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Northern Isles · Region

Orkney

Five thousand years of building in stone.

Low green islands just off the north coast, with more Neolithic sites than anywhere in northern Europe and a red sandstone cathedral in Kirkwall built by Norse earls.

Plan this region Routes through it
Standing stones of the Ring of Brodgar in Orkney silhouetted against a red evening sky
Ring of Brodgar, Orkney

Orkney

The Neolithic, up close.

The Heart of Neolithic Orkney is a World Heritage Site: the village of Skara Brae, the stone circles at Brodgar and Stenness, and the chambered tomb of Maeshowe, which the midwinter sun lights from insideverify. Between Brodgar and Stenness lies the Ness of Brodgar, excavated until 2024 and now backfilledverify.

We arrange the days with an archaeologist, who can explain what you are looking at and what it means.

The rest of Orkney is farmland, cliffs and small islands: Hoy with its Old Man, Rousay with its tombs, Westray with its puffins.

Common questions

Orkney, answered.

Read the full guide ↓

Can we see the Ness of Brodgar dig?

Not any more. The excavation closed and the site was covered over. An archaeologist can still tell you what was found.

Is Orkney windy?

Yes. There are few trees for a reason. Pack for it.

Routes

Routes through Orkney.

All routes
Standing stones of the Ring of Brodgar in Orkney silhouetted against a red evening sky
Ring of Brodgar, Orkney

10–12 nights · Sleeper · Orkney · Shetland

Sleeper to the Northern Isles

One sleeper · Three NorthLink crossings · No flights

  • The Caledonian Sleeper from Euston to Inverness
  • The north coast to Scrabster and the ferry past the Old Man of Hoy
  • Four nights on Orkney with an archaeologist
  • Shetland in the simmer dim, then the overnight boat to Aberdeen

Suggested10–12 nightsTailored to your dates · no package price

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Experiences

Private days in Orkney.

All experiences

Where to stay

Stays in Orkney.

Placeholders: the kind of place we would suggest, until our specialists confirm the houses and hotels we use.

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Illustration

Guest house

[PLACEHOLDER] A farmhouse in the west Mainland

Between Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar.

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Illustration

Hotel

[PLACEHOLDER] A hotel in Kirkwall

By St Magnus Cathedral.

Daylight by month, LerwickJAN 6 h 41 min, FEB 9 h 10 min, MAR 11 h 44 min, APR 14 h 34 min, MAY 17 h 11 min, JUN 18 h 52 min, JUL 18 h 07 min, AUG 15 h 42 min, SEP 12 h 55 min, OCT 10 h 13 min, NOV 7 h 32 min, DEC 5 h 53 minJANFEBMARAPRMAYJUNJULAUGSEPOCTNOVDECLongest day18 h 52 minLerwick

Best time to visit

The Orkney year.

May to September. Midsummer evenings are long here. Daylight shown for Lerwick, the nearest Light calendar station; the best months are in bold.

  • Puffins and seabirdsMay · Jun · JulShetland, Orkney, the Treshnish Islesverify
  • MidgesJun · Jul · AugWorst on still evenings on the west coastverify
  • Aurora likely on clear dark nightsJan · Feb · Mar · Oct · Nov · DecShetland, Orkney, Lewis, north-facing coastsverify

Month by month on the Light calendar

Orkney

Your guide to Orkney.

Maeshowe

Entry to Maeshowe is by timed guided tour, booked aheadverify. We book it before anything else.

The outer isles

Inter-island ferries and small planes reach Westray, Papa Westray, Rousay and the rest. A day on one changes the pace.

Getting there

Scrabster Stromness, Orkney NorthLink
Gills Bay St Margaret’s Hope, Orkney Pentland Ferries
Aberdeen Kirkwall, Orkney NorthLink

Kirkwall has flights from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness. The Scrabster crossing passes the Old Man of Hoy. Routes and operatorsverify pending a specialist check.

Photographs

Orkney, in pictures.

Two tall standing stones on Orkney farmland with water beyond
Orkney
A white lighthouse on green clifftops in Orkney above a blue Atlantic swell
Orkney
Red sandstone buildings and the old kirkyard in Kirkwall, Orkney
Kirkwall, Orkney

Speak to a specialist

Plan your trip to Orkney.

Tell us when, who’s coming, and what you’re hoping for. One person plans it and looks after you.

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