Things To Do in Orkney

Orkney is an archipelago of over 70 islands but only 20 of those are inhabited. Of a total population of 21,000, the majority live on the Orkney Mainland, and some islands only have 3 or 4 inhabitants. There are so many islands to explore so here are a couple we often visit on our Orkney Isles walking trips for starters:

• On Rousay, we love the fascinating shoreline walk, which is packed with history. Enjoy exploring remnants of the Iron Age, medieval and Viking settlements, and a 4,000-year-old cairn.
• Hoy is home to the gob-smacking Old Man of Hoy. The 450 ft sea stack was created through erosion – battered by Orkney’s windy weather – and stands dramatically apart from an incredibly high cliff face and is a great place to spot Puffins.

On Orkney, you’ll literally stumble across thousands of years of history. Neolithic, Pictish, Viking – discover Orkney’s varied past and marvel at the neolithic wonders that are thousands of years old.

• Discoveries at the Ness of Brodgar have given historians food for thought about life 5,000 years ago, and some archaeologists call the findings here more significant than Stonehenge in England. In fact, the Ring of Brodgar, Orkney’s standing stones, was built centuries before Stonehenge, around 3,200 BC.
• Visit UNESCO World Heritage site Skara Brae, a stone-age village that was first discovered after a great storm in 1850, and the magnificent Maeshowe burial chamber. 

The Orkney Islands have played a prominent role in both world wars. From scuttled ships at the bottom of Scapa Flow to the concrete bunkers overlooking the sea where the scars of war are still visible.

• The Churchill Barriers, originally built as naval defences to stop enemy ships and submarines during World War Two, are so named for Britain’s wartime Prime Minister. These four causeways now connect some of Orkney’s islands by road.
• The Italian Chapel or the La Bella Cappella Italiana was built by Italian prisoners of war. The POWs, captured in North Africa, were shipped to Orkney in 1942 to build the Churchill Barriers. The prisoners were given two old Nissen huts − half-cylindrical buildings skinned in corrugated iron − as a place of worship. Through sheer determination and imagination, they transformed these shabby huts into a beautifully ornate chapel.

These days, Scotland’s drinks industry extends far beyond uisge beatha, or water of life, as whisky is also known. The art of small-batch gin is exploding in Scotland thanks to the variety and abundance of local botanicals and experience in distilling. And there are a whole host of craft brewers, too.

• If you want to stay close to Orkney’s historic past, whisky is the tipple for you. Visit Scapa Distillery, one of the last manually operated distilleries, and try their distinctively smooth single malt.
• If you prefer a gin then try Orkney Gin’s seasonal offerings and taste the earthy essence of the islands. The botanicals they use, along with their artisanal method of blending, means no two batches are exactly the same.
• If you’d rather stick to beer, head to the Orkney Brewery for a whole host of traditional craft ales. And the secret ingredient? Well, that would be pure Orcadian water.

You’d be forgiven for thinking art wouldn’t be up to much in such a far-flung location, but the islands are positively brimming with thriving creative communities.

• Opened in 1979 the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness can keep up with galleries in London.
• St Magnus International Festival is a mid-summer celebration of the arts brings in world-class performance and community together.