18 Outdoors - Other to Explore in Orkney

Checkout places to visit in Orkney

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Orkney, also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles north of the coast of Caithness and has about 70 islands, of which 20 are inhabited. The largest island, Mainland, is often referred to as "the Mainland", and has an area of 523 square kilometres, making it the sixth-largest Scottish island and the tenth-largest island in the British Isles. Orkney’s largest settlement, and

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Outdoors - Other to Explore in Orkney

Blackhammer Chambered Cairn

Blackhammer Chambered Cairn is a Neolithic cairn on Rousay, in Orkney, Scotland. It is a scheduled monument in the care of Historic Environment Scotland.It is thought to date from around 3000 BC. The structure is a typical stalled cairn, with an interior divided into seven compartments by pairs of upright stone slabs. The cairn has a modern roof, as the cairn originally was only a few feet high. Access is by a hatchway and ladder in the roof, as the original entrance was sealed

The Calf of Eday is an uninhabited island in Orkney, Scotland, lying north east of Eday. It is known for its wildlife and its prehistoric ruins. There is a Neolithic chambered cairn in the southwest overlooking Calf Sound, which separates the island from Eday. Rectangular in shape, the cairn was excavated in 1936–37 and contains a small chamber with two compartments and a larger one with four stalls that has a separate entrance and was probably added at a later date.

Deerness is a peninsula located to the east end of Mainland, Orkney. It forms a part of the civil parish of St. Andrews and Deerness. Deerness is connected to the rest of the Orkney Mainland by a narrow isthmus, known as Dingieshowe. Deerness parish consists chiefly of the peninsula, but also takes in its surrounding islets of Copinsay, the Horse of Copinsay and Corn Holm.

Glimps Holm in Orkney is a long, lazy beach with beautiful blue water, golden sand and a nearby Churchill Barrier. Scapa Flow had many entrances, making it difficult to protect the anchorages in this natural harbour. Blockships had been sunk to close the narrow passages, but these proved inadequate. Glimps Holm is connected to Lamb Holm, to the northeast, by Barrier number 2, and to Burray by Barrier number 3.

Hoxa is a small settlement on the island of South Ronaldsay in the Orkney Islands north of mainland Scotland. Hoxa is located 1+1⁄4 miles west of St Margaret's Hope at the end of the B9043 road. Thorfinn Turf-Einarsson the 10th century Norse Earl of Orkney may be buried at the site of The Howe broch just north of Hoxa.

Marwick Head is an RSPB nature reserve featuring thousands of breeding seabirds in a clifftop location. Found south of Birsay in the West Mainland, this huge headland is part of a spectacular stretch of coastline, snaking down as far as Stromness.

Midhowe Broch is one of at least nine brochs that stand along the banks of narrow, dangerous Eynhallow Sound in Orkney.It's surrounded by the sea to its rear and geos to its sides, with a ditch and stone barrier blocking easy access from the front. This natural defense from seaborne invaders is maybe one of the reasons why the Iron Age inhabitants of Midhowe Broch chose this location.

Mull Head is a nature reserve extending to over 200 acres, taking in coastal grassland, heather moorland, spectacular cliffs and coastal scenery. Paths through the reserve provide for circular walks ranging from 3-5 miles. The highlights of this area are the Gloup, a collapsed cave, Deerness Brough and the headland. In addition, the area sees abundant birdlife in season.

Ness of Brodgar

The Ness of Brodgar is a thin strip of land, in the West Mainland of Orkney, that separates the lochs of Harray and Stenness. The site has provided evidence of decorated stone slabs, a stone wall 6 metres thick with foundations, and a large building described as a Neolithic temple.

A famous 450 foot sea stack- is perhaps Orkney's most famous landmark. It is one of the tallest sea stacks in the British Isles and possibly the most famous. The Old Man is popular with climbers, and was first climbed in 1966. Created by the erosion of a cliff through hydraulic action some time after 1750, the stack is not more than a few hundred years old, but may soon collapse into the sea.

The Quoyness chambered cairn, in Sanday, is yet another example of the Maeshowe-type cairns found in Orkney. It is located on the peninsula known as Elsness, in the Sanday parish of Cross. The cairn is about 4 metres high and can be accessed by crawling through the entrance passage, itself 9 metres long. Only half the entrance passage is roofed. A stone platform surrounds the cairn, and when originally built the cairn would have looked like Maeshowe today.

The St Magnus Way is a long-distance pilgrimage route through Mainland Orkney, following the story of St Magnus and giving time and space for reflection on the journey. The route follows the procession of Magnus’ body after his mother pleaded for it to be returned from Egilsay for a Christian burial in Birsay, as well as its later journey to Kirkwall Cathedral.

St Johns Head lies 3km to the north-east of the Old Man of Hoy and is best viewed from the Scrabster to Stromness ferry. The headland is breached by only four routes, three of which begin around the grassy ramps at the bottom of the north face. The horizontal beds of sandstone at St John’s Head have weathered to give dramatic vertical red and yellow cliffs, which are especially vibrant with a low evening sun.

The Brough of Deerness

The Brough of Deerness is one of the best places to spend a sunny day in Orkney. The gentle walking route in the East Mainland begins at The Gloup and winds its way along the craggy coastline, offering beautiful views out over the North Sea, the island of Copinsay and the chance to spot passing cetaceans.

The Gloup is part of the Mull Head Nature Reserve, a beautiful part of Orkney's coastline. It was once a long sea cave, but during storms, the waves that entered the cave couldn’t surge any further and crashed upwards. This caused the roof to collapse into the water below. Now the Gloup is an open chasm 70m long, 40m wide, 30m deep and filled with seawater.

Vat of Kirbister

The Vat of Kirbister is the jewel in Stronsay's crown. A stunning natural rock arch, this delicate structure is a real island highlight. The roof of a very large, almost circular, cave has collapsed, leaving an inlet accessible via the original mouth of the cave and under the remaining arch. In the surrounding area, there are also a number of other sea caves and sea stacks including one stack called the Malme which as the remains of an early Christian hermitage on its summit.

A beautiful bay where seal pups thrive and spectacular seas can crash ashore during the autumn and winter. A coastal path around the cliff tops of the Ward Hill and adjoining farm land gives a great vantage point for views over the North Sea and the uninhabited island of Copinsay, which lies on the horizon.”

Yesnaby is one of the most spectacular stretches of coastline in Orkney. It is renowned for its spectacular Old Red Sandstone coastal cliff scenery which includes sea stacks, blowholes, geos and frequently boiling seas. Most visitors to the impressive cliffs at Yesnaby explore the immediate area, and enjoy the stunning views there, but we think there is much to see if you take the less beaten path and walk northwards.

Map of Outdoors - Other to Explore in Orkney