Visit Orkney, Scotland

With wild pristine bays, towering cliffs and atmospheric neolithic remains, Orkney is an enticing and remote archipelago of 70 islands sitting 15 km (9 miles) off the northeastern coast of Scotland. Strikingly preserved Celtic and Norse archaeological sites pepper the landscape while, sitting alongside them, are significant 20th-century wartime remains. For naturalists, Orkney’s nutrient-rich waters provide important feeding grounds for marine life and seabirds, giving prime opportunities to study the plethora of species that visit these islands each year. You’ll find yourself peered at by puffins, seals and otters with plenty of opportunities to head onto the water for a closer look.

While feeling otherworldly, Orkney is surprisingly easy to get to via a one-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from the north-coast mainland, or a one-hour flight from Edinburgh. Most visitors start their trip on Mainland Orkney, basing themselves in one of the island’s two main towns, Kirkwall or Stromness.

The profound sense of history in the ancient settlements on these islands is echoed in the openness of today’s Orcadian community spirit. You’ll see this in the abundance of honesty boxes dotted alongside produce stalls across the islands.

Things to see & do in Orkney

Prehistoric sites

There are numerous archaeological sites scattered across Orkney, four of these make up the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spanning two locations on the Mainland, it includes four sites. Skara Brae is a 5,000-year-old neolithic settlement of stone houses. The Standing Stones of Stenness are reputed to be the oldest stone circle in the UK. The Ring of Brodgar claims one of the island’s most popular sunset snapshot sites. And, Maeshowe is a chambered tomb that demonstrates the engineering prowess of neolithic builders.

Norse influence

Orkney was part of the Norse Kingdom from the early 8th century until the late 15th century, and this rich Viking history is evident across the islands. Place names reflect the Norse language and many families here trace their genealogy back to Norse rather than Celtic roots.

The cathedral of Saint Magnus in Orkney’s Norse capital, Kirkwall, is Britain’s most northerly cathedral and holds the bones of Magnus Erlendsson, the Viking Earl of Orkney murdered in the 12th century. It’s a hub of Norse influence in a striking Romanesque building.

World War history

The islands played pivotal roles in both world wars, and you’ll find the scattered remains of concrete bunkers, searchlight stations, and gun emplacements across them to this day. The inlet of Scapa Flow was used by the Royal Navy during both World Wars, and the German High Seas Fleet was also interned here after the 1918 Armistice.

During World War II, Sir Winston Churchill ordered Italian prisoners of war to build causeways to block four entrances to Scapa Flow. The Churchill Barriers are still in situ today, as is the Italian Chapel, built simultaneously by inspiringly transforming two Nissen huts in Lamb Holm camp.

Wildlife

Marine life is plentiful here due to the meeting of three nutrient-rich bodies of water — the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, and the Pentland Firth. You can take boat trips out to see the annual breeding colonies of seabirds such as gannets and kittiwakes. Look out for puffins’ burrows along the clifftops and golden eagles off the island of Hoy.

Other plentiful sea life includes the resident seals and otters, whose playful antics you can see from the land and by boat, and marine superstars like the orca. Some pods are visible from the shoreline, alongside whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

Artisanal crafts

Orkney is a hub of artistic creativity, exemplified by the number of prestigious design and production studios on the island. Shelia Fleet is one such designer, who uses the natural beauty of her home as a source of inspiration for the designs she creates in platinum, gold, and silver. You’ll find Sheila Fleet Jewellery and the artisanal crafts of many other local designers in Kirkwall, the ancient capital city of Orkney.

Best time to visit Orkney

To experience Orkney at its best, we suggest visiting in the summer months (May–September), when the weather can be good, albeit never guaranteed, and the grass meadows burst into a vibrant splash of wildflowers. If you want to see the puffins peering out of their clifftop burrows, the breeding season runs from April until August.