Orkney - 85 Attractions You Must Visit

Links of Noltland is a brilliantly preserved farming settlement dating from about 3300 BC to 800 BC. Neolithic remains include a dozen buildings and the ‘Westray Wifie’ figurine. Grobust Bay is also home to Orkney’s largest Bronze Age settlement. The site contains the remains of both a Neolithic village and later Bronze Age dwellings.

The Loch of Boardhouse is a freshwater loch in the parish of Birsay in the north west of the mainland of Orkney, Scotland. It acts as a reservoir for public water supply and is popular for trout fishing. Nearby are the Loch of Hundland and the Loch of Swannay.

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 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.

A beautiful museum tells the story of the 1932 Watson Lifeboat “Thomas McCunn” together with the Longhope Lifeboat Disaster March 17th 1969. Thomas McCunn is the only launchable slipway lifeboat in the UK and served Longhope 1933-62. The Museum is not manned at all times, however you can make an appointment to view by contacting the Trust.

Maeshowe is a large Neolithic chambered cairn, dating from between 3000-2800 BCE, in the Stenness parish of Orkney, Scotland. It was probably built around 2800 BC. In the archaeology of Scotland, it gives its name to the Maeshowe type of chambered cairn, which is limited to Orkney. Maeshowe is a scheduled monument and is part of the "Heart of Neolithic Orkney", a group of sites including Skara Brae, which were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

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.

A large Neolithic chambered cairn located on the south shore of the island of Rousay, Orkney, Scotland. The name "Midhowe" comes from the Iron Age broch known as Midhowe Broch, that lies just west of the tomb. Together, the broch and chambered cairn form part of a large complex of ancient structures on the shore of Eynhallow Sound separating Rousay from Mainland, Orkney.

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 Battery in Stromness is one of Britain's best-preserved wartime sites and a guided tour offers a fascinating insight into the lives of the soldiers who defended Scapa Flow in two World Wars. Several of the original wooden huts which formed the accommodation camp are still intact, and in one of these is a painted mural covering three walls, depicting rural English scenes. An extensive programme of stabilisation and renovation was completed in 2012 and the site is now open for guided tours.

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.

The heavily fortified Noltland castle lies approximately half a mile from Pierowall Bay and was built by a Scotsman, Gilbert Balfour from Fife. It has 7ft thick stone walls and no less than 71 gun holes. Its position above Pierowall Bay would also have given those inside the building the perfect view of any potential attackers. It dates mainly to the later 16th century, although it was never fully completed. The castle is protected as a scheduled monument.

North Ronaldsay is the northernmost island in the Orkney archipelago of Scotland. With an area of 690 hectares, it is the fourteenth-largest. It is mentioned in the Orkneyinga saga; in modern times it is known for its historic lighthouse, migratory bird life and unusual breed of sheep. The island is famed for its rare breed of seaweed-eating sheep. These hardy and colourful characters live almost entirely on the wild shoreline, feeding on a diet of seaweed.

This beautiful Lighthouse stands tall amongst it all, nearly 80 metres above sea level. This Stevenson lighthouse was built in 1898 with a principal lightkeeper, an assistant and their families living at the site until the light was automated in 1964. The lighthouse became automatic in 1964 and was converted to wind and solar power using a solar array in 2000.

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.

Orkney Fossil & Heritage Centre was housed in converted farm buildings on the island of Burray, the Centre has an intriguing collection of fossils from Orkney and around the world, including some rare and beautifully preserved specimens. The exhibitions downstairs showcase the extensive fossil and rock collection, with detailed information and illustrations of 380 million year old fish! Ernest Firth was also a collector of heritage objects

This museum comprises of the history of early domestic radio and wartime communications in Orkney with maps, charts, valves, transistors, rare exhibits, wartime memorabilia and photo archive. It was founded in 1983 by the late Jim MacDonald after a lifetime passion working with, investigating and collecting, all things electrical. The displays and photographic archive bear testament to the strategic and military importance of Orkney during World War II.

Papa Westray is one of the smallest islands in Orkney, off the far north coast of Scotland. Known to locals as Papay, this is a fascinating destination to visit and an engaging, sometimes challenging, place to live. It is the ninth largest of the Orkney Islands with an area of 918 hectares.

The Pier Arts Centre is a VisitScotland 5 Star Art Gallery and Museum in Stromness established in 1979 to provide a home for an important collection of British fine art donated by the author, peace activist and philanthropist Margaret Gardiner. It is a collaboration of permanent collection and temporary galleries. The project involved the refurbishment of historic pier buildings, along with the creation of a new gallery building.