Orkney is a nature and history lover’s dream, full of UNESCO World Heritage Neolithic sites and outstanding natural beauty covering every inch of it. It isn’t a built-up tourist trap like Edinburgh – not that we would tell you not to go to Edinburgh; it’s incredible in its own right – but if you want an area of Scotland that you’ll completely fall in love with, Orkney is the place to visit.
Only around 173,000 tourists visit Orkney (Visit Scotland) compared to more than 5 million in Edinburgh, and the relaxed, rich Scottish heritage experience you get shows in the more serene, tranquil pace of life there.
Below, we’ll help you plan a weekend in Orkney with some of the best things to do.
Getting to Orkney From Edinburgh
If you’re renting a motorhome from the Ariescape base in Edinburgh, it’s a bit far to go. It’s roughly 222 miles and will take around 7 hours and 30 minutes. But if you’re spending a long weekend in Scotland, we’d recommend picking up a motorhome in the morning, driving halfway, and stopping at Inverness. Inverness is beautiful, and the drive only takes just over 3 hours.
You could arrive on Thursday, do half of the journey, and arrive at the ferry for Orkney from Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope, and that takes around an hour and a half.
But if you’re renting a motorhome, all of this is done in comfortable luxury. It doesn’t feel the same as being trapped in a small rental car; you could travel a lot longer than 7 hours, so don’t let that put you off.
The Best Things To Do For a Weekend in Orkney
The UNESCO World Neolithic Site
Most people visit Orkney for the UNESCO World Neolithic Sites. Well, it’s one site full of archaeological treasures that form the UNESCO Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site. Granted, since 1999, the four incredible monuments you’ll find there, Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Standing Stones of Stenness, and the Maeshowe chambered tomb, tell a story of the history of Orkney and its sophisticated Neolithic society.
They’re all located in the West Mainland of Orkney, and you can walk between the main clusters – Ring of Brodgar, Standing Stones of Stenness, and Ness of Brodgar. You will need transport to get to Skara Brae and Maeshowe, but that’s easy to sort on the day when you’re in Orkney.
The Old Man of Hoy
The Old Man of Hoy is an iconic spot on the island. Standing at 137 metres high, it’s one of the tallest sea stacks in the British Isles that forms part of the Orkney archipelago off the north coast of Scotland. It’s probably the most famous and most-visited site in Orkney, but you have to see it in person to understand why it’s so popular. The red sandstone stands so tall, and it’s not uncommon to see people rock climbing up it.
There’s not exactly much to do there, other than to stand and look at it, but it definitely is worth standing and looking at.
Visit Windwick Bay
Another natural viewpoint for you, but Windwick Bay is stunning, and, you guessed it, well worth a visit. If you follow the signposted east coast route, you’ll get to the cliffs standing above Windwick Bay – there, you’ve got the most incredible and definitely Instagrammable view.
Depending on the time of year and if you get lucky, you’ll also see some seals. Autumn is the best time of year to go if you want to see seal pups.
Note: the car park is small, but if you go early enough, you’ll be able to find a parking spot.
From the bay, you can also get to the beautiful network of walks in South Ronaldsay.
Kirkwall Town
Orkney isn’t big, and you can get to all of the places we’ve mentioned so far within a day. Instead, what we would advise is taking life a bit slower and not rushing to see everything in one day. Stop in Kirkwall town for lunch and to walk around (if it’s not raining). We’d highly recommend eating at Twenty One or The Storehouse Restaurant. There are other options if you want to look at TripAdvisor or Google to find something you like, but those two are perfect options for good food and drinks.
If you’re planning to spend longer than a weekend there, there’s plenty more you can do. You’ve got the famous Highland Park Distillery, the Italian chapel, or the WW2 wrecks at Scapa Flow.
We couldn’t recommend Orkney more. It’s small, yes, and it definitely doesn’t have the best reputation for weather – you can’t get more north of Scotland than Orkney. But the outstanding natural beauty and tranquil experiences you get in return are well worth the travel.