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After you leave the visitors centre at the entrance you first come to a reconstruction of a house from Skara Brae. The ceiling is made from hides covered with hay and dirt which then again has grass growing on it. You see shelves, a fireplace and beds.
Kirkwall is the main town on Orkney. In the middle of town is St Magnus Cathedral which is made from sandstone. There are lots of small streets with many arts&crafts shops and many good museums. Right next to the cathedral was this ruin of an old castle.
Stenness standing stones are right by the road side. All the bustours stop either here or at the Ring of Brodgar which is right nearby. Unfortunately there were too many busses at Brodgar so we couldn't stop. The Ring of Brodgar looked rather impressive from the window - it is also right by the road and you can easily make out the ring.The Stenness Standing stones looked to have fewer stones but was still impressive!Unfortunately a farmer had torn down some of the stones. I don't know why??Nearby is also Maes Howe a tomb from 2000BC with rune inscription on the walls (made by norwegian vikings in about 1150).
The Bronze Age Tomb of the Eagles is so-called because of the sea-eagle talons found inside. The farmer, Ronald Simison, discovered both the tomb and a Bronze age house nearby, and both have since been professionally excavated. A new visitor's centre opened in 2002, but it's still very much a family concern ..... when I've been Mr Simison himself has guided us. There's a lovely cliffside walk (with seals, of course) to finish your visit. Highly recommended.
If you are interested in history and archaeology, try to visit Rousay for a day. The ferry goes from St. Margaret's Hope and, when I visited, you could book a minibus day tour of the island (well worth it .... ask at the tourist information office in Kirkwall). The 'archaeological mile' is just one part of the island, a well-signed walk which includes a passage tomb, a broch, a ruined church and a Viking settlement as well as a beautiful bay. Rousay is wilder than Mainland but just as full of history and beauty.
The area which includes the Ring of Brodgar , Maes Howe and the Stones of Stenness is part of a huge 'ritual' prehistoric landscape (now a World Heritage site). There's more to see than just those three main sites....get an OS map and look at how many other tombs and monuments are nearby. Visit the excavated Bronze Age village next to the Stones of Stenness too. It's thought that the position of this particular part of the island ....between a freshwater loch and a seawater loch.......may have represented the link between the living and the ancestors. Whatever the beliefs of the past, it still holds its magic today.
When you visit Skara Brae, allow some time to explore the beautiful Bay of Skaill too. White sand, crystal-clear sea..........perfection. The cliffs to the east (towards the Brough of Birsay) are home to thousands of seabirds, so take your binoculars and go for an exhilarating walk!
Maes Howe on Orkney is Britain's most impressive chambered tomb.It dates back to 2000 BC. Inside there is graffiti which is believed to have been left by the Norsemen returning from the crusades in 1150. It is also thought to be linked with the chambered tomb at North Grange in Ireland.Tombs for the ancestors played a dominant role in the lifes of the early farming communities. They were built to last the centuries. The houses of Skara Brae consist of a square room with cells opening off it, just as the tomb of Maes Howe has a square burial chamber with side cells. It is estimated that some 500 stone built tombs survived in Scotland but few are intact. This is partly because in 19th century it was easier to break in through the roof than to find the entrance or because they were used later as handy sources of building stone. In Maes Howe there is a long terrifying journey through a low...
A wonderful place for a walk. The path takes you right along the cliff edge (not too close of course...) with a great view of the Atlantic.
Stromness is wonderful and deserves a page to itself! Follow this link to my Stromness Page
Smithfield Hotel Mainland Island
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Reviews and photos of Orkney attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Orkney sightseeing.
Q: I'm just beginning to plan a trip to Scotland and have decided on visiting Orkney. We will be there end of May beginning of June...
A: If you have a car then it will be extremely easy to travel around the islands...Mainland is linked by the Churchill barriers to Lamb Holm, Burray and South Ronaldsey....
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