Orkneys

CrazyNerd

My husband and I are driving to the Highlands and the Orkneys in June. Does anyone have any tips on what to see, eat and where to stay? Looking foward to exploring loads of historic sites.

Ta ta for now

zenmaster

Skara Brae.
Ring of Brodgar.
The Italian chapel. Absolutely mavellous.
The Churchill barriers. Not pretty to look at but interesting when you know the story.

A great place for a holiday. Watch out for the only trees on the island (about half a dozen). We were told that they were planted specially so that kids could climb them.

zenmaster

Here you go - a short film to whet your appetite.

JanetG

Are you planning to visit any islands other than Mainland? We've stopped here on Hoy a couple of times, and loved it:

http://www.stromabank.co.uk/index.html

Places to visit include the Martello Towers at Longhope, the Scapa Flow museum at Lyness and Rackwick Bay. It's a lovely walk to The Old Man of Hoy from Rackwick, takes about 3 hrs there and back.

Also stopped here on Mainland:

http://www.atlantislodges.com/

The lodges are on the small side but have everything you need and nice views overlooking the bay. However, what attracted us is that they are flexible. You can book for as many or few nights as you want rather than just a week.

Zenmaster has already mentioned some good places to visit. Others that I can recommend include Brough of Birsay, Tomb of the Eagles, Maeshowe & St Magnus Cathedral.

Red_Doe

Tankerness House Museum is usually free entry and very interesting. If you can get to the outer north isles, Sanday has some of the best archaeological sites, also free. Quoyness Chambered Tomb is a 5000 year old Neolithic chambered cairn which you can enter, pretty interesting.

Piggo_2

Here's a diary of touring Scotland with a whole section on the Orkney Islands & Shetland, it's a fantastic place to visit:

http://www.motorhomeplanet.co.uk/scotland-2010/

Lamb Holm the home of the Italian Chapel - this is an amazing place to visit. Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar are well worth a visit as is Stromness. The whole of the mainland is a lovely place to visit just driving around and looking at the scenery is worth it! Hope you enjoy your trip.

Oliver14

CrazyNerd wrote: »

My husband and I are driving to the Highlands and the Orkneys in June. Does anyone have any tips on what to see, eat and where to stay? Looking foward to exploring loads of historic sites.

Ta ta for now

Just to say don't call it the Orkney's when you're their. You'll annoy the locals it's either Orkney or the Orkney Islands. You wouldn't say i'm going to visit the Cornwalls or the Manchesters would you?

I would suggest not Just sticking to Mainland ( the largest Island). The outer Islands are very different in character. North Ronaldsay is great and you see the famous sea eating sheep. Hoy contains the only Indiginous forest, Rackwick is beautiful and the bleakness of Betty Corrigals grave is very moving (Though book early for the ferry to Hoy as it gets full quickly). Shapinsay is a lovely Island with the Smithy a great place to visit for lunch.

For some of the History of Orkney
http://www.orkneyjar.com/

Also Birsay on the Mainland is beautiful.