Holiday apartment in the Orkney Islands – UNESCO heritage and island trails

The Orkney Islands lead to an exceptional ensemble of Neolithic monuments, medieval architecture, island trails and Atlantic coastlines. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Heart of Neolithic Orkney includes the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness, Maeshowe and Skara Brae. All four monuments are open to visitors.

Culture

Maeshowe is a megalithic chambered tomb. Its passage is aligned almost precisely towards the sunset at the winter solstice. The Ring of Brodgar forms a 130-metre stone circle surrounded by a ditch cut into the rock. The Stones of Stenness include surviving stones up to 6 metres high. The individual sites differ in form and function.

In Kirkwall, St Magnus Cathedral shapes the cultural landscape. It was founded in 1137 and completed after around 300 years. At the same time, it is the only fully intact medieval cathedral in Scotland. In addition to serving as a place of worship, it is used for concerts, lectures, art exhibitions and national commemorative events.

Also in Kirkwall, the Orkney Museum covers Orkney’s history from the Stone Age through the Picts and Vikings to the present day. The museum has a collection of international significance; its archaeological collection is considered to be of national significance. The Italian Chapel offers a different historical perspective: it was created from two Nissen huts, which Domenico Chiocchetti and his Italian comrades, prisoners of war from North Africa, transformed into a chapel on Lamb Holm. The Italian Chapel is a visitor attraction for which an explanatory brochure is available in English, Italian and German.

History

The Broch of Gurness is an Iron Age settlement with a small village surrounding a central broch tower. The Earl’s Palace in Birsay is a 16th-century courtyard palace built by Earl Robert Stewart. Skaill House displays, among other things, Captain Cook’s dinner service, Neolithic and Iron Age finds, paintings by Stanley Cursiter, and objects collected by the twelve Lairds of Skaill.

The fully restored Click Mill is also one of the archipelago’s historic sites. It is an early 19th-century watermill and the last of its kind on Orkney. Visitors can enter the mill and see the original waterwheel, millstones, protective cover, hopper and flour container.

Nature and coast

There are 13 RSPB nature reserves on Orkney. Yesnaby lies on the west coast of Orkney Mainland; it offers sea views, a cliff landscape, wildflowers including Primula scotica and opportunities for seabird watching. A small car park is the starting point for a coastal path that runs along cliffs and rocky coves.

The Westray West Coast Walk passes the dramatic Atlantic-facing cliffs of Westray, rock formations shaped by the sea and seabird colonies. The coastal landscape brings together several clearly defined elements: the open Atlantic, shaped rock and the birds’ habitats.

Trails and islands

The St Magnus Way is a 58-mile long-distance trail across Orkney Mainland and the island of Egilsay. It is based on the traditional story of Saint Magnus, the patron saint of Orkney. The Orkney archipelago comprises 70 islands, 20 of which are inhabited. The historic Churchill Barriers enable island-hopping by car to Lamb Holm, Glimps Holm, Burray and South Ronaldsay.

For transporting vehicles, Orkney Ferries advises booking them before travelling, as the transport of unbooked vehicles cannot be guaranteed. A particular time restriction applies at the Brough of Birsay: the tidal island can be reached via a concrete causeway only for about two hours before and after low tide.

The islands’ history continues underwater. Diving in Scapa Flow allows visitors to explore seven remaining wrecks of the German High Seas Fleet, which were sunk by their crews in 1919. These wrecks should only be explored by qualified divers.

Flavours and regional discoveries

The Taste of Orkney Food & Drink Trail enables visitors to see how some products are made and sample them before buying. The combination of production sites, tastings and shopping remains limited to the products described on the trail.

More places

Further location pages lead to Burray Village, Tingwall, Orphir, Hackness, Kirkwall, Orkney, Westray, Stromness and Finstown.

For the higher-level travel overview: Scotland.