Stromness

Stromness combines a sheltered harbour with old stone houses, cobbled streets, lanes, piers and slipways. There are also museums, historic traces, a distinctive art venue and experiences on the water. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment or holiday cottage in Stromness can therefore tailor their stay to their own interests: culture can be combined with walks, while the cycle route, diving trip, beach wildlife watching and ferry trip offer different ways to plan each day.

Art, museum and living local history

The Pier Arts Centre is a good starting point for a day of culture. Admission is free; throughout the year, it is open from 10:30 to 17:00 from Tuesday to Saturday. The centre houses a permanent collection and also presents exhibitions and events throughout the year. This means you can plan your visit whether you want to view art specifically or incorporate a cultural focus into your trip.

The Stromness Museum was founded in 1837 and adds to this insight into the town’s history. Login’s Well also recalls the maritime past in the townscape: for more than 200 years, the spring supplied ships of the Hudson’s Bay Company with their last water supplies. Stromness was the final port of call for these ships. If you are travelling in July, you can also make a note of Stromness Shopping Week, a one-week festival held every year in the third week of July.

Harbour, paths and special discoveries

The layout of Stromness invites you to get to know the town step by step. The walk from Pierhead to Point of Ness at the southern end of the street takes about half an hour. This approximate time helps with planning your day without requiring you to set the walk to a specific duration. Another historic stop is Ness Battery: on a tour, visitors enter a gun emplacement; the tour ends in the mess hall with a painted mural.

For active days, the Burwick–Kirkwall–Stromness route is also part of the North Sea Cycle Route. Those who want to travel by bicycle can therefore regard Stromness as one section of a longer route. On the water, the M.V. Invincible takes divers from Stromness Harbour to the wrecks in Scapa Flow. This service particularly appeals to travellers who want to combine their time in Orkney with a documented diving experience.

Warebeth and the ferry trip past the Old Man of Hoy

In the vicinity of Stromness, Warebeth beach offers views of the Hoy Hills. Among other things, oystercatchers, ringed plovers, eider ducks and seals can be observed there. The beach adds a nature-watching experience to the town’s historic and cultural character, with the landscape and its wildlife taking centre stage rather than a fixed programme.

The ferry trip from Stromness offers a different perspective. It lasts 90 minutes and passes the distinctive Old Man of Hoy. Together with the view of the harbour and the paths through the town, this creates a choice of different ways to spend the day: you can focus on museums and art, plan a walk, begin a cycling stage or experience Stromness from the water.

Which accommodation suits your travel plans?

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday cottage in Stromness, it is worth first deciding which experiences you want. For a culture-focused stay, the Pier Arts Centre, Stromness Museum, Login’s Well and Ness Battery are obvious planning anchors. Those who prefer nature and activity can consider Warebeth, the path to Point of Ness or the North Sea Cycle Route. Bus route X1 connects Stromness with Kirkwall and St Margaret’s Hope and is therefore an important part of the public transport connection between these places. Accommodation in Stromness is particularly suited to travel plans that include the town itself and several of these different experiences.

More destinations to choose from

For further travel planning, you can also explore Burray Village, Kirkwall, Orphir, Orkney, Tingwall, Westray, Finstown and Hackness.

For the higher-level travel overview: Orkney Islands.