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The Orkney Islands are an archipelago of approximately 70 islands some 10 miles (16 km) off the northern coast of Scotland. The "Heart of Neolithic Orkney" is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Understand

The Orkney Islands have been settled since the Neolithic Period. There is plenty to do on the islands. They are easy to navigate. The islands are great for culture holidays and sight-seeing

Islands

Map of the Orkney Islands
  • Eday, the Isthmus Island with excellent walks.
  • Egilsay, where Earl Magnus was martyred.
  • Flotta, location of oil terminal
  • Hoy, the High Island. Hike through R.S.P.B. Nature Reserve to cliffs overlooking the Old Man of Hoy sea stack.
  • Mainland, Orkney's largest island where 2/3 of the Isles' population resides.
  • North Ronaldsay, well-worth the trip if only to climb to the top of the new lighthouse for fantastic views, and to see Old Beacon, the third oldest lighthouse in Scotland.
  • Papa Westray, referred to locally as "Papay", the island is home to the oldest site in Orkney, Knap of Howar.
  • Rousay, the Egypt of the North with a large concentration of spectacular archaeological sites.
  • Sanday, aptly named the Sand Island for its beautiful beaches.
  • Shapinsay, a short ferry sailing from Kirkwall and home to Balfour Castle.
  • Stronsay
  • Westray, Queen o' the Orkney Islands. Excellent place to spot puffins in late spring to find the best fish & chips in Orkney at the Pierowall Hotel.
  • Wyre

South Isles connected by the Churchill Barriers:

  • Burray
  • Glimsholm
  • Lambholm, home of the stunning Italian Chapel.
  • South Ronaldsay

Towns and Villages

Towns

Villages

Get in

By plane

Flybe offers flights to Kirkwall, Orkney from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen and Sumburgh. Aircrafts are operated by Loganair. You can take Stagecoach bus number 3 from the airport to Kirkwall.

By boat

Ro/Ro Ferries:

  • Scrabster to Stromness, Orkney Mainland: 90-minute sailings offered 3 times a day, 7 days a week. Service provided by Northlink Ferries. Approx. 30 minute drive to Kirkwall from Stromness.
  • Aberdeen to Kirkwall, Orkney Mainland: 6-hour sailing offered Tuesdays*, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Service provided by Northlink Ferries. No Kirkwall call from 1 Jan - 31 Mar & 1 Nov - 31 Dec.
  • Gill's Bay to St Margaret's Hope, South Ronaldsay. 60-minute sailings offered 3 times a day, 7 days a week. Service provided by Pentland Ferries. Approx. 35 minute drive to Kirkwall from St Margaret's Hope.

Passenger-only Ferries:

  • John O'Groats, ☏ +44 1955 611353. Daily: 1 May to 30 Sept. 40-minute ferry from John O'Groats to Burwick £30 return. To go from John O'Groats with a connection to Kirkwall is £32 return. Day tour from [Inverness] is £65 

Get around

By plane

Unusually for the UK, short internal flights are regularly used to connect to the six outer north island (Eday, North Ronaldsay, Papa Westray, Sanday, Stronsay and Westray). Flights depart from Kirkwall Airport to the airstrips on each island, and are operated by Loganair. Fares start at £15 return.

Orkney also has the shortest commercial flight in the world, at just under 2 minutes between Westray and Papa Westray. Some children use a flight to get to school every day!

By boat

There are ferries linking the mainland with 13 other islands.

By bus

Stagecaoch Bus operates the buses on Orkney. Phone: 01856 878014. Bus schedules are at Orkney's website. A map of most of the bus routes is available at Stagechoach's website.

  • Route T11 stops at several points of interests including Skara Brae prehistoric village, Ring of Brodgar, Standing Stones of Stenness and Kirkwall. This bus operates during the summer between June and August.
  • The X1 bus runs from St Margaret's Hope to Kirwall and then to Stromness.

See

Neolithic structures

Houses at Skara Brae

Awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO in 1999, the Heart of Neolithic Orkney includes:

  • Skara Brae. 30km west of Kirkwall, the best-preserved prehistoric village in Western Europe, inhabited before the pyramids of Egypt were built. 2009 Admission: adult £6.70, child £3.35, concessions £5.30. Prices include admission to Skaill House April to September. Admission to Skara Brae reduced October to March. 
  • Maeshowe. 14km west of Kirkwall, finest chambered tomb in north-west Europe, which contains the best collection of Viking runes outside Scandinavia. Advance booking required. 2009 Admission*: adult £5.20, child £2.60, concessions £4.20 
  • Ring of Brodgar. 16km west of Kirkwall, amazing stone circle with henge ditch. Free admission. 
  • Standing Stones of Stenness. One of the oldest stone circles in Britain. Free admission. 

Orkney's World Heritage site also includes a number of unexcavated burial, ceremonial and settlement sites.

Do

Holidays & day tours with Orkney Archaeology Tours - all tours led by professional archaeologists & qualified Orkney tourist guides

Drink

  • Highland Park. Kirkwall. The world's most northerly Scotch whisky distillery. Tours, including a free sample of the product and a gift shop are available. 

Sleep

There are plenty of places to stay meeting all price criteria, from youth hostels to grand hotels. See town/village articles for listings.

Go next

There are several other groups of Scottish islands:

This region travel guide to Orkney Islands is an outline and may need more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. If there are Cities and Other destinations listed, they may not all be at usable status or there may not be a valid regional structure and a "Get in" section describing all of the typical ways to get here. Please plunge forward and help it grow!


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