I crossed over from St Margaret's Hope a few days ago on this fast, comfortable little car ferry. I…read morearrived in the islands aboard the Aberdeen ferry but was glad to be returning on one much more comfortable, less crowded and fast.

Pentland Ferries sails between Gills Bay on mainland Britain and St. Margaret's Hope on Mainland,…read moreOrkney. The Pentalina high-speed catamaran (a passenger and vehicle ferry) runs the route in little over an hour, making it the fastest way to access Orkney by boat. Leaving Gills Bay, the Pentalina sails through Pentland Firth and some truly spectacular North Sea scenery. Perhaps most interesting is the small island of Stroma, belonging to Caithness. Until the turn of the twentieth century, Stroma had several hundred residents who farmed the land, but by the 60s, the last two families had left. The stone homes, typical of the Highlands, still stand silently today, as does the lighthouse, church, graveyard and harbor. Locals told us that the island is currently owned by a sheep farmer in Caithness who uses the land to graze his sheep. Otherwise, everything is supposedly preserved within the structures exactly as the residents of Stroma left them when they abandoned the island. A Scottish ghost town. As the ferry passes Stroma, and then Swona (part of The Orkney islands), it's worth braving the whipping wind and chilly North Sea air to keep a lookout for seals and seabirds. Most notable among the wildlife are the adorable puffin, hurtling through the air like feathered missiles. (Once you're sufficiently chilled, there are two lounges below deck in which to relax, plus a tiny window selling hot, homemade soup, burgers and sandwiches.) At last, the Pentalina cruises by Hoy where, if the weather cooperates, passengers can catch a glimpse of the iconic Old Man of Hoy, before the final destination of St. Margaret's Hope comes into view. The quaint village lies like a cobblestone ribbon cutting through the emerald green landscape behind it. The cost of your passage is £14; your car will run you £33. Considering the speed with which you reach the Islands, and the views you're treated to along the way, Pentland Ferries is well worth the price of admission.

The airport building was done up a few years ago, and is very nice inside. There's beautiful lino…read moreprints on the walls which are done by a local artist - and it's worth popping in just to see these even if you're not flying from the airport. There's a small shop which sells newspapers, magazines and some items of local jewellery and knitwear. There's also a cafe and bar, which do a variety of teas, coffees, cake, meals and snacks - great while you're waiting to depart or waiting for someone to arrive at the airport. There's disabled access and a bus service to the airport from Kirkwall. Parking can be a problem - but the car park was recently extended so it's likely to only be a problem at certain times of year now.

The Ferry Inn, we used it for a ferry stop over after a day of touring it was a welcomed sight…read more It's located across from a small port with so mm e varied shipping activity. No issues there, all was quiet. It's kind of a scenic spot with some opportunity for a few marine type pictures. The room was clean, quiet, and has an ensuite bath. It's an older hotel so expect an older type room. The restaurant was where you check in, you'll eat with locals, a pub is adjacent. I went fish and chips with a pint, good fare. The included breakfast is in another restaurant next door, I went full Scottish breakfast...pretty massive amount of food, and was good. I strolled around and to the left I found a lovely trail that lead to a point over looking the harbor. Beautiful view amongst the disinterested sheep...watch your step, sheep eat alot, thus they......alot. Safe travels!

My husband and I had a 3-day private tour on the island of Orkney, being lucky enough to book it on…read morethe cusp of the busy season, with Dr. Caz in April 2023. I cannot recommend her highly enough! Orkney is a fascinating place, with thousands of years' worth of history. And Caz is an incredible guide- she arranged our days to show us such a wide variety of places and types of sites, all while giving us an amazing amount of knowledge and information, to help us put all of it in context. She is a true expert and I was so impressed by her vast knowledge of all the sites, the history, and the islands. She also knows how other tour groups work on the island, so was able to alter our plans sometimes in order to give us a better (and less peoply!) experience. Even before we Californians arrived, Caz was a helpful resource, giving me detailed advice on the clothing to bring. That advice really helped us to be comfortable the entire time, so we could focus on what we were seeing and experiencing. This was truly a once in a lifetime trip. Being at the Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar, stone henges older than Stonehenge, with no one else around, was such a moving experience, and my favorite of the sites we visited. If you are interested in history, anything from the Neolithic to modern time, you will love touring with Caz!

Abs was referred to my group by someone in the same field. Abs, was informational, a great driver…read moreand great tour guide. There were 5 of us. Abs took us to all the sights we wanted to see and some we did not know we wanted to see. He was great! Friendly, terrific driver. Got us to all the places before the big buses, so no place was crowded. Highly recommend booking a day tour with Abs. I was on the cruise ship Royal Princess 1 1/2 weeks ago. Thanks Abs. Best, Janice

I stayed here for 3 days while visiting Kirkwall and the rest of Mainlamd Orkney. It's about half…read morea mile from the main hub (tourist center), an easy walk if you're taking the bus from the airport. The manager was very pleasant (it is a family-run business) and was watching for me to let me in. I had booked a private room, which was on the first floor. It was a good size, with a fridge, small TV, closet, bathroom/shower, coffee maker with instant coffees, hairdryer and 2 towels. By far the best equipped hostel I had been to. It was clean, but the smell of whatever disinfectant they had used was so intense I had to open the window for a while. The blanket and pillow cases look like they have seen better days but all and all respectable. The kitchen and common area were really lovely--clean, with everything you might need, including games, books, large sofas, all cooking supplies, and recycling bins. I had no problems checking in or out and the hostel manager was very friendly, taking the time to answer my questions about transportation around the island, which can be tricky. I am 30-something, there was a 20-something and a few 40-somethings there, so it's a hostel for a wide range of ages! Recommended.

The Skaill House is located in Orkney, Scotland. A tour of this house is included with the tour of…read morethe Skara Brae. You could purchase a ticket to only the Skaill House, but I recommend purchasing a ticket for both instead. If you are into history, then you will like visiting Skaill House. Lots of interesting things to see and learn here. The house was built in the 17th century (1620 to be exact). It is a short walk from the ruins of Skara Brae so it is worthwhile to check out. The house has been restored, and it opened to the public in 1997. Enjoy!

Skaill House is an old 17th century mansion originally built by Bishop George Graham. The house…read moreoverlooks the Bay of Skaill and is part of the Skara Brae tour. It is a short walk from the ruins to the house. There have been 12 Lairds (Lords) that have lived at the house. It can be a bit tight when there are a lot of people touring the house. I didn't get to spend much time because there were so many people. The rooms are small and cozy and I loved the library. There is a small shop at the end of the tour (of course) to buy some gifts. They also offer falconry lessons and you can have your wedding there. There are many ghost stories as many skeletons have been found around the grounds some going back to Viking days.

While recently doing the "North Coast 500" route around the Scottish coast, we stayed at the John…read moreO'Groats Guest House as a stopping point, and are so glad we did! Under new ownership, the lovely couple that now own it have put their heart and soul into the house, and it shows! The rooms are updated with new furniture and fixtures, as well as upgraded with all the technological plug-ins you could need while traveling, such as Wi-Fi, Netflix, etc. The night before your stay you will get a message from the owners, who live on-site, asking what your special request is for any meals you would like. Since there are limited dining options at John O'Groats, this was hospitality above and beyond most B&B's we have stayed at. The owners are fabulous chefs, and only use locally sourced meat, cheese, eggs, milk, jams, etc. which are delivered to them fresh from local farms. We requested the Local Meat & Cheese Tray as our starter, and it was wonderfully fresh and delicious! Our locally sourced pork burger was fantastic as well. Breakfast is also included with your stay, and the owners did not disappoint with a list of local options for breakfast that you select the night before, and tell them what time you would like breakfast. It was such a nice way to start our day on the next leg of our journey around the Scottish coast. The warmth and hospitality we received at the Guest House was unexpected and very welcome. We would stay again.

We recently stayed at the John o' Groats Guest House, and it was a highlight of our month's…read morevacation in England and Scotland. Located near the ferry landing for trips to the Orkney Islands, we knew it would be a great location for us, surrounded by the stark but beautiful northern Scotland scenery. What we did not anticipate, though, was that the owners, Mary and Mark, would be the most welcoming and accommodating people ever. Not only did they provide a very nice room and great food, they did everything possible to make our stay pleasant. Mark even took us down to the ferry for our Orkney tour and picked us up at the end of the day. We had such a good time dining with them and the other guests and hanging out after! It was what you would always like to experience in a small B&B or guest house, but rarely do. If you are going to be in the area, you could do no better than to stay at the John o' Groats Guest House.