Walks in Orkney

Orkney has a great deal to offer the walker, historian and wildlife enthusiast. The main island and the myriad of smaller isles are packed with fascinating archaeology and opportunities for bird watching in particular. Some of the best known prehistoric sites in Britain are to be found squeezed into a few square miles - chambered tombs, Iron Age brochs, standing stones and neolithic and Viking villages seem to appear at every corner.
 
More recent history can be seen in the barriers erected to protect the natural bay of Scapa Flow in WWII and the Italian Chapel, built and decorated by Italian prisoners of war.

Orkney is a short hop on the ferry from the Scottish mainland. There is a route from Thurso to Stromness and another from near John o'Groats to South Ronaldsay (which is attached by a causeway to the main island). There is plenty of welcoming accommodation to be found. Kirkwall has supermarkets, a fascinating cathedral and museum and plenty of restaurants and cafes. Stromness boasts an impressive modern art gallery called the Pier Arts Centre, well worth a visit on a rainy day!

Orkney

Walks in Orkney



Help

You can use these pages to browse for walks in specific regions, counties and areas. It is a good idea to narrow down your search to the most local area possible, as the list of walks for larger areas can be very long. An alternative way of searching is to use the Find a Walk tool.

We would like to include a short article for each of the areas on these pages. If an area has no article and you can send us a few hundred words about the area, pointing out its key attractions and other useful information, we would greatly appreciate it.