WHAT TO SEE AND DO ON ORKNEY MAINLAND
An archipelago located off the north-eastern tip of Scotland, the Orkney Islands have a fascinating array of natural and historical attractions to discover. Inland, these isles are characterised by villages and undulating farmland, while at the edges, wave battered cliffs and windswept sandy beaches give testament to the unrelenting power of nature. From a historical perspective, a past stretching back 5000 years waits to be explored through Neolithic, Pictish, and Viking sites that are scattered across the islands. This blend of nature and history gives Orkney a broad appeal for all kinds of visitors.
Orkney is made up of some 70 islands, around 20 of which are inhabited. In this guide we focus on what to see and do on Orkney Mainland, as well as the nearby islands connected by road. We cover various highlights, from Neolithic and wartime historical sites to scenic coastal walks and the best beaches. Ideally, you should allow three days to visit everywhere outlined, with two days in the west and one in the east. Finally, all of our practical Orkney travel tips come at the end of the guide. These include where to stay, how to get around, and how to get to the islands.
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WHAT TO SEE AND DO ON ORKNEY MAINLAND
Mainland Orkney is home to four monuments that make up the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the ‘Heart of Neolithic Orkney’. These monuments – Skara Brae, Maeshowe Chambered Cairn, the Stones of Stenness, and the Ring of Brodgar – give an insight into the domestic, ceremonial, and burial practices of a 5000 year old culture. UNESCO considers them among the most important Neolithic sites in Western Europe, and visiting each is a must. They are situated close to each other in western Mainland.
Skara Brae is a Neolithic settlement of eight stone houses which was inhabited from 3180 – 2500 BC. Situated on a hillside above the windswept sandy curve of the Bay of Skaill, the site was buried for thousands of years before being uncovered by a storm in 1850.
All but one of the houses are sunk into the ground, dug into prehistoric middens which provided insulation from the elements. These days you can peer into most of them from above, but originally they would have been covered by roofs. Narrow, low stone passageways run between the houses, with offshoots acting as the entrance to each home’s central room. Stone beds, chairs, storage boxes, dressers, and other items of furniture were discovered inside. Each house has a stone hearth in the middle of the room, where the fire would have provided light, warmth, and somewhere to cook.
The houses are in remarkable condition, and it’s not difficult to picture what life in one of these homes would have been like 5000 years ago. But if you need a helping hand, there is an excellent reconstruction between the visitor centre and Skara Brae which really brings it to life.
MAESHOWE CHAMBERED CAIRN
Chambered burial cairns can be found all over Orkney, but none are as impressive or large as Maeshowe. From the outside it appears a grassy mound surrounded by a circular ditch. Inside is a large main chamber and three side chambers, connected to the outside by an 11 metre passageway. During the Winter Solstice, the last rays of the setting sun shine through this passageway and illuminate the back wall of the main chamber. This alignment is quite incredible.
Maeshowe is also known for its Viking runes, one of the largest collections of runes in Europe. Vikings broke into the cairn about 1000 years ago, carving enlightening graffiti such as ‘Tryggr carved these runes’ and ‘Ingigerth is the most beautiful of all women’. You can read more of the translations on the Orkneyjar website.
RING OF BRODGAR
The Ring of Brodgar is a huge stone circle likely dating from 2500-2000 BC. Its purpose is unclear, but it’s thought to have been an important ceremonial site, a place where rituals were performed.
It sits on the Ness of Brodgar, a scenic strip of land between two lochs. The megaliths are smaller than those just down the road at Stenness, but more numerous. Today, 27 of the original 60 remain, forming a circle over 100 metres in diameter. It’s one of Orkney’s most iconic sites and the largest stone circle in Scotland.
STANDING STONES OF STENNESS
Less than 2 km from the Ring of Brodgar stand the giant megaliths of Stenness. This is likely the oldest stone circle in Britain, dating from at least 3100 BC. Today just four remain, but standing up to 6 metres tall, their height is impressive. Originally, there would have been twelve stones surrounded by a circular ditch, with a large hearth placed in the centre.
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BEST ORKNEY COASTAL WALKS
Orkney Mainland’s dramatic coastline is pretty special, a place of towering cliffs, jagged geos, and distinctive sea stacks. Taking in the views and salty sea air on an often wild and windy coastal walk is one of the best things to do in Orkney – the perfect antidote to a bit of ‘history fatigue’. Three particularly scenic spots can be found at Yesnaby, the Brough of Birsay, and Deerness.
YESNABY COASTAL WALK
A little south of Skara Brae and the Bay of Skaill in Western Mainland lies the Yesnaby coastline. This stunning stretch of cliffs is home to one of Orkney’s most impressive sea stacks, Yesnaby Castle. From the carpark walk south along the coast and you’ll come to a viewpoint of the arched sea stack after around 1.5 km.
It’s possible to carry on south, even all the way to Stromness if you feel like it, but the hour or so walk to the sea stack and back is satisfying enough for many. As with any coastal walk, be careful with your footing around here and don’t get too close to the edge. Deaths from falling off the cliffs here are sadly too common.
BROUGH OF BIRSAY, SKIBA GEO AND THE WHALE BONE
The Brough of Birsay is a tidal island, only accessible for a couple of hours before and after low tide. A man made concrete causeway is revealed as the water retreats, allowing you to walk across to the island from the sandy beach on Orkney Mainland. Upon reaching the brough, you first encounter the remains of a Pictish settlement looked after by Historic Environment Scotland.
Be sure to continue walking around or across the middle of the island to the opposite side. Here you’ll find a picturesque Stevenson Lighthouse, sitting atop impressive cliffs with huge slabs of rock sloping into the sea below. In summer, the cliffs here a great spot for puffin watching.
Back on the mainland, it’s well worth walking east around the coast for a short while. The trail passes fishermen’s huts and Skiba Geo, before reaching The Whale Bone. This monument is made from the remains of a whale which washed up on the beach below around 150 years ago. Its decaying form is covered in bright orange yellow lichen and resembles a huge bird in flight at first glance. The views back towards the Brough of Birsay show an interesting perspective, with the wedge shape of the island and its tall western cliffs more noticeable than when looking at it straight on.
THE GLOUP AND BROUGH OF DEERNESS
On the opposite side of Mainland is our favourite of these Orkney coastal walks. The Gloup is a collapsed sea cave, with a land bridge separating it from the sea itself. You can walk around it, peering down into the 80 foot chasm where the sea crashes in through a blowhole, and a small waterfall spills over the edge.
Continuing north along the coast leads to the spectacular Brough of Deerness. The brough juts out into the sea, connected to the clifftops by a narrow sliver of land. To get to it, follow the path down to the rocky bay and curve around to the narrow stone staircase carved into the cliffside. Metal chains are fixed to the rock to help you climb up the somewhat precarious steps. To the right is a sheltered geo, encircled by dramatic cliffs with a narrow opening out to sea.
After climbing the steps you’ll emerge onto the Brough of Deerness, where you can explore an 11th century Norse chapel and various older remains. It’s also a peaceful spot to watch the birdlife and admire Orkney’s incredible coastline.
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The Orkney Isles played a significant role in both World Wars. Scapa Flow, a great natural harbour sheltered by a number of islands including Mainland and Hoy, was the UK’s chief naval base during both wars, and many thousands of service men and women were stationed in Orkney during WWII. Scapa Flow is also where the German High Seas Fleet was interned after the Armistice in 1918. In 1919, fearful that the ships would be turned over to the British, the German admiral in command decided to scuttle the fleet. Most of these ships have been salvaged over the years, but of the 52 that sank, 7 still remain on the seabed and are now popular dive spots.
Above water, wartime remnants are visible across the Orkney Islands to this day. Two of the most notable places to visit are the Churchill Barriers and the Italian Chapel.
To protect the British Grand Fleet during WWI, obstacles were put in place in the many entrance channels to Scapa Flow. These included mines, block ships (old ships sunk in shallow sounds), and submarine booms and nets. By the outbreak of WWII, these naval defences had fallen into disrepair, and six weeks into the war, a German U-boat slipped into Scapa Flow and sank the HMS Royal Oak, with the loss of 833 lives.
This prompted the construction of more permanent defences to block the eastern access to Scapa Flow, causeways linking the islands of South Ronaldsay, Burray, and Orkney Mainland. Ordered by then First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, these causeways became known as the Churchill Barriers. They remain in use to this day and provide vital road links between the islands.
There are four Churchill Barriers linking Mainland, Lamb Holm, Glimps Holm, Burray, and South Ronaldsay. Churchill Barrier Number 3 at East Weddell Sound is perhaps the most interesting and scenic spot, with sandy beaches at either end, and the rusting hull of a sunken block ship rising from the water. The shallow wrecks around here are often used for introductory or training dives, as they are more accessible and less technical than the High Seas Fleet wrecks deep in Scapa Flow. Also of interest is the nice beach on the eastern side of Barrier Number 4. It is separated from the causeway by grassy dunes and features a very fine wood carved Viking statue.
THE ITALIAN CHAPEL
A lot of manpower was required to build the Churchill Barriers, so in order to fulfill this role, the decision was made to transport 550 Italian POWs captured in North Africa. Camps were established on the small island of Burray and even smaller Lamb Holm. At first the men objected to the work, which they considered ‘war work’, but they were soon convinced of the causeways’ long term positive impact on the local community and set to it. The barriers took four years to build, were completed in May 1945, and do indeed serve a valuable purpose to this day.
The Churchill Barriers however, weren’t the only construction project the Italian prisoners-of-war worked on during their time in Orkney. Some of those from Camp 60 on Lamb Holm set about transforming two Nissen Huts (commonly used for barracks) into a chapel. They used leftover concrete from the barriers to build a facade, and collected scraps and recycled materials to construct the rest. Inside, skilled artist Domenico Chiocchetti transformed the huts into an ornate work of art, complete with hand painted ‘bricks’, and a painting of the Madonna and Child above the altar. He based this painting on a small prayer card that his mother had given to him when he left for war.
The Italian Chapel is celebrated for its historical importance and operates as a place of worship to this day. Restoration work has been carried out over the years, and a friendship has formed with Chiocchetti’s hometown of Moena in Italy. Alongside the Churchill Barriers, the Italian Chapel is one of the most prominent reminders of Orkney’s wartime history.
THE BEST ORKNEY MAINLAND BEACHES
With nearly 600 miles of coastline, it’s safe to say that Orkney has some beautiful stretches of sand. While our absolute favourites are found on the aptly named island of Sanday, there are plenty of great beaches on Orkney Mainland, too. A windswept walk along the shore is a perfect addition to any Orkney itinerary, offering an alternative perspective to that of a cliff top coastal walk, and giving you a chance to mull over all that history you’ve been devouring.
Dingieshowe is a lovely double crescent beach tucked in beneath tall grassy dunes. It forms part of a narrow isthmus separating Deerness and the rest of Mainland. It’s the perfect place for a stroll before or after visiting The Gloup and Brough of Deerness.
This huge expanse of beach is best appreciated at low tide, when its golden sand stretches far into the bay. It’s one of Orkney’s biggest beaches, bordered by low hills and backed by a salt marsh. It’s prime birdwatching territory too, part of the Hobbister RSPB Reserve. The beach’s name comes from the process of waulking woven cloth. The soaking, beating and sun bleaching of cloth once took place here on a large scale.
BAY OF SKAILL
This long, curved bay faces the Atlantic Ocean and is the perfect place for a walk before or after a visit to Skara Brae.
SANDS OF EVIE
This narrow stretch of sand backed by green plant life and farming land is a peaceful little spot on the north coast of the mainland, near Evie village. The shallow turquoise bay looks across to the uninhabited island of Eynhallow and larger Rousay. Nearby is the historic Broch of Gurness.
WHERE TO STAY IN ORKNEY
Orkney has accommodation options to suit all budgets. These options include hotels, B&Bs, airbnbs, hostels, and glamping and camping sites. Where you chose to stay may depend on your sightseeing plans, mode of transport, or budget. Below are a few recommended locations, plus our top picks for accommodation, glamping and camping.
The characterful harbour town of Stromness is a great option for accommodation in Orkney. It’s very conveniently located for exploring the West Mainland, where many of the best things to see and do in Orkney are found.
There are also shops, bars, and restaurants on your doorstep. What’s more, the NorthLink Ferries car ferry from Scrabster arrives here. We highly recommend a stroll around town, even if you don’t plan on staying here!