Orkney Travel Guide: Planning Your Trip
Orkney sits off the north coast of Scotland, an archipelago of some seventy islands, about twenty of them inhabited. It is closer to the Norwegian coast, geographically and historically, than to Edinburgh. I have made the trip several times and this guide collects everything I had to learn the hard way, so you do not have to.
Getting There: Ferry or Flight
The main ferry is the NorthLink route from Scrabster to Stromness, or between Aberdeen and Kirkwall. The Scrabster crossing is my usual one because it is shorter and the approach past Hoy is spectacular. Sailing takes around ninety minutes. Book the ferry ahead in summer without question, and if you take a vehicle, the spaces go first. You can also fly from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Inverness to Kirkwall, which is worth it when the North Sea is being stubborn. I have done both and would not bother with the plane for a mainland local, but it saves real time if you are short on it.
Getting Around the Islands
Bring a car. That is my first piece of advice, given without apology. The mainland and the linked southern islands are connected by the Churchill Barriers, and a car lets you be spontaneous with the weather, chasing the dry patches and the light. The public buses work, especially between Kirkwall and Stromness, but they do not match the freedom a hired car gives you. The outer islands like Hoy, Rousay, and Westray need their own short ferries, which are affordable and frequent enough for day trips. Plan those around the sailing times, because they are the ones that catch people out.
Where to Base Yourself
Kirkwall is the largest town and the practical hub, with the cathedral, the distillery, and the widest range of places to sleep and eat. Stromness, on the other side, is the prettier and more atmospheric base, a single lane of grey stone buildings hugging the harbour where the ferry comes in. I have stayed in both. For a first trip I lean Stromness for charm and Kirkwall for convenience, and if you can split your nights between the two, even better.
Eating and Drinking
Orkney punches far above its weight for food. The oysters and seafood are a constant, and the beef, raised on island grass, is genuinely excellent. Try the famous Orkney ice cream, the fudge, and the cheese. For a proper meal, the restaurants in Kirkwall and Stromness serve local produce with real care. For whisky, Scapa distillery on the mainland is the one to visit, with a mellow honeyed single malt whose character you will not forget.
What to Pack
I cannot repeat this enough. The wind is always present and it carries rain. Bring a waterproof jacket that actually works, warm layers you can stack, sturdy shoes for the cliff paths and the stone sites, and a windproof something for your head. Sunscreen is not a joke either, the summer light up here is strong even when the air is cold. And pack light enough that the lack of pavements does not frustrate you, because you will be walking on grass, sand, and stone.
The Pace You Should Travel At
Orkney rewards slow travel. You could rush the mainland’s headline sites in a single day, but I hope you do not. Give yourself three or four days. Spend one on the prehistoric heartland, one on Hoy’s cliffs and the Old Man of Hoy, one on the southern islands and the Italian Chapel, and leave the fourth unplanned. That loose day, chasing light and empty beaches and quiet sea stacks, is often the one you remember most.
