Orkney
Find time for gentle pottering around our ancient sites and dreamlike beaches, for browsing in craft
shops and galleries, for sampling our wholesome cuisine or supping our famous ale and whisky...
Get out and go wildlife spotting, or hop on the world's shortest scheduled flight! Get the glow back in
your cheeks and the sparkle in your eyes - work up the sort of appetite you used to have once upon a
time. See the world afresh - find time for yourself in Orkney.
Orkney has much to charm the visitor - historic attractions of global significance, diverse wildlife in a
pure and serene environment, a rich cultural heritage, and traditionally warm and welcoming people.
We can help you plan your travel, arrange accommodation, suggest itineraries, and try to ensure your
Orkney memories are ones to treasure. If you need help with anything, click here to contact us.
The historic sites of the beautiful Orkney Islands are one of the great Scottish experiences.
With more than five thousand years of human history, culture and architecture, the global significance
of Orkney's Neolithic Heartland was recognised with World Heritage Site status in 1999, in common
with Stonehenge and the Great Wall of China.
Historic Scotland look after the World Heritage Site Neolithic Heartland, which includes Skara Brae
stone village, the fascinating tomb of Maeshowe - older than the pyramids and with Viking graffiti you
won't find in Egypt - the magnificent standing stone circle at the Ring of Brodgar, the stone village of
Barnhouse, and the Stones of Stenness. Historic Scotland, which looks after many other ancient sites
in the islands, has established a superb five-star interpretation centre and replica house close to Skara
Brae.
There are over a thousand known ancient sites in Orkney - many unexcavated - but including superbly
preserved Iron Age burial mounds, houses, monuments, and brochs.
A succession of invaders and migrants have anchored in Orkney's beautiful bays, early farmers from
Europe, Pictish settlers, Viking seafarers from Scandinavia, and Scots from just over the Pentland
Firth. Evidence of the changing settlements is still turning up - just over ten years ago a Viking boat
burial was found at Scar on the island of Sanday.
A visit to Orkney is incomplete without time spent immersed in the history and culture of our ancestors.
Each island in Orkney has its own unique character. The Mainland is the largest, but of the total of
around 70, a further 16 have lively communities. Each has wonderful archaeological sites, spectacular
scenery and wildlife, quality assured accommodation, and easy going, welcoming people. On each
island, click on the black numbers for descriptions of the sites of interest and the red numbers
to see photos and descriptions.
Rousay, Shapinsay, Hoy, Sanday, Stronsay, Eday, Egilsay, Gairsay, Wyre, Eynhallow... each islands'
name has a poetic ring, reminding us of the Norse legends and sagas in whose lore Orkney is so rich.
Orkney Ferries fleet of modern car and passenger ferries serve the outer isles, and Loganair's interisland air service links Kirkwall Airport to many, including a chance to make the shortest scheduled
flight in the world, under 2 minutes between Westray and Papa Westray.
There is always something to see or do in Orkney, with almost 24 hours of daylight to enjoy in
midsummer, but diverse delights await at any time of year . . . counting puffins and guillemot by the
cliffs; diving or sailing; excellent fishing on loch, shore and ocean; leisurely cycling on quiet roads;
midnight golf by the sea; walking in the sun and breeze on verdant tracks; rock climbing for the
experienced around the coast; retail therapy with our world-class craftspeople including tapestry
weaving, jewellery, designer knitwear and textile design; enjoying traditional music over a gourmet
dinner; catching scintillating performances at Orkney's festivals of folk, classical, blues and country
music.
Wildlife
Diving
Bird-watching
Shopping
Festivals
Walking
Traditional music
Golf
Trout fishing
Museums
Sea & Shore Angling
Visitor attractions
Cycling
Rock climbing
Leisure Learning
Orkney Ancestors
Sailing
Romantic Orkney
Special Interest Holidays - Orkney à
La Carte
Find yourself watching curious Grey and Common seals, lying still on a lonely shore to wait for a shy
otter, hearing the rustle of the unique Orkney vole, surprising a drumming snipe in the wetlands, or
seeing a pair of handsome hares boxing and gambolling in the Spring.
Orkney's wildlife enjoys the unspoilt environment, the relative lack of disturbance, and ample feeding
grounds. With continued care and respect, we hope our wildlife will continue to flourish.
Stand on any shore, and it is likely that a seal will find you irresistably interesting... if you whistle or
walk on it may very well swim along in time with you.
Or see them hauled out on pleasant days wherever rocky skerries provide them with space to bask
lazily.
Walk quietly, be prepared to go slowly and breath in the peace and solitude, and the wealth of
Orkney's wild riches can be yours.
Orkney's 70 islands are internationally renowned for their excellent bird-watching, but the sheer
number of birds which the islands support make it one of the premier all-season British destinations.
The RSPB owns, leases or manages over 8,000 hectares of land in Orkney, in the interests of
protecting important breeding grounds and conserving habitat.
The variety of habitat, and the richness of the farmland, heather moorland, and coastal waters
provides ideal breeding territory for a host of species, including Schedule 1 species such as corncrake,
red-throated divers, hen harrier, merlin, peregrine, whimbrel and pintail.
The normally reticent red-throated divers nest on the hill lochans, and the RSPB hide at Burgar Hill is
an excellent place from which to observe them.
The short-eared owl also breeds in Orkney, a delightful daytime sight on meadows and moorland such
as that at Hobbister, which also supports one hundred pairs of curlew. Golden plover and dunlin nest
on the Birsay moors and Hoy reserves.
May - July is the best time to see breeding birds in Orkney, outside of that time the RSPB reserves will
be almost deserted. The sandstone ledges of the sea-cliff reserves on the islands of Westray,
Copinsay and at Marwick Head on the Orkney Mainland are colonised in early summer by thousands
of fulmar, guillemots, kittiwakes, and razorbills. Great skuas and Arctic skuas haunt the clifftops and
the moors. Gannets and shags populate the lower ledges and shelves of the islands' ocean margins.
The reserve on Egilsay protects the last stronghold of the corncrake in Orkney, providing late-cut hay
for nests and chicks, and cover late in the season for the birds to forage and shelter in. Numbers have
varied over the last five years, in 2000 there were eleven calling birds recorded throughout Orkney of
which four were in Egilsay. Recent figures may be optimistic, indicating possible increases and wider
distribution than in previous years.
In autumn and winter, great northern divers from Arctic Canada, Iceland and Greenland, and
Slavonian grebes, velvet scoters, and hundreds of long-tailed ducks from northern Europe gather
alongside resident eider, red-breasted merganser and black guillemot. Over 50,000 waders feed on
the Orkney shoreline in winter. Whooper swans, and greylag geese graze Shapinsay's fields, whilst on
the marsh at Mill Dam pintail, wigeon, shoveler, redshank and water rail can be observed from the
hide provided.
Visitors to Orkney will be rewarded for patience and care at any time of the year, with spectacular
sightings of rare or shy birds, in beautiful and peaceful surroundings.
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ORKNEY 2005
All our 1- and 2-day tours
to Orkney start from
Inverness.
 From 2 May to 30
September we have a 2day guided tour to Orkney,
with between 1 and 3
departures a week - our
Orkney Overnighter.
Click here for details of
this trip in May and
September, and here for
details of departures in
June, July & August.
This 2-day trip has a night
in Kirkwall, capital of
Orkney. On many trips you
may however spend longer
in Orkney if you wish;
 In September & early
October we run a 1-day
trip from Inverness to
Orkney - our Orkney
MegaTour;
 From late March to midOctober we offer our
Orkney Adventure which
requires a minimum of 2
nights in Orkney. This is
aimed especially at the
independent traveller;
A haunting late afternoon view of the Stones of Stenness
as a storm gathers to the north
This page describes our rolling programme of tours to Orkney from April to October. Another page gives
general information on Orkney including accommodations there, entrance fees etc. Both are quite long pages and
we suggest you keep the Orkney sub-menu in view in the left-hand frame to help you navigate your way around.
If you lose this sub-menu, move the slider on the left up or down till you find it again - background colour the
same as the text in this paragraph.
Prehistory; the world wars; seascapes; and Norse links are what most people are
looking for in a visit to the ORKNEY ISLANDS; all our trips to Orkney include features
from these four main categories.
Joining: All our trips to Orkney (except the 6-day summer trip) begin and end in
Inverness, leaving from Castle Wynd - or the Town House, beside Castle Wynd
Click here for some towns and accommodations north of Inverness from which you
can join this tour
All over the Islands there are places where visitors can immerse themselves in interpretations of the
culture, history, and present day lives of the people and natural environment of Orkney.
Whether it be 12th century Viking St Magnus Cathedral, Historic Scotland's Neolithic World Heritage
Site gem the Skara Brae Visitor Centre, the Westray Heritage Centre, the Orkney Museum, the North
Ronaldsay Lighthouse Trust, or the Tomb of the Eagles in South Ronaldsay, there is something which
will interest almost anyone.
The visitor centres are owned and maintained by a wide variety of organisations and private
individuals, ranging from Historic Scotland and Orkney Heritage to family groups. Considerable
investment and care has gone into the development of interpretive facilities at many sites, and staff
are chosen for their enthusiasm and communication skills.
A jewel amongst this very prestigious collection is the Italian Chapel, which many visitors find an
extremely moving experience. Built by Italian prisoners-of-war between 1939-45, from two simple
Nissen huts, concrete and a collection of scrap items, the Chapel is an exquisite example of trompeoeuil painting, and masterful craftsmanship.
Its creators and their families have maintained their links to the Isles over many years, and Orkney is
proud of this testament to faith in times of great strife.
Historic Scotland is responsible for Orkney's Neolithic Heartland, and most of the acient
archaeological remains throughout the Isles, while Orkney Heritage looks after a number of important
museums and historic town and rural buildings, including the Orkney Museum and Scapa Flow Visitor
Centre & Museum.
Rock climbing in Orkney is not for the faint-hearted or inexperienced climber. Routes consists mainly
of coastal sandstone rock stack and cliff routes, on crumbling or weed-covered stone.
Orkney is, however, virgin territory for rock-climbing with great potential for new routes, can provide
good sport in a glorious environment, with much to do and see in non-climbing time.
Check out the definitive guide at www.orkney-seastacks.co.uk for comprehensive and accurate
information on climbs and conditions. You can also visit the Scottish Mountineering Club at
www.smc.org.uk one of Scotlands oldest private clubs, founded in 1889.