Orkney Islands Attractions
The Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland are separated from the mainland by the Pentland Firth. The distance from John O'Groats at the northeastern tip of the Scottish mainland to the most southerly point on the island of South Ronaldsay is 6.5mi/10.4km.
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Maes Howe Chambered Cairn
The Stone Age Chamber at Maes Howe offers visitors an insight into Orkney's prehistoric past. The site is extremely well preserved.
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Skara Brae Prehistoric Village
The Skara Brae Prehistoric Village serves as an open-air museum and a popular tourist attraction. Displaying well preserved houses and remnants of Stone Age furnishings, the Village is an interesting site.
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Knap of Howar
Knap of Howar, on the island of Papa Westray, is known for two old stone houses, which are said to be about 5,000 years old and among the oldest in Europe.
Quoyness Cairn
The sandy grassland and dunes on Sanday make excellent breeding grounds for sea birds, while Otters Wick Bay is noted for its seal colony. There are some fine bathing beaches on the island and amateur archaeologists ought not to miss the burial chamber at Quoyness which dates from 2900 B.C.
Historic Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
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Ring of Brodgar
Twenty-seven of the original sixty standing stones form the Ring of Brodgar, which is thought to be 5,000 years old.
Unstan Cairn
Unstan Cairn is situated on a peninsula on the south side of Loch Stenness. It is a burial chamber about 23ft/7m in total length although it is divided into smaller sections. When the grave was excavated in 1884, archaeologists unearthed the largest piece of Stone Age pottery ever found in Scotland. It is now on display in the National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh.
Historic Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Broch of Gurness
A side road leads from Evie Village to Gurness Broch. The tower served as a dwelling and as a fortification for the Picts in the first half of the first century B.C. but continued to be used by Vikings until the ninth century A.D. as the remains of Norse longhouses in the vicinity prove. These windowless brochs built from layers of stone had a cylindrical interior and an external wall tapering upwards. Galleries ran between the two and steps provided access to the upper floors.
Historic Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Hours
April 1 to October 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 9:30 | 9:30 | 9:30 | 9:30 | 9:30 | 9:30 | 9:30 |
| Close | 17:30 | 17:30 | 17:30 | 17:30 | 17:30 | 17:30 | 17:30 |
Brough of Birsay
The island of Birsay on the northwest coast of Mainland (accessible on foot at low tide) was an important Viking settlement and as a former island capital it was the first place to have a church. Ruined buildings here include the typical Viking longhouses and an 11-13th century church, while in the village of Birsay the remains of a 16th century episcopal palace can still be seen.
Day Trips
Between May and September Day trips to the Orkney Islands leave from the harbor at John O'Groats.
Ferries
Car ferries operate between Scrabster and Stromness (Mainland) and also between Aberdeen and Stromness. Passenger ferries cross in the summer from John o'Groats to Burwick (South Ronaldsay).
Scrabster Ferry Terminal
Queen Elizabeth Pier
Caithness KW14 7UT
Scotland
Queen Elizabeth Pier
Caithness KW14 7UT
Scotland
Ferries
Aberdeen-Stromness (Orkney), 1/2 weekly, 8h (14h overnight), P & O Scottish Ferries
Scrabster-Stromness (Orkney), 1/3 weekdays, 50m, P & O Scottish Ferries
John O'Groat's-Burwick (Orkney), 2/4 daily, 45m, passengers only, Thomas & Bews
Stromness (Orkney)-Lerwick (Shetland), 1/2 weekly, 8h, P & O Scottish Ferries.
Midhowe Cairn
The 82ft/25m-long burial chamber at Midhowe Cairn is a huge "ship of the dead" stranded in the dunes.
Historic Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Orkney - Ring of Brodgar
The Ring of Brodgar is an example of the stone monuments that were erected on the island by early settlers. It is a prehistoric circle of 36 stones surrounded by a deep ditch cut into solid bedrock.
Orkney Inter Island Ferries
An inter-island ferry service operates on a regular basis and there is also a ferry to Lerwick (Shetlands).
Rennibister Earth House
Rennibister Earth House, nearly 5mi/8km to the northwest of Kirkwall, dates from the Iron Age.
Historic Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Shetland - Scalloway Castle
Scalloway Castle was built in 1600. It is a castellated mansion built by Patric Stewart, Earl of Orkney who is notorious for his cruelty.
Historic Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Longmore House
Salisbury Place
Jedburgh TD8 6JQ
Scotland
Westray Noltland Castle
The crossing from Kirkwall to Westray will take about one and a half hours. Dominating the harbor at Pierowall is the ruined Noltland Castle. Its massive walls are pierced with 60 embrasures. Gilbert Balfour ordered the construction of this Z-shaped castle in 1560, but it was destroyed by Covenanters in 1650.