Harbour worth a visit. Visitors Center and cafe all still closed September 2022. Harbour worth a visit. Park at view point before bridge and walk on to bridge to see waterfall.

We visited the museum and cafe at Lybster as part of our trip on the NC500. The museum is sited on the harbour and is upstairs within the building. It has lots of information about fishing in the past and a few interactive boards. The cafe had indoor and outdoor seating. We just had a cup of tea outside.

A bay surrounded by hills, making it a bit secluded, but these gems should be visited by those of us who havent ever seen such places. There is a cafe within a short walk with outdoor seating area. I would, in short, recommend this as one place you should come and look at. IF you visit John OGroats, you may well pass this place on your return journey-call in...its a gem!......I am reviewing "THE Harbour" and not the cafe!

Small cafe located at a picturesque little harbor. Food is homemade nothing fancy, but tastes all the better for it. It’s been said before and we had the crab rolls as well. Great stuff, was not let down and would order again in a heartbeat! Coffee was decent as well, all in all a fine lunch. Don’t forget to take a walk around upstairs as well. It shows the history of the fishing town itself and a bit of the social history how they used to live back in the day. Apart from the exhibition upstairs, there’s a smoke room next door and replica of a boat in the green shed outside. Ample place for parking and a worth a quick visit!

Have visited several times whilst on motorcycle tours of the Highlands and never fails to impress. Lovely soup for lunch, great location, lovely (but very busy) staff. Gorgeous location

The food is of an excellent quality, if a little expensive. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable and the little museum gives you an insight into the past history of a busy fishing port.

What a lovely place to stop off for lunch. The food was good, friendly staff, and a very picturesque place - especially if the weather is good enough to sit outside overlooking the quaint harbour.

Der Hafen, der Leuchtturm und das Café muss man unbedingt besucht haben. Und vermutet so viel Schönes in so einem kleinen Ort nicht. Der Hafen liegt sehr versteckt und ist auf alle Fälle einen Besuch wert.

If you looking for lunch and a slice of local history, Waterlines is a great place to visit. The cafe has a reputation for its crab rolls, which come with a generous helping of crab meat in a buttered soft, fresh bap. You can choose between brown and white bread. We also tried the cakes which were equally soft and fresh: the chocolate cake was a generous portion. The scones were large (available both in fruit and plain flavours) served with portions of butter and a little French jam. You have the option for the scone to be warmed too. The service is friendly and personal. The prices are incredibly reasonable: two crab rolls and two drinks came to around £11. We went upstairs to view the Waterlines exhibition which includes information on the geology and history of the area. There is a significant section made by the local school. I particularly liked the video on show which showed viewed of the coastline and wildlife. Don’t miss the view down the hills as you pass over the bridge to approach the harbour. Really enjoyed this visit: beautiful on a sunny day, and a good rainy day activity too.

Staff very helpful. The crab rolls are the best I have had. They are filled with crab and not salad and mayonaise. Interesting place to visit. The crab rolls are undersold and the crabs are local.

Lucky to visit on a beautiful sunny day. Right beside the harbour. You can sit in or out. Sandwiches and bacon roll available and tea or coffee.

Popped in for a coffee and decided to share a crab roll as we were not too hungry. The crab roll was so delicous that we ordered a second. We'll pop in here for lunch on our return journey too. Lovely location by a tiny harbour. Staff very friendly.

A very nice little cafe with a fabulous view over Lybster Harbour. We sat outside as it was a lovely sunny day. Fabulous selection of cakes and Crab Rolls are amazing. Very nice staff and a reasonable menu.

A good cafe has great food and drink, welcoming staff, and a view worth stopping for. Waterlines has the view. (I suspect the Cappuccino came from a packet)

Came across this place by pure misdirection and chance, but glad I did. Went in for a drink and Scottish tablet, and the lady serving was a friendly and cheery. It's tucked away in a tiny harbour, that is rammed with history. The museum above is free but takes donations, and is a great look into the history of Lybster and its people. Well worth a stop off the 500.

Interesting cafe and visitor centre with nice, snack food and drinks on offer. Nice wooden seating outside to really take advantage of the lovely view.

To visit this café you need to follow the road to the harbour. The café doubles as a heritage centre and at the time of my visit there was a world war exhibition which was interesting to see. The café is small and compact with seating outside. I was able to sit outside and enjoy the views because it was a lovely day. I enjoyed a coffee and a nice slice of carrot cake. After that you can go and explore Lybster Harbour and see the impressive Harbour Light.

Clean and pleasant surroundings beautiful harbour coupled with excellent fresh food at reasonable cost .... well worth a visit

We always stop here for some soup or other delightful morsel when in the area. The view is breathtaking and the lack of phone signal will ensure you enjoy the harbour and Waterlines cafe/shop without any distractions.

A detour from the main road to check out the signposted harbour found this great converted storeroom at Lybster.

Perfect little harbour to visit with friends and to sit outside on a sunny day (not guaranteed is in this part of the world). Friendly service, good coffee and cake, 5 minutes off the A99. Plant lovers shouldn't miss the nursery just before the main road on you right on the way back.

THe waterlines is now a wonderfull museum giving you the history of the harbour and its fishing . A must see and do. Very nice tea room where you can get a nice lunch.

Very nice on a sunny day when you can sit outside at benches and tables and really enjoy the sun trap, the fresh air, the stunning view of the sea and a cup of coffee or tea. It’s even nice on a foggy day or inside on a rainy day! Turn into the village of Lybster off the A9 and drive down the over-wide fisherman’s street of old. The fisherman used to hang their nets across the street I was told. Turn right at the sign that directs you down to the harbour. It’s a narrow little road so take care. There are some passing places. At the bottom Waterlines is on your right. It’s good to park cars or bikes there but camper vans are better off parking just off to the side at the harbour. There is a toilet that is suitable for the disabled person.

The food is really good especially the crab rolls(what a treat) So today me n my partner sat outside looking out to sea with our treats in the sunshine , everything perfect apart from the service of an abrupt n unwelcoming lady n her unprofessional manner, which was a pity.

Small Tea shop at Lybster harbour. Two giggly girls serving, and the food was OK. Expensive for what u get.

We took our Australian relaves here for a coffee during a tour around Caithness. What a surprise tucked under the cliffs on the harbour. Great little museum, cameras on the birds nesting to watch, chatty old locals to talk to, and great coffee than ended up being a meal. Great find down on the Harbour.

Hard to find as along a little road but a beautiful view from the harbour. Great cups of tea and lovely baking to be eaten too.

We came across this place on our trip from Kirkwall to Inverness searching for a short stop-over. Well, reaching the harbor (not so many street signs) unexpectedly ended in a short single-track tour, but it's worth it. The harbor is nice and the Waterlines cafe/restaurant even offers an insight into its history, e.g., a rescue documentation. Coffee and cakes are really nice there. Friendly personnel. Thanks for a nice stay.

Sit outside cafe on sunny day overlooking harbour. Good choice of baking to go with your coffee. Museum free telling history of fishing in area.

Called in here for coffee and a crab roll.....which was delicious! Nice friendly staff.......lovely coffee in a cafetière......and nice cups and saucers! Lovely view of the harbour ...tables inside and out. Upstairs they have an interesting exhibition about the "silver darlings" which if free....but they have a pot for donations...which i willingly paid into. We were lucky enough to see a boat come in and saw the chap unload his lobsters and crabs. Definitely a nice spot to visit!

Stumbled across this lovely place on our road trip. Pleasant staff & wonderful scones, tea & coffee. Stunning location to enjoy sitting at the tables & chairs outside.

The Crab sandwiches are very good, nice cake and a good cup of tea. All the staff are friendly and helpful. A peaceful way to enjoy a meal sitting outside watching fishermen busy in the Harbor.

Überrascht an dieser Stelle ein Café zu finden. Ein paar Parkplätze draussen und ein paar Tische drinnen. Selbstgemachter Kuchen und Tee. Der Service ist etwas rustikal.

Café muy bonito, buen café y té y de la vista. ! Puerto de maravilloso Lybster. Preciosas también cálido sol ¿qué más se puede pedir.

En unas vacaciones recientes visitar la NC 500 nos fuimos en coche desde la carretera principal a este pintoresco puerto precioso y tenía una taza de té y un precioso pastel de la cafetería del puerto. En un día de calor fue un lugar ideal...

I enjoyed the visitors centre, lots of interesting history about the village, I had some nice soup in the cafe, and enjoyed looking round the area

I have used this place on a number of occasions when showing visitors around the area. The food is mostly home cooked but a little on the expensive side for my liking. There is a small local museum attached to the café; entrance free but a donation is asked for on a notice.

We found this little gem quite by accident, our Greyhound Perry needed to stretch his legs during our nc500 trip we saw the signs for the harbour so drove our campervan down to the most surprising little harbour, it has a lighthouse at its entance, a small pebble filled beach and a wonderful cafe come museum called waterlines. The cafe was spotlessly clean and the staff were very friendly. a simple menu of food and a good selection of coffees. the small museum was very interesting, it showed the history of lybster. Altogether a fantastic little place to spend an hour or so.

Great lunch I had at waterlines. There sandwiches and homebaking is great and delicious would go there for food again. Also there's a museum upstairs with working cctv system where u can look at the cliffs and the harbour and look for wildlife. It's a nice little place right near the harbour.

Popped in here with no reservation, quickly served with tasty fare, and all with a beautiful view of the harbour. Both of us fed to bursting for under a tenner.Well worth the slalom race to the water, my 2.0 MX-5 loved it as it does all highland roads, but some drivers may be a bit wary.We liked it here, lovely food served by local folks in a clean and pleasant surround, and good for a bit of Craik afterwards.Well worth a visit.

Visited the harbour at Lybster and stopped here so children could play on the beach. Interesting exhibition about the area upstairs with video cameras that let you watch the sea birds. Food and service were good and a lovely, friendly local man was telling stories about the village and harbour.

Bring your camera as it is a cute little harbor with a lighthouse at the entrance and rocks around the area.

We were told by a local to come here for lunch otherwise we would never have found it. Which,probably, could be a tactic for keeping people away!Because its fantastic. First off, this is not a high end, fine dining restaurant so DO NOT come with that mindset. This is a casual, mum and dad type run place that happens to sit on the Lybster harbour. Apparently only open in summer so we were super lucky.The drive to the restaurant is rather alarming. Down a skinny, one way road, through the back streets with a trick entrance that seems to run into someones back yard but then does a sharp turn and there's the harbour. Parking is tricky with not much available.Order the crab rolls and guts yourself sick! So honest - just crab in a buttered roll with a small serve of coleslaw and green salad. Perfect and the taste was sensational. With a pot of coffee, it probably cost us way under 10 pound. GO HERE...quick...

very nice location views of the harbour, nice food, little short of staff, but it was busy when we were there, nice little touch with a history of the village museum upstairs,

Had a jacket potato with crab while sitting outside, looking over the harbour. When it inevitably started to chuck it down we went and took a look around the exhibition upstairs, which we really enjoyed. Great setting and nice, straightforward cafe food. Well worth popping in for some lunch.

Just love this place and the setting is just wonderful. The staff are very friendly and the food is lovely. Nice for sandwiches, soups and cakes and you are likely to get a history of the harbour from one of the locals.

Found this by accident and not a promising approach through a rather grey and dreary road appearing to go nowhere but follow the signs and you end up in a delightful little harbour. The road down is partly single track but not very long. The visitor centre and cafe are worth a visit. The crab roll is the best this side of anywhere - no salad, no mayonnaise - just crab in a buttered bun. The sound of the sea on the beach is also worth the trip.

The name suggested an aquarium, but it was a very plesant cafe plus. Called in after a breezy walk on the clifftop. Very friendly and hospitable lady served very good coffee (plus, of course, Tunnock's tea cakes!). Interesting museum upstairs and a small selection of gifts for sale.

First of all I am very curious about the review by " huggable" from Glasgow. The Waterlines Centre is never open in the winter months and the description doesn't seem to fit what is actually there!. We as a family often go to Waterlines, when visiting the East Coast of Caithness. When the weather is warm, there are tables to sit outside at, a lovely spot to have a coffee and homemade cake or a light lunch ( soup/sandwiches). The view is of the little harbour with it's local fishing boats, and the light house at the end of harbour wall.The whole cove is surrounded by cliffs.There is also a small museum with information and items describing the local herring industry.

... But a lovely couple (she a Trustee) made us welcome, and served us coffee and shortbread an hour before official opening time. Really interesting history of Lybster, and live webcams of the harbour and cliffs. Exceptionally bonny harbour, always something happening here!

We came to this area looking for Glencairn Estate (but that's another story - heh,heh).The small harbour at the bottom of a fairly steep roadway,is very picturesque, with a welcome cafe alongside. We had tea and delicious carrot cakes. Everyone there was friendly, chatty and helpful. The heritage museum upstairs was interesting and informative for all ages. It took up quite a lot of our time. The cafe also had a small retail area.We enjoyed our visit and would call along again, if in the area.

This used to be a lovely place for having afternoon tea with friends and family. I used to visit regularly. However, slowly, as with everything else in Caithness, the service and hygiene has gone downhill. I saw one waitres rake coffee pots into the toilet to wash the grinds away, which I do not think is hygienic. Gone are the days when the cakes were behind the counter, now they are on the side for self-service, which I dislike as it is unhygienic. Last time I visited a fly was trapped under the protective glass with the very cake the glass was supposed to be protecting. The cakes and scones are apparently exceptional, but I can't get past the service and hygiene issues.

We watched the Rowing boat teams practice in the Harbour quite exciting.As the guset house had an upstair Sun Room we as more mature folk enjoyed sitting watching the seals and fishing boats,we will be back.

Simple menu but ok priced. Nice for a light lunch while your looking out over the water. Lovely Pebble beach and small harbour.Plenty seating inside and out with exhibition upstairs. Nice little find.

We drove down to this area to get pictures of the harbour. What a great little place to get some awesome pictures of the area. We loved seeing the colorful boats.

Upstairs there is an interesting exhibition on the area and particularly on the demise of the herring fishing industry which is well done. There is another part to see in the shed to the left of the main building.Downstairs is a pleasant café. A choice of two home made soups, sandwiches, baked potatoes, home-made cakes all at good value prices. Crab is on the menu then later we watched the fishermen in the picturesque harbour landing their catch. We walked up the hill behind the building to get some coastal views and see the well which was believed to have been used by a monastery.The volunteers were very friendly and we would love to go again one day. It was a beautiful, sunny day so most of the customers were sitting at tables outside.

This is a fantastic little gem at the harbour in Lybster, upstairs in a very interesting exhibition about the history of the village and the local area and downstairs the cafe has fabulous home made soups, sandwiches and the cakes are to die for.

What a beautiful harbour to while away the hours and the Waterlines Café is an added bonus, we had a lovely lunch of salmon with delicious mushroom soup which was home made, the service was prompt and very friendly.Well worth a visit if your in the area.

Had lunch here on visit toLybster harbour.Food was very good and well served by pleasant staff.Worth a visit if in area

after finding this little restaurant years ago we have made a point of visiting regularly. The food is simple and well cooked, Always a good selection of cakes and such like - and excellent coffee! The ambience and setting cannot be rivalled - indoors there have arranged a history of lybster as produced by children from the primary school, and a further museum provides hours of interest. Outside seating, the harbour and lighthouse just there,and a safe beach mere feet away, {great for kids and peace for that second cake}, a lovely setting run by friendly staff {I think some may be volunteers?} Not particularly expensive. Don't miss the walks nearby!

We were part of a group stopping at Lybster as part of our excellent Caithness Seacoast Ltd tour. There were eleven of us and there were also two other people at an adjacent table who had already been served, so hardly an overflow of customers. Service was extremely slow and the waitress kept getting orders wrong. When my friend explained that she had been given the wrong order the waitress stood and glared at her and seemed unable to accept that it wasn't the customer who had got the order wrong. Worse was to come as she apparently had run out of bread. Instead of explaining this in a nice way to the customers ( and possibly offering alternatives?) the waitress went in to total meltdown, practically throwing money back at one customer and then stalking off to the harbour in a temper, leaving a very young and inexperienced waitress to deal with things. I wish I could say this was an unfortunate one off, but I have been served before by this particular woman and I have always found her to be rude and abrupt. The food at Waterlines is usually good and the surroundings very pleasant but I do wonder why the owners continue to employ a person who is rude to customers and bullying to younger waitresses.

Stopped at Lybster harbour and was delighted to find this great little cafe for lunch. Food was great - all freshly prepared and tasty - a good range of choices. The 2 female staff members were helpful and friendly. Lovely cakes as well! Worth visiting!

Driving from Thurso South on a dreich Sunday we thought we would never find anywhere to eat! We saw a sign on the main road for Waterlines and found ourselves driving down a steep road to the harbour which looked deserted. However, Waterlines was a lovely little cafe and as previously mentioned before the best crab rolls and lovely pleasant ladies to serve them.We managed to spend well over an hour upstairs at the very comprehensive exhibition on the history of the fishing industry in Lybster with lots of lovely contributions by local schoolchildren. There were also webcams on the birds nesting on nearby cliffs. This chance stop turned what looked like being a very poor day into a very enjoyable, and informative one,PPP

On a tour round Scotland and wanted to stop off at Lybster to see the beautiful harbour. It didn't disappoint, like a picture postcard. The fisherman were pulling up the crab buckets and sorting the live crabs in front of us. They were huge! We went into Waterlines - a restored harbour building with a museum upstairs and cafe downstairs. We all had the homemade soup and fresh crab roll. Without a doubt the best crab roll / sandwich I have ever tasted. And not expensive. The cakes were also very good. Staff were lovely and friendly and with the view of the harbour and crashing waves outside it was just perfect. I highly recommend it. The cafe / museum closes first week Oct for winter but opens again next May (2014).

There is a great cafe/tearoom down by the lovely harbour. Tomato and basil soup and a fresh crab roll. Yum yum. Lovely outlook towards the lighthouse. Make sure you pop in here for lunch.