5 Reasons to visit Orkney
Billy and I recently got back from Orkney, a northern archipelago of 70 individual islands (of which only 20 are inhabited!) and had the most amazing time exploring what Orkney had to offer for 4 days.
I’ve always been a bit apprehensive to visit Orkney as I was worried that the road conditions may not be great / I wasn’t sure about taking a ferry over that way with our car and you know, just being on an island off the mainland weirdly scared me for some reason! But I am here to tell you that whilst exploring Orkney I couldn’t help but think “this would be such an excellent road trip for a first time road tripper in Scotland”
So without further adieu, here’s why you should put Orkney down as your next Scottish adventure
“IN SCOTLAND, WHEN PEOPLE CONGREGATE, THEY TEND TO ARGUE AND DISCUSS AND REASON; IN ORKNEY, THEY TELL STORIES”
- GEORGE MACKAY BROWN
The Easiest Roadtrip Ever
When we first started exploring Scotland we did so at half the reccomended driving speed because the potholes in the highlands can be extreme (especially in places like Skye!) given we had explored so much of this bonnie country, I was terrified at the prospect of bursting a tyre somewhere of the northern coast of Scotland and not getting back to the mainland.
So when we arrived on Orkney at 8.30pm, in the dark, having never been there before… I was a tad nervous!
But i was pleasantly surprised to find the conditions of the roads some of thee best in Scotland (the next best being in Shetland). Even the ‘country’ roads rival that of the suburban streets in Edinburgh and make this one of the most car friendly, safest roads to drive on in Scotland, especially when driving a campervan which is what we did on our trip with Staycation Orkney!There’s over 70 islands to explore
From the mainland of Orkney to Hoy, to Westray, Shapinsay, Papa Westray, Rousay, Graemsay…you’re starting to get the point? There’s such a variety of isles to visit and they’re all accessible by ferry! Note that some are only accessed by pedestrian ferrys but you can find timetables on Northlink Ferries or Orkney Ferries.
During the off season the timetable will be reduced, but even with us travelling just before spring we found it very straight forward to book our inter island ferries at times that suited!Beaches rival the carribean
When the sun hit the waters across Orkney you’d find it hard to believe that you’re in Scotland! Azure coastlines honestly rival some carribean destinations and the crystal clear waters BECKON you to jump in for a swim. Even in the off season a cold dip can be thoroughly enjoyed (and encouraged) whilst visitng Orkney and its surrounding isles.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can look into water sport activities like surfing, stand up paddle boarding and more!5000 years of history
Orkney is home to some of the most incredible Neolithic sites, one being Skara Brae which has the best preserved Neolithic settlements in Western Europe. Not only that, Orkney is home to the Ring of Brodgar, the Stennes Standing Stones, unchambered cairns and so much more. I’m a HUGE history and heritage enthusiast when it comes to Scotlands past, so visting Orkney and seeing some of these sites was absolutely incredible.
Outside of the mainland there are plenty of sites to visit, including Cra’as Nest museum on the Island of Hoy, a traditional crofting house and fishermen den with loads of old photographs, newspaper clippings and furniture that steps you back in time when visiting. I find these sites so fascinating (and sometimes a wee bit spooky!) but they’re a must visit for any fellow history buff!A perfect all season destination
Orkney can get very busy in the warmer seasons, and rightly so! The start of the busy period kicks off with Easter and is followed by the Orkney Folk Festival, so I think visiting just before or slightly after the busy season is a grea time to visit! The water is going to be chilly anyway, so why not swim when you have the beach to yourself?! You’ll be able to book ferries and activiteis with more ease, you won’t have to fight for a wild camping site and it’ll cost you less to visit in the off season too!
Orkney truely is beautiful all year around, and even if the wind is howling, the mist is rolling in and you’re getting lashed with sideways rain, remember that “todays rain is tomorrows whisky” and my own personal favorite, if you’re not wet in Scotland, you havenae been to Scotland!
So what do you think? Have we convinced you to visit Orkney as your next epic Scottish adventure (or perhaps your first?!) Let us know in the comments below!
