Spittal is a small hamlet, in Caithness, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland. Spittal lies 9 miles south of Thurso, and 1.5 miles north of Mybster. The main A9 road runs past Spittal. Caithness (Scottish Gaelic: Gallaibh) is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (1708 to 1918). Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is now entirely within the Highland council area. In 2007 the Highland Council, which is now the local government authority, created the Caithness ward management area, which has boundaries similar to those of the historic local government area.