John O'Groats a carbuncle? - How very dare they!

I am spitting nails this morning at the travesty of justice that is the 2010 Carbuncle Award. I can't believe that John O'Groats has been awarded the title of the most dismal place in Scotland.

I already expressed my horror at its inclusion on the shortlist, along with the beautiful highland capital of Inverness.

Ok, it doesn't have a boutique hotel, or a Starbucks, or a whomping big theme park, but does it really matter that much?

There is potential for improvement, but surely to goodness all you need there is a pair of binoculars to see the wildlife - birds and seals and otters - and your imagination. It can be very atmospheric there as the mists roll in and surround you. On a good day, though, you can see for miles, the sea is gorgeous, the coastline incredible. Is that not enough?

I'm not sure I like the presumption in this award that unless somewhere is developed to the nth degree, it's ugly. What is actually ugly is the dumbing down of people's expectations about what constitutes beauty.

Like I said, it could be improved, but worst and most dismal place in Scotland? That's ridiculous.