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There's a lot of ways to skin this cat. Any recommendations? Tempted to take the van but it's a loooong journey. Trying to get flight deets through sky scanner etc is proving tricky!
Also any tips for places to stay and where to go are massively appreciated- we're getting very excited about this trip! Going with the missus so no mountain biking (I know!) Prob gonna go in April to avoid the midges...
Tips - all the archaeology! Get into Tourist Info and pick up all the leaflets at the start and see where takes your fancy. I love Birsay, Yesnby, Skara Brae, Maeshow, Brodgar and the Old Man of Hoy/Rackwick myself but there are plenty of others. Museum in Kirkwall is worth checking out, and I quite like the wee one in Stromness too.
I usually stay in Stromness, sometimes Kirkwall... loads of places outside them though that are worth looking at, just depends what you want really! I would probably plan on staying on Mainland though for convenience!
Don't underestimate how far it is between places in terms of driving time! When I was young I used to cycle all over the place and it took for ever 😉
Remember to try the Highland Brewing Co beers as well as the Orkney Brewery stuff - you are missing out if you don't get stuck into some Scapa Special IPA and Dark Munro!
Options of getting there are either fly up and hire a car, or drive up and take the ferry from Gills Bay ([url= http://www.pentlandferries.co.uk/ ]Pentland Ferries[/url]). The drive up is half the adventure, especially once you cross the Dornoch Firth!
Oh - and get some Dark Island Reserve from Orkney Brewery, elixr of the Gods, and if you like port go to the Orkney Wine Co. and get some Dark Portent. Yum 🙂
Cycle it. Admittedly by starting in London you're taking the easy option, but it'll still be a good ride.
Fly to Inverness and hire a car. Travel to Gills Bay via Lairg and Tongue.
Actually... that makes a lot of sense scotroutes. Miss out all the dull bits of driving 🙂
I went this year, it was fantastic. I went for the archaeology. I bought a tourist pass that saved me some money on entry to the major sites but there's so much that a lot of them are free and some are privately owned and not part of the pass!
Some sites are really hard to find, I used my garmin and entered the Co ords to find a few. If you like archaeology buy the book before you go and do your research.
We camped in our campervan. Wheems Farm (£18 per night for a couple with electric) is the first one you get to, cheap and basic but had electric and great views.
We also stayed on the council owned sites (£25) in Kirkwall and stromness. Kirkwall was expensive but modern and central. Stromness was remote and on the coast, perfect for spotting orcas.
There were plenty of places to camp for free. A lot of the coves made by Churchills defences had public toilets open 24/7 and a car park. We saw lots of people just pulling up and staying the night.
We did a lot of ferry travel but not with the van. I think the return pass John o groats was £160. It was around £50 or more return for island hoping so we went on foot and just hired bikes. You can hire an electric bike for the Mrs if she's not as fit as you.
If I went again I'd take my tent and camp on the islands for a few days, leave my van on the mainland. Rousay is a must. The place where you hire bikes from is also a campsite and b&b with spectacular views set in a farm that looks like an old fortified settlement.
Kirkwall has plenty of shops, tesco, coop, lidl etc. I was told to stock up at Inverness before going as it's expensive but I think that advice is out of date.
Kirkwall does have an airport and car hire but the run way looks small!
I found Orkney to be a wonderful place, can't believe I've not been before. I need to go to the Shetlands next!
we did sleeper to Inverness, train to Thurso, taxi, Scrabster ferry (you can get two adults and 1 bike in a bag in sleeper comptmt - just) and local car hire, they used to do cheap sleeper rates occasionally
walk to Old Man of Hoy (foot ferry at N end Hoy), Yesnaby cliffs, Italian POW chapel (nissen hut), Maes Howe, Skara Brae, Steness stones, Ring of Brodgar, shortest commercial flight,
local delicacies* red pudden supper
we stayed in Kirwall (for facilities) as I was with a bunch of naval history buffs who were doing all the museums, but going again with camper and will do sites and some of the small islands - because they're there.
Having done a few diving trips to scapa flow (there are other reasons to go to Orkney?) I'd fly all the way. We've done the trip in minibuses getting the ferry and it takes soooo long. Of course when we flew someone still had to go in the van with all the kit, but the two who volunteered for that were having an illicit fling anyway so that worked out for everyone
We got the train to Aberdeen then ferry to Kirkwall. We were bike touring both Orkney and Shetland so this made sense for that trip. Previous trip was to climb the Old Man of Hoy so drove to Scrabster and just used ferries and taxis once across the Pentland Firth.
The archeology sites mentioned are well worth visiting.
I've flown all the way (not good / impossible if you want to take outsize luggage) and driven all the way getting the ferry from Thurso (flipping mission). I'd come to the conclusion next time I went up I'd do as scottroutes suggests.
I've stayed in Stromness all the times I've been up and really like it. Stayed in the ferry inn and the stromness Andy they are much of a muchness, the best was when we rented a self catering flat up the top of the hill with views over hoy. They do a good curry in the stromness hotel! It's not that far if you want to go to Kirkwall for variety.
Love it there. If it wasn't dark half hte year we'd consider moving
Amazing advice thanks people!! 🙂
So is April a good time to go? Have I got that right?
Tick. Orkney is definitely on our list.
I wouldn't worry over-much about the midges. Arguably I'd say that late May would be better. Temps are up, weather tends to be more settled and there's more daylight. There's a higher risk of transport disruption in April - it can still be snowing in the Highlands.
There doesn't seem to be a midge problem in Orkney. Not a lot of trees and it is usually very windy. It was roughly 12 degrees.
I went at the end of may, beginning of June. It was almost 20 hours of sun.
On the way back we stayed at Glen coe, now that had a midge problem.
June is good for the Northern Isles, long days, midnight sun etc.
I would personally go May - June. Best weather of the year around then (usually)! The midges won't be out either, they tend to start making an appearance late June into July.
Got to take the family up there soon, my boys are 4 and 5 and haven't been home yet 🙁 Alas they are now at school so we either go Easter or brave the midges - although with a bit of a breeze they aren't that much of a problem 😉
Worst midges I have ever encountered were at St John's Head! The Orkney ones are bloody ferocious too, but they have very limited time to get out and feast!!!!