An insight into this wild,wonderful island
by our walking woman Heather who joined our trip
My first encounter with an Orcadian, the day I arrived, put me right on this point. Orkney consists of some 70 islands, 20 of which are inhabited, just off the far north tip of Scotland, where the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea meet. It’s famous for its winds. We stayed in Stromness, a small vibrant town on the biggest island – Orkney Mainland.
Our first walking day was introduced by our wonderful guide Stef as a day of time travel. She wasn’t wrong. Not only are Orkney’s landscapes stunningly beautiful, it has a history of human habitation stretching back at least 5000 years, with astonishingly well preserved archaeological remains. First stop the Brough of Birsay – an uninhabited tidal island on the western edge of Orkney with remnants of Pictish and Norse settlements dating back a mere 1200 years. A blustery circular walk around the island introduced us to a glorious array of seabirds doing their thing. I never get tired of watching gannets’ dramatic diving. From the lighthouse on top of towering cliffs we looked out to sea – next stop Greenland. Later in the day our walks took us forward and back in time, first to the 16th century Earl’s Palace at Birsay, on to a cliff top memorial for Lord Kitchener whose ship was sunk just off Orkney in the first World War, then back the full 5000 yearsto haunting Neolithic standing stone circles and settlement remains.
Orkney is famous for its stone sea stacks
Segments of high cliff severed by sea action over time to create impressive ‘castles’. Yesnaby and the notorious Old Man of Hoy were both on our itinerary – utterly awesome. The surrounding cliffs are so high it was hard not to cling to each other for safety. Walking back to Stromness from Yesnaby, I passed a woman gathering buckets of seaweed on the shore. She told me it’s to cover her vegetable garden in preparation for the winter storms – a traditional Orkney farming practice that both protects and fertilises the soil. By mid August summer seems to be over in Orkney!
For lovers of cold water bathing there are enticing beaches
It’s not a climate for lingering in swimsuits – so changing and getting into the water required both speed and a certain brazenness. We were amused one day when a surprised council worker emptying a nearby bin saw more than he bargained for and beat a hasty retreat.
Our walk through a glen on Hoy was described by one woman as ‘the most fragrant hike I’ve ever done’. The moorland heather was in full purple bloom and perfumed the aireverywhere. Wild flowers were abundant – in most exposed spots reaching a height of just 6 inches or so because of the winds, but occasionally bigger where it was more sheltered.
So much more to remember – working our way through the wonderful menu at the Ferry Inn, live music, whisky tasting, Orkney crafts and beautiful ‘honesty boxes’ around the islands.
But most of all – the wild walking, the sea and those incredible views
Thank you to Heather for sharing her experience. If you would like to join us we have holidays to Orkney in 2026 starting with Orkney in May
