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UK travel

Welcome to our UK travel forum where you can get advice on everything from holidays to exotic destinations, to tips on London travel.

Original poster

Anyone been to Orkney?

39 replies

hellsBells246 · 30/12/2023 16:49

Thoughts?

I'd love to go and see the wildlife and the ancient settlements like Skara Brae.

Does anyone have any recommendations of things to do/see or places to stay?

Are there shops?! Will have to Google.

Thanks!

OP posts:
Outofmydepthnow · 30/12/2023 20:51

If you want the kind of shops that you get on the mainland, i.e. chain shops and all the normal things that you can find in Edinburgh or Aberdeen, then forget it.

However, if you are after boutiques and things which are amazingly different and the entire reason to going for Orkney, then you will be gorgeously surprised if that's not your thing, then please stay home

umberellaonesie · 30/12/2023 20:57

We went in May it was very busy and we couldn't get in to scarabrae as hadn't booked in advance. Also struggled to book restaurant even before we arrived

MaisyMary77 · 30/12/2023 21:25

I’m originally from Orkney. There’s so many places to go. Brough of Birsay, Tormiston Mill, Ring of Brodgar, ferry over to Eynhallow the haunted isle.

Day trip to Stronsay, hire a bike and visit Rothiesholm Bay (pronounced Rouzem, possibly one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been to) and Vat of Kirbister/Lamb Head.

Stromness has a nice little high street with little boutique galleries and gift stores. There’s a large co-op just out of town.

Kirkwall has a good sized Tesco as well as a fantastic cathedral-St Magnus. Also plenty of lovely little shops & cafes.

Skara Brae is definitely worth seeing, it’s changed so much since I lived there, as a girl I could cycle up and just wander around! Now there’s a great visitors centre. Skaill house is close by, it has a very interesting museum.

Then there’s the Churchill Barriers, Scapa Flow and the scuttled German fleet. The Italian Chapel. This is all the stuff I can think of for now but there’s a lot more! Oh-if you take the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness, watch out for the Old Man of Hoy. 🙂

StraigonaBB · 30/12/2023 23:38

I'm afraid that would be a vast exaggeration. There is no way there could be 100k visitors here. There is no way of that many folk getting here or enough accommodation if they were to stay. The busiest cruise day brings around 7k pax, not all of them disembark and most days are a lesser number. There are two ferries from mainland operating a max of 3 times a day, they couldn't cover a fraction of that number and our planes carry 34-48 passengers.

MrsAmaretto · 30/12/2023 23:47

StraigonaBB · 30/12/2023 23:38

I'm afraid that would be a vast exaggeration. There is no way there could be 100k visitors here. There is no way of that many folk getting here or enough accommodation if they were to stay. The busiest cruise day brings around 7k pax, not all of them disembark and most days are a lesser number. There are two ferries from mainland operating a max of 3 times a day, they couldn't cover a fraction of that number and our planes carry 34-48 passengers.

Sorry it was 30,000. Don’t know where 100k came from! it was the year when that massive cruise ship was doing the north of Scotland (the world?) maybe 2018? and Orkney had its busiest day ever with the number of cruise ships in for one day, and the number of day trips they estimated that was how many people were on the islands. Utterly bonkers, I know!

Anyway I digress, the point was the OP needs to book fast as Orkney is not the off the beaten track undiscovered place people think and accommodation gets booked up fast :)

haggisaggis · 31/12/2023 00:02

We went in April 2019. Had to book our accommodation months in advance (we did need pet friendly though which may have made a difference). Stayed in Stromness. We loved the islands and want to go back but did find eating out surprisingly bad. Very few restaurants open at that time. There were plenty small shops in Stromness to buy food etc, and some nice gift shops. Kirkwall better for supermarkets.

Peasand · 31/12/2023 00:04

There’s a Tesco and a lidle in Kirkwall. The tourist infrastructure is very scarce

Original poster
hellsBells246 · 31/12/2023 00:46

Outofmydepthnow · 30/12/2023 20:51

If you want the kind of shops that you get on the mainland, i.e. chain shops and all the normal things that you can find in Edinburgh or Aberdeen, then forget it.

However, if you are after boutiques and things which are amazingly different and the entire reason to going for Orkney, then you will be gorgeously surprised if that's not your thing, then please stay home

No. I meant supermarkets.

OP posts:
Outofmydepthnow · 31/12/2023 07:19

Lidl and Tesco in Kirkwall and Co-Op in Stromness . Lots of local food shops though producing local goods who would appreciate your money. However understand the need for household goods and all these supermarkets are well stocked.

Shoppingfiend · 31/12/2023 07:25

Are there cruise ships at this time of year does anyone know?

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 31/12/2023 09:10

Oh-if you take the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness, watch out for the Old Man of Hoy. 🙂

I loved the ferry from Scrabster. The OMOH was a huge highlight, for a little girl brought up on Blue Peter and outdoor sports.

StraigonaBB · 31/12/2023 10:27

Cruise liners are in abundance - work is in progress to manage these better! - from May to September, not many outside of this. Check out Orkney Harbours website where there is a list of the booked cruise ships. Much as we think there are too many on certain days there are plenty of places they don't go and plenty of advice on when to time your visits to the 'must see's' so that you don't have hordes there at the same time. Bear in mind also that there is a lot less accommodation available thanks to Scottish Government's ill thought out Short Term Let licensing. Come before 2026 when ScotGov also intend to slap a bed tax on our visitors too.

MsPavlichenko · 31/12/2023 10:30

Orkney is busy all year round now so you should look to book asap .

aSwarmOfMidgies · 31/12/2023 10:36

One week in May is particularly busy due to music festival - There may be other events

Sone attractions get booked out by cruise liners also ( although sometimes you get in anyway ) - So plan or be flexible but the archaeology is stunning

It's windy and can be quite cold

Shops can be expensive ( especially those aimed at those cruise ships )

We saw puffins

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