VERDICT: We gave 4 out of 5 tickets and here’s why!
This guide forms part of our complete United Kingdom Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across the UK.
Orkney offers something few places can: a genuine sense of perspective. Standing among ancient stones with nothing but wind and sea around you, it’s impossible not to feel connected to the land, to history, and to something far older than ourselves. For travellers seeking meaning, not just movement, Orkney isn’t optional. It’s essential.
Orkney Islands: Scotland at Its Most Ancient and Untamed
Orkney, also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The name Orkneys is also sometimes used, but ask a local and they will say it is consider to be outdated. The islands have been inhabited for at least 8,000 years, originally occupied by Mesolithic and Neolithic tribes and later by the Picts.
The Orkney Islands feel like a place at the edge of time. Windswept, wide open, and deeply atmospheric, this archipelago off Scotland’s north coast offers something rare in modern travel: silence, space, and stories that stretch back over 5,000 years. Here, Neolithic stone circles stand closer to the present than the Roman Empire, seabirds outnumber people, and the land itself feels alive with memory.
Extended Visitor Guide: Orkney Islands
⭐ Top 10 Must-See Sites in Orkney
- Skara Brae: Europe’s best-preserved prehistoric village, older than the pyramids.
- Ring of Brodgar: A vast, mysterious stone circle set between lochs.
- Stones of Stenness: Dramatic standing stones with powerful presence.
- Yesnaby Cliffs: Towering sea cliffs and relentless Atlantic views.
- Maeshowe: A masterpiece of prehistoric engineering aligned with the winter solstice.
- Kirkwall: Orkney’s cultural hub and gateway to the islands.
- St Magnus Cathedral: Red sandstone beauty and Norse legacy.
- Scapa Flow: One of the world’s great natural harbours with wartime history.
- Brough of Birsay: Walkable at low tide, rich in Viking and Pictish remains.
- Skail Bay: Wild beach beside Skara Brae with sweeping views.
🚗 Getting Around Orkney (You’ll Want a Car)
• Renting a car is essential for flexibility
• Roads are quiet, scenic, and well-maintained
• Ferries connect mainland Orkney to smaller islands
• Distances are short, scenery slows you down (in a good way)
Pro tip: Build time for weather changes, Orkney sets the schedule, not you.
🗿 Neolithic Orkney (World Heritage Focus)
Orkney is home to the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes Skara Brae, Maeshowe, the Ring of Brodgar, and the Stones of Stenness. Nowhere else in Europe offers such a dense concentration of prehistoric monuments in such a dramatic natural setting.
🌊 Wild Coastlines & Nature
• Yesnaby Cliffs
• Marwick Head seabird colonies
• Old Man of Hoy sea stack
• Storm-watching in winter, endless light in summer
This is raw Scotland – no filters required.
🦅 Wildlife & Birdlife
• Puffins, guillemots, razorbills
• Seals along quiet beaches
• Orcas occasionally spotted offshore
• Migratory birds in spring and autumn
Bring binoculars, you’ll use them daily.
⚓ Viking & Wartime History
• Norse place names across the islands
• Scapa Flow naval history
• Churchill Barriers (WWII engineering marvel)
• Italian Chapel, built by POWs during WWII
🍽 Local Food & Drink (Orkney Style)
• Fresh seafood: crab, lobster, scallops
• Orkney beef and lamb
• Local cheeses and oatcakes
• World-class whisky from Highland Park Distillery
Simple, honest, unforgettable.
🎟 Practical Visitor Information
• Many outdoor sites are free to visit
• Maeshowe requires advance booking
• Best months: May–September for daylight & access
• Winter visits offer drama, solitude, and stormy beauty
📜 A Short History of Orkney
Orkney’s history stretches back over 6,000 years, shaped by Neolithic settlers, Norse rule, Scottish clans, and global conflict during two world wars. For centuries, Orkney looked north to Scandinavia as much as south to Scotland, and that identity still runs deep in its culture, language, and traditions.
With every trip, we offer feedback to travel companies along with honest views for you, the reader. We rate adventures on a scale of one to five tickets, judged on quality, service, memorability, and price. A perfect ‘Ticket Rating’ of a five-ticket score means the experience was flawless. Your desire to go back is the ultimate measure of a trip’s worth. Exclusive to My Return Ticket. This article was provided via a guest traveller.
