Skaill House - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Skara Brae is a Neolithic Age site, consisting of ten stone structures, near the Bay of Skaill, Orkney, Scotland. Traditionally, Skara Brae is said to have been discovered in 1850 CE when an enormous storm struck Orkney and dispersed the sand and soil which had buried the site. Consisting of ten clustered houses, made of flagstones, in earthen dams that provided support for the walls; the houses included stone hearths, beds, and cupboards.

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.

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.

The Loch of Harray is the largest loch of Mainland Orkney, Scotland and is named for the parish of Harray. It lies immediately north of the Loch of Stenness and is close to the World Heritage neolithic sites of the Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar. birdwatching is very popular as there are several RSPB reserves in the area including the Brodgar Wetlands and Cottascarth and Rendall Moss.

The Kitchener Memorial sits upon the RSPB's Marwick Head reserve, and offers stunning views across the Atlantic Ocean, towards the Brough of Birsay to the north, and to Hoy to the south. On clear days the stone stack The Old Man of Hoy is clearly visible.

The Loch of Stenness is a large brackish loch on Mainland, Orkney, Scotland and is named for the parish of Stenness. It is a sea loch and is the deepest loch on the Mainland, it is slightly smaller in area and volume than the Loch of Harray. The loch is connected to the Loch of Harray at the Bridge of Brodgar and both lochs together cover an area of 19.3 square kilometres making the two combined the ninth largest loch in Scotland by area.