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GO-ORKNEY
ORKNEY OVERVIEW
The Orkney Islands - or just Orkney, please don't say
'the Orkneys'! - lie a few miles off the north
coast of Scotland.
Orkney claims a greater density of archaeological relics
than anywhere else in Europe. The islands also have fine seascapes
and many associations with both the first and second World Wars.
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For most visitors, Orkney's biggest attraction is probably its well-preserved neolithic sites. Some of these - such as the 5,000 year-old village of Skara Brae - are world-class monuments.
The picture shows house # 1 at Skara Brae, exposed by the Atlantic combers
in the 19th century
However, it is important to realise that Orkney does not exist in a vacuum
and that related monuments are found all over the north of Scotland. A special
feature of our trips is that during the northward journey to our ferry crossing,
we point out Iron Age and Stone Age antiquities in the counties we pass
through and relate them to what you'll see in Orkney.
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We also point out strange follies, sites of Viking battles, and many other features not commented on by most tours. Travel north on any Nor'West Tours trip and you'll find your time to and in Orkney greatly enriched. Most of our drivers for these trips have lived in Orkney and, during your journey north on the John o’Groats tour, will be glad to discuss possibilities in the islands if you're planning an extended stay.
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This curious folly is seen on all our Orkney and John o'Groats trips (unless there's low cloud). Travel with GO-ORKNEY/Nor'West Tours and learn more about it.
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Entrance Fees
Most of the prehistoric sites in Orkney, as elsewhere in Scotland, are free, but several of the ones people most want to visit have entrance fees which we list below. Reduced rates apply to seniors, children < 16, and families. The 3 sites in blue below are those you may visit on our MegaTour, though many of our clients just visit 2 of these 3 sites. If you stay longer in Orkney, for example by doing our Adventure trip, then you could also have time to visit the monuments listed in black below. (The first price given is the regular admission fee and the last the child fee. The middle price is for senior citizens and unemployed.)
Skara Brae (£ 6.50; 5; 2.50)
Maeshowe (£ 4.50; 3.50; 2)
Earl's & Bishop's Palaces, Kirkwall (£ 3; 2.30; 1.30)
Broch of Gurness (£ 4; 3; 1.60)
Brough of Birsay (£ 2.50; 2; 1 - 11 June-30 September only)
The Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness - also visited on our MegaTour - are free and open at all hours.
Above, a sketch-map of Orkney and its relationship to Caithness and the ferries across the Pentland Firth.
Orkney MegaTour goes north and south by route 2 - Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope;
The Orkney Adventure tour goes north by route 3 (John o'Groats to Burwick) May to September, and by
route 2 (Gills Bay to Saint Margaret's Hope) October to April; all trips go south by route 1 (Stromness to Scrabster), connecting with the train south or with the Royal Post Bus and Tim Dearman coach;
Orkney Overnighter goes north and south June-August by route 3 - John o'Groats to Burwick.
For a map of the route from Inverness to Orkney, click here.
A Few Accommodations in Orkney
*All phone #s below for Orkney need the code 01856 if you're using a mobile or calling from
outside Orkney*
Is it necessary to book accommodations in advance? 1995 was the first year we lived in Orkney and there was a short period that summer when every registered accommodation was full. To my knowledge, this has not happened since.
For most of the year you can arrive in Orkney and get accommodation of most grades (hostel, B&B, hotel) on spec. Main exceptions are during the Folk and St Magnus Festivals (late May and late June respectively) and the weekend of the County Show (2nd weekend in August) - equivalent to 'Agricultural Fair' in some other countries.
Kirkwall - county town, centrally placed
Hostels: SYHA:
872243; PD Hostel (8 beds): 875477
B&Bs/Guest Houses
Most B&Bs/Guest Houses are unlicensed. Many - eg the Royal Oak - don't mind if you take in a beer or a bottle of wine with you; however, it's as well to check when booking.
Royal Oak Guest House. Ask to be dropped at "Distillery Corner" and from
there it's a very short walk to ROGH. Tel: 877177; Mrs E Bruce. Twin, double,
family rooms, all with facilities. About 7 minutes' walk from the Lynnfield Hotel, where you can get a bar meal or a drink.
Web: Royal Oak
Guest House e-mail: royal.oak@btinternet.com
Peter McKinlay, 13 Palace Road. *Closest to bus arrival point.* Tel:
872249. 3 rooms. Click here for his entry on Orkney Visitor Information site, call +44 1856 872249 to check availability.
Bellavista, Carness Road. Web: Bellavista
B&B e-mail: bellavista_orkney@yahoo.co.uk
Lav'rockha, Inganess Road. 876103. Web: www.norsecom.co.uk/lavrockha
Polrudden Guest House, Peerie Sea Loan. 874761.
Shearwood, Muddisdale Road (off Pickaquoy Road). Mrs Braun. 873494
Hotels
Lynnfield Hotel - best cuisine in Kirkwall
Orkney, Victoria Street - nearest to bus arrival point. 873477
West End, Main Street: 872368
Albert Hotel. 876000
Seafront hotels: Ayre Hotel: 873001; St Ola: 875090; Kirkwall Hotel:
872232.
Stromness - West Mainland
If you are doing our Orkney Adventure, you may find it more convenient to stay in Stromness the night before departure. This is particularly the case if you are leaving Stromness on a Sunday morning when there are no public buses from Kirkwall, and a cab costs £ 17 or so.
Both the accommodations below are within easy walking distance of where the public bus drops you off on arrival in Stromness, and where the ferry leaves from. Guest House: Millers House and Harbourside Guest House. 851969. Web:
Millers
House
Hotel: Stromness Hotel. 850298; fax 850610. Web: Stromness
Hotel
Please note that you should NOT book into Stromness for your night of arrival in Orkney - there is no connecting bus from Kirkwall to Stromness after your arrival in Kirkwall from the evening John o'Groats Ferry.
St Margaret's Hope - South Ronaldsay If
you are doing one of our Orkney Adventure packages in April or October, you
will arrive in the evening at St Margaret's Hope in South Ronaldsay, after
the last bus for Kirkwall. The 'Hope' is a pleasant place to spend an evening
and we suggest you stay at the Murray
Arms Hotel before continuing to Kirkwall, or the Tomb of the Eagles, the
next morning.
If you wish to take a taxi from SMH to Kirkwall the current cost (2010) is £ 22. We can book this for you on the way north.
The Creel
Restaurant in SMH gets high awards for its cuisine, including, some years
ago, 'Best seafood in Britain'. They also have accommodation.
