Writing my last blog about Key West and the Florida Keys, it struck me how much that the Keys had in common with the Orkney Islands . Both are archipelagoes situated off their mainlands; both have man-made structures to connect the islands; both have deep-water ports which allows cruise ships to dock; both have an independent culture distinct from the mainland; both have a great independent food scene; and both have a wealth of activities and places to visit far greater than their relatively small size and population might suggest. I felt compelled therefore to revisit my old images...
I visited the Orkney islands on five occasions during the mid 2010s. Although these images date from that period, the travel research below is up to date for 2024...
Getting to Orkney you have a number of options. Today in 2024, Loganair fly direct from both Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports in Scotland. Seemingly having a monoploy on direct flights to the island, this is however an expensive option. A car ferry from Gill's Bay (near John O' Groats) is a less expensive option and is coming out at around £130 (car only) for the 90 minute crossing with Pentland Ferries. (the Orkney Islands are around 10 miles off the coast of Northern Scotland).
The islands are relatively small although the sites of interest are quite spread out across the islands, so you would struggle without transport. On each occassion a car was hired from the airport for my stays there. Self-catering is very popular and there are a number of stunning properties - many have stunning views such as the one above. If staying in a hotel the largest town and capital, Kirkwall , would be the best option as it's a central location and has most of the island's restaurants, as well as a number of its attractions.
The Orkney islands comprise of around 70 islands of which 20 are inhabited in the 21st century. The largest island, the Mainland, has the largest settlements in the form of the capital, Kirkwall, and the smaller town of Stromness. It is connected by a series of causeways, (known as the Churchill barriers) to South Ronaldsay, Burray, Lamb Holm, and Glimps Holm. The causeways were constructed by Italian prisoners of war during World War 2 as a natural barrier to prevent German U-boats entering the natural harbour of Scapa Flow after the sinking of HMS Royal Oak in 1939.
St. Magnus cathedral in the capital, Kirkwall is known as the 'Light in the North' and dates from 1137. Founded by the Viking Earl Rognvald, whose Uncle St. Magnus was martryred in the Orkney islands, it forms the most northerly cathedral in the UK. It is a beautiful cathedral constructed from red sandstone and its Norse origins means it has a number of interesting artefacts not seen in other UK cathedrals. When I first arrived in Orkney in 2014, I was really struck by the similarity between the Orcadian flag and that of Norway. Not surprising really when you consider that the Orkney islands were once part of Norway, until Christian I of Norway failed to pay the dowry of his daughter Margaret, who married James III of Scotland in 1469. So the Orkney Islands were annexed by the Scottish crown in 1472.
The cathedral has had several restorations during its long life, the most recent of which was during the 1930s. It is definitely worth a look to see the Norse artefacts we don't see in other cathedrals across the UK.
Orkney's Norse past is evident everywhere: not just in the Norwegian-inspired flag, but in place names and even the dialect. The local dialect is more atune to Scandanavian pronunciation than Scottish; and the locals do prefer to being referred to as Orcadians rather than Scots. I remembered this whilst down in the Florida Keys where locals similarly prefer 'Conchs' to 'Floridians'.
Orkney also has some amazing Neolithic structures across the islands which are considered to be amongst the best-preserved in Northern Europe. The Ring of Brodgar is one of the largest stone circles in the UK with a diammeter of 104m. Unusually, it is very nearly a perfect circle and ranks with Stongehenge and Avebury as the best stone circles in the UK. Current thinking is that it dates from between 2400- 2600BC, making the stone circle around 5,000 years old. It is the last neolithic structure to have been built on Orkney. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site.
Another major Neolithic site not to be missed is the village settlement of Skara Brae, situated on the West Coast of the mainland. Cocooned in sand for millenia, these 5,000 year old structures are remarkably preserved and were excavated in the 1850s-1860s. These give a gimpse of life in the Neolithic era and have been described as the "best preserved Neolithic structures in Northern Europe". They are situated around five miles West from the Ring of Broadgar.
Fast forwarding to the twentieth century, another attraction not to be missed is the Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm, constructed by Italian prisoners of war during World War 2. Look closely: these are Nissen huts but the Italian craftsmen used their skills to produce something quite amazing. They say necessity is the mother of invention so look carefully at some of the aretfacts in the Church on display. The lanterns were created out of baked bean cans!
The Orkney islands are rightly renowned for its beaches. With the fine sand, crystal clear waters and absence of pollution or commercialism, if the weather is kind it is possible to imagine yourself in the Caribbean. A particuarly unusual beach was that located at Birsay, located in the NW corner of the Mainland. At low tide the retreating shoreline reveals rockpools teaming with life; whilst a concrete causeway allows visitors to make their way to the Brough of Birsay . Here you can see the remains of a Norse settlement and a ruined Romanesque Church that was the place of pilgrimige in the Middle Ages. It is also a favourite with bird watchers as a good spot to see the island's puffin colonies. Before setting off over the causeway be sure to check the tide times as it's easy to become stuck as the tide tends to come in quickly in this location.
Whisky (always spelt without the 'e' in Scotland) tasting is possible also on the island and I indulged in this too whilst on the Mainland. Highland Park Distillery has been making whisky the same way for around 220 years in Kirkwall. It claims the most northerly distillery in Scotland (though not the UK), being on a similar latitude to that of Anchorage, Alaska, in the USA. The tours were both friendly and informative although for 2024 these are closed whilst the distillery undergoes some environmental upgrades which will reduce their direct carbon emissions by 20%. It is due to re-open at the end of 2024 but best check their website to see the current status. The gift shop however is still open.
Orkney's climate is very changeable owing to its exposed position to the Atlantic Ocean and its Northerly latitude - it sits almost directly underneath the position of the Jet Stream in the upper atmosphere. This means the climate is very windy, even in summer. Orcadians have taken full advantage this, as you will see wind turbines accross the island. In 2019 it was reported that Orkney now generates more electricity than it can use from renewable energy sources and so it leads the UK in its use of generation and usage of renewable power.
I was told once in Orkney "if you don't like the weather in Orkney, wait 5 minutes: it will change!" This changeable weather makes for changeable light also, and from a photographer's perspective I found it makes for some interesting photographs. I found the sunrises and sunsets particularly spectacular. It is also worth pointing out in the summer months you don't really get complete darkness at night at this latitude, more perpetual twilight.
Orkney has a lot to offer for a relatively small place, as I said at the start of this blog, a distinction it shares with the Florida Keys. It has a rich history, beautiful unspoilt beaches, and lots of activities to offer as well as great local produce to savour. I am happy to have discovered this magical and mystical corner of the UK and would highly recommend it as a place to relax away from the fast pace of modern life.