This article is about the island in Orkney. For the island in the Small Isles, see Canna

Sanday is in the Orkney Islands, north of Mainland. It's a thin low-lying strap, about 20 km (12 mi) long but seldom more than 1 km wide, flanked by sandy beaches. The main settlement is Kettletoft in the centre of the island.

Get in

By boat: Orkney Ferries sail twice a day between Kirkwall and 1 Loth on the south end of the island. The ferry is a small ro-ro for vehicles and foot passengers. It takes 90 mins to 2 hours, also calling at Eday.

By plane: Loganair flights connect Sanday with Kirkwall, twice a day M-F and once Sat & Sun. Residents have priority, and you can only book by phoning +44 (0) 1856 872494 or 873457 (lines open Su-F to 19:00, to 18:00 Sa); you can't book online. See also Orkney Islands#Get Around#By plane. 2 Sanday Airport - a grand name for a cottage by a field with a windsock - is in the middle of the island near Kettletoft.

Flights to Sanday also land at Stronsay. This five-minute hop may well be the world's second-shortest commercial flight, the very shortest being the two-minute hop between Westray and Papa Westray.

Get around

A minibus connects with the ferries. Hiring a bicycle is a good way to get around and see the island.

For a few months in 2006, Sanday boasted Britain's most northerly railway station, with a ridable miniature railway. It's unlikely to re-open.

See

Start Point lighthouse

• 1 Quoyness chambered cairn. This is a well-preserved neolithic tomb dating to around 2900 BC, where bones of 10 adults and 5 children were found. You enter by crawling down a 9 m passageway into the tall chamber. Quoyness is almost an island on the south coast of Sanday, connected by a spit and track just south of the airport. (updated Jul 2018)
• 2 Start Point Lighthouse. Lighthouse completed in 1806, rebuilt in 1870, and painted its distinctive candy-stripe in 1915. It was the first Scottish lighthouse to have a revolving light. (updated Jul 2018)

Sleep

• Ayre's Rock, Sanday KW17 2AY, ☏ +44 1857 600410. Hostel (sleeps 8) plus self-contained Stable Cottage, campsite and caravan pitches. Runs a chip shop on Saturday evenings. £50 per room, camping from £20. (updated Jul 2018)
• 1 Backaskaill Farmhouse, Kettletoft KW17 2BJ, ☏ +44 1857 600305. Check-in: 3 pm, check-out: 10 am. B&B with one double and one twin room. Restaurant open to non-residents. (updated Jul 2018)

Go next

You can reach Eday, and from there Stronsay, without returning to Mainland. Anywhere else will be via Kirkwall.