An amazing preserved neolithic site (5000 years ago). You walk along a reverse timeline path to the…read moresite. Or if handicapped, can take an electric scooter (first come), which is a wonderful perk. Amazing history and then there's Skaill House to view as well. A must see.

Skara Brae is a fantastic look into the past. To stand there and look into the living conditions…read moreof pre iron age people in the Neolithic period is just incredible. The story of the discovery of this place due to a storm that uncovered it, the items left behind as if they just got up and walked away, the cleverness of the planning of the construction with no modern tools. This place is truly amazing and most definitely worth the visit. You're actually standing in a stone age village and can walk through looking down into the ancient dwellings.

Fun tour of a chambered cairn with lots of historical context including Viking runes (basically…read moregraffiti) carved into the inside of the stone structure. You need reservations and it's a mixed bag for kids. So, the hype around this is pretty high, but mostly deserved--especially for adults who are interested in history. You need a reservation because you can only go inside the cairn with a guide and it starts by taking a 2-minute bus ride from the visitors center. The tour is worth it though because you hear fantastic context about the history of the area, the history of the cairn and they point out the various places where there are Viking runes carved into the inside as well as showing you the Maeshowe dragon carving, which is pretty cool. For my wife and I, that was amazing. For my 5-year-old and 9-year-old kids it was a bit less awesome. We did get to go inside essentially a stone fort in a hill, but then they had to listen to a ~30-minute lecture. All while not touching anything because it's roped off to preserve it. The guide really did a pretty good job trying to pull them into the conversation, but there's only so much that matters. The kids were good and I think had a good time, but it wasn't their favorite. There's a bunch of other chambered cairns nearby that you can go in without a reservation and where the kids can climb around inside. We visited the Cuween Hill chambered cairn the next day and the kids loved being able to go around without as many lectures or rules.

Maeshowe looks like little more than a grassy mound from the nearby main road. But it is the finest…read morechambered tomb in northern Europe - bar none. Over 5,000 years old, it predates the oldest of the Pyramids in Egypt. The tomb itself is accessed via a long, low and narrow tunnel, 14m long and just 1.4m high. This enters the large central chamber, with is 4.5m square and about 4m high, the walls of which taper gently to the roof, with butresses at each corner. Three further chambers open off this main chamber, each with a right-angled dog-leg. The interior architecture of the tomb is stunning. The walls were built of massive blocks of sandstone, beautifully prepared and laid with great care to form an sublime space. The tapering and accuracy of the fit of the stones cannot fail to impress. It also represents a phenomenal feat of engineering, as the individual blocks weigh up to three tonnes. It would be a challenge now, let alone 5000 years ago. The acoustics are also unique - giving an other-worldly sound, with patches of loud and quiet noise, suggesting this may have formed part of rituals performed within. Another famous feature is a series of 30 different Viking runes dating from the 12th century. Left by Vikings who took shelter from a storm here returning from the crusades, it is one of the largest collection in existence, and is accompanied by drawings of dragon, a walrus and a serpent. These are explained in detail at: http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/maeshowe/maeshrunes.htm This incursion (or incursions) is also reported in the Orkneyinga Saga. It is amazing to think that the 12th century Vikings are more contemporaneous with us than with the original builders. There is some speculation that the tomb may have been reused as a burial chamber in the Viking period. The entrance passage is aligned with the winter solstice, so that the sun shines directly into the chamber on the shortest day. This, together with the sparsity of artefacts found when the tomb was first excavated in 1861, suggest it may have had a ritual use beyond being a burial site. For many years, the passage was blocked, and an entrance had been broken through the roof. The roof, and the mound above, has now been restored. The site is open daily, but visitor numbers are restricted due to the confined space, so tickets must be reserved in advance, either by telephone or the web-site, and are valid for a specific timed period. You report to the visitor information centre at Tormiston Mill, where there is an display giving information about the tomb. The narrow passage entrance is not too hard to scramble along, but may not suit those of a claustrophobic nature.

The Dwarfie Stane lies a short walk from the road between Quoyness and Rackwick. It's a 5,000-year…read moreold neolithic tomb, hollowed out of a huge single piece of rock. It is assumed that the stone by the entrance once blocked the doorway, and it is known that the tomb was still sealed in the 16th century. The tomb itself comprises a single chamber, with two bed-like ledges, clearly built for people of smaller stature. It must have been a huge undertaking to make the tomb using only primitive bone and stone tools. The interior contains more 'modern' graffiti, including some carved in 1850 by the former British spy, Major W. Mounsey. The rock itself was probably deposited in the site by glacial action. Unsurprisingly, the Dwarfie Stane - Dwarf Stone in modern English - is associated with lots of legends, with dwarves and giants featuring strongly. The isolated location and incredibly bleak but beautiful landscape around only adds to the sense of mystery.

Finally, after 40yrs I made it to the Dwarfie Stane this year! Passed it so many times and was…read morealways put off by the walk up, but now that there is a decent, wooden track been constructed, it keeps you nice and dry and away from the boggy ground - for most of the way there. Well worth the walk....and boy do you feel isolated when you get up there - fabulous and very mysterious....

This is cool place to explore Neolithic ruins and lots of little chambers to explore and look…read morearound. It was less cool than Jarlshof in Shetland, but still pretty neat--especially if you're just hanging out in Orkney. Even in the wind and driving rain near the water, it was still fun to climb around and explore the ruins. There are lots of little chambers you can climb into and play games around. The kids really enjoyed it. Smaller and less interesting than Jarlshof in Shetland, but still a nice stop.

This is a ruined Iron-Age broch and associated prehistoric village from around the first or second…read morecentury BC, with an absolutely spectacular setting, at the end of a promontory overlooking Eynhallows Sound and the island of Rousay. Brochs are unique to Scotland, and their exact function is still not precisely known. Essentially, a broch is a tower, originally about 10m high, with a double wall with passages in it, and a central area presumed to have been open to the air. The towers taper slightly to the towards the top, giving them a shape akin to power station cooling towers. There was usually a single, low entrance to the tower from the outside, and no windows to the outside, but small openings to the interior. Some of them are isolated, and others form part of iron-age villages, but are nearly always by the sea. The most commonly accepted theory is that they were defensive structures, which could be easily sealed off from attackers: livestock would shelter in the central area, and the inhabitants in the spaces within the walls. As well as protection, their height may have provided a look-out function as well. Locations close to the sea were always vulnerable to pirates and other sea-faring enemies, so the locals would need somewhere to escape to quickly. In the case of Gurness, the broch was part of a village complex, which also had an outer wall, and three ramparts for additional defence. The broch itself was probably about 8m (26ft) high, and 20m (65ft) in diameter, which is rather wider than the classic broch shape. The village may have had about 40 families at its peak, but had declined and appears to have been abandoned around 100AD. The stones were then taken from the broch for other buildings - a trend that appears to have been kept up throughout history, so that the broch is now only 3.5m high. The site was then occupied by successive waves of immigrants, from the Scottish Picts in the 5th century, to the Vikings, who appear to have used the site for a burial. Thereafter, the site seems to have been left alone until the excavations in 1929 revealed the true extent of the site. Facilities at the site are fairly basic: there is a car-park, and a small ticket-office and shop, with an interpretation display. Some of the site is accessible by wheelchair via the grassy slopes, but assistance is recommended, and it is not suitable in wet weather. The site is 180m from the car park and, for those intrepid enough to get there by bus (route 96), it's a 45 minute walk from the village of Evie. There are also tours of this and other archeological sites organised from Kirkwall - enquire at Tourist Information. If you are driving, it is easy to make a day-long circuit of Orkney Mainland which takes in Maeshowe, Skara Brae, the circles at Stenness and Brodgar, and Gurness.

Very dynamic walk only during low tide to the lighthouse. Beautiful coastal cliffs with puffins!read more

Cool island only reachable at low-tied with some ~1000-year-old ruins and a lighthouse. Fun, but…read morenot the most amazing example of any of the three. So, the coolest part about this is that it's kind of a magic island that you can only get to for about an hour either side of low tide. That's just really cool and appeals to kids especially. It's basically a secret island. Beyond that, there's some ruins of a church and settlements that go back, but they are far from the most interesting such ruins on Orkney. There's also a cool old lighthouse, but again, probably not the coolest lighthouse and you can't go in or tour it. Lastly there's some sea cliffs and rugged Scottish coast, but again not the best you can find--even on Orkney. You can combine it with a visit to the tea room (which has a view of the Borough) and wander around the Earl's palace ruins, which make it a more full outing, but the key thing is whether you like the idea of a secret island you can only reach a low tide or not.

Hoy is the second largest of the Orkney Islands, but has a tiny population of around 270, mostly…read moreconcentrated in the east of the island. The west side is much quieter (and Hoy is pretty quiet already) and consists effectively of just two settlements, the hamlet of Rackwick and Quoyness village. The Old Man of Hoy is the island's most famous attraction. It's a spectacular sea-stack, over 137m (450ft) high. As well as its height, the vivid red sandstone makes it an astonishing sight. The sandstone actually sits on a bed of hard (and very ancient) basalt rock. The stack itself may only be about 400 years old in its present form, as pictures and descriptions from earlier times refer only to a headland here, and it is thought that the stack was created by a series of storms in the 17th century. Erosion continues, so it is only a matter of time before the whole stack collapses. It's a challenging climb (for very experienced climbers only), and was only first ascended in 1966. Around 50 people a year attempt the climb these days, with several routes to choose from. Dangers include loose rocks, its sheer verticality and, of course, the incredibly changeable weather. (And once you get to the top, there's no alternative but to climb back down again, unless you've booked a helicopter). Amazingly, people have spent the night on the small grassy patch on the top. Not for the faint hearted! The easiest way to get a view is from the Thurso-Stromness ferry, although the stack is not terribly distinct as the background of the cliffs reduces the impact. The best way is to make a day trip from Stromness on the passenger ferry to Hoy (Quoyness), and then either hire a bike or take a taxi across to Rackwick. From there it is a 45 minute walk on a good, though steep, path to the cliffs at Hoy. (The care ferry goes to the other end of the island and is rather infrequent). The cliffs themselves are amazing enough, being some of the highest in the British Isles, but the stack is just astonishing. As well as the geology, the plant and animal life here is plentiful. It's a particular haven for rock-nesting birds, and insects. In my book, it is one of those places everyone should visit at least once in their life.

An awesome place to visit as all of Orkney, before going abroad see what the British Isles have to…read moreoffer. One the great sites in UK

The Gloup is essentially a collapsed sea cave. If you have a boat small enough you can actually…read moresail right into it. Lots of people come out here to see it, as it makes an absolutely stunning location; the photo doesn't do it justice. There is also a walk you can do starting here and going round to the brough of Deerness, which is a tiny Island only just attached. There is a set of steps connecting it in order to walk on to it, but be careful as it is still situated among cliff tops. Then from here you can proceed to The Mull head nature reserve. The whole thing is a very long walk but worth it as there are some jaw-dropping views to see and as it is right out in the middle of no-where, it's quiet and peaceful. If you are trying to get here, it is best to follow a map as it is out in the countryside which means a lack of road signs or names. You can always ask for directions as the local people are friendly and will point you in the right direction.

We've been here 10 years ago. It was very impressive and a nice area to walk. This time we've…read moredecided to come back. And it is still as impressive and as beautiful as we've remembered. There's a good sized carpark at the Lighthouse. The lighthouse itself isn't that impressive, but most visitors come for the stacks and some walk. From the carpark it's a nice and easy walk where you can spot the stacks from far away. You will also walk by the "Geo of Sclaites", worth a stop and a look. When you hit the flatter area (with lots of sheep) is a great first stop to take pics and take in the views. That's where most folks stop and turn back to their cars. But that wouldn't do this area justice....there's a lot more to explore and the walk along the coast goes as far as your legs carry you. We continued our walk and headed up on the other side. More and different views of the stacks here. Also a good view of "The Knee" rock formation. We kept going a good while before turning back. It's just such a beautiful scenery and walking here a rewarding thing to do. Our English Bulldog Girl enjoyed it as well...and kept going with us without problems. Some parts are fenced off to protect the nature. Naturally some visitors ignored that and even had a picnic in the fenced zone. So if you're visiting please respect the rules and don't litter.