Walking tour in Orkney : Discover Orkney’s History, Culture & Wildlife

Walking on Orkney

6 Days & 5 Nights 4.5 Read 20 reviews

Discover Orcadian hospitality and a land rich in history
Follow in the footsteps of Neolithic man at Skara Brae
Listen to the cacophony of sea birds while walking clifftop paths
Walk to the spectacular Old Man of Hoy sea stack
Visit one of Kirkwall's whisky distilleries for a dram

Located off the Scottish mainland's northerly tip the islands of Orkney are the perfect place to switch off from the everyday and tune into the landscape surrounding you. Immerse yourself in history, Orcadian culture and wildlife on this twin-centre walking holiday on the far flung islands of Orkney. From Stromness, on the Orcadian mainland, hop across to the neighbouring Isle of Hoy. Walk along coastal paths, where the cliffs below throng with seabirds, to be rewarded with unrivaled views of the 140m tall Old Man of Hoy sea stack. Visit the world-renowned, UNESCO sites of Neolithic Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar and Maeshowe chambered cairn. Arrive in Kirkwall, where you'll spend your final 2 nights. This small town grew up around St Magnus Cathedral and is home to two whisky distilleries, Highland Park and Scapa. Bring your trip to a close with a small group tour of the Isle of Westray with a local expert guide. Discover the history of this little island and look out for curious seals bobbing in the surf.

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What To Expect

Travel restrictions and resources, to and from any destination

This walking holiday on Orkney is designed with variety in mind, allowing you the flexibility to discover this magical island on foot and at your own pace. Wander the island landscape peppered with Neolithic sites and mysterious standing stone circles. Linger long enough for great wildlife encounters and to take in the view before returning to your cozy accommodation after a hearty local dinner.

Tour Type:

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Activity:

Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.

This trip is suitable for:

Solo Travellers

Ideal if you have an interest in:

Islands
Whisky
Coastal Walking

Activity Level & Terrain

This trip is graded moderate. The walks vary in grade, from easy up to moderate—there may be some uphill and steeper sections, but these are not particularly long or challenging. The routes follow footpaths from good to vague on coastal trails, through open fields/land and sometimes along quiet country roads. Some routes also take in clifftop paths meaning this trip isn't suitable for those with severe vertigo. You could tailor the trip to avoid these sections or walk off the path further from the clifftop if your vertigo is less severe. Speak to one of our specialists if you have any questions.

The day's vary between 23.5 km (with 630 m ascent/descent) to a much shorter day of 5 km (21 m ascent/descent) to allow plenty of time for sightseeing and exploring the sites at Brodgar.

Navigation

As all the walks are self-guided you will be responsible for navigation, decision–making and safety during your trip. This route is largely not waymarked so we recommend being able to read a map and following the route via GPX tracks and route notes on our free, easy to use Macs Adventure smartphone app.

Accommodations

We use hand-picked 3-4* B&B's, guest houses and country hotels to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. All offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. We recommend that you book this trip early as the area is always popular and the hotels and inns do fill up early, especially during the summer months.

Single Rooms & Solo Walkers

This independent walking holiday is available to solo walkers but as all our holidays are priced per person based on two sharing there is a single supplement payable to cover the additional costs. If you require single rooms within your party we will of course try to accommodate your request subject to availability.

Meals

Breakfast is included each morning while lunch and dinner are not included so you are free to choose from the available options. Your accommodation may be able to provide a packed lunch on request, otherwise there are some small supermarkets/deli's where you can buy lunch and snacks for your walks. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or in the nearby pubs and restaurants in Stromness and Kirkwall.

Additional Nights

Many of our guests choose to add extra nights and these can be added at the time of booking.

Included

5 Nights in hand-picked accommodation
5 Breakfasts
Guided tour of the Isle of Westray
Baggage transfer and taxis (as per itinerary on days 3 and 4)
Information pack
Access to route notes, detailed maps, and GPS tracks in the Macs Adventure smartphone navigation app
24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office

Excluded

Travel to / from Orkney
Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks
Return ferries, paid locally, to Hoy (day 2) or Westray (day 5)
Entrance fees to specific sites and attractions
Personal equipment
Travel insurance (required)

Extras

Additional nights along the route

When To Go

This walking holiday is best enjoyed between early April and mid October. Orkney can be particularly popular during the summer months, so we advise you book as far in advance as you can if you plan to travel during the high season. Orkney has a cool temperate climate and being an island in the far north you can expect to experience changeable weather from sunshine to windy days and rain.

Getting to the Start

By Air: Loganair operates direct flights to Kirkwall from Glasgow (1hr 15min), Edinburgh (1hr 15min), Aberdeen (50min), Inverness (45min), which all have good UK/International connections.

By Ferry: The Northlink ferry company operates services between Aberdeen and Kirkwall (6 hrs) and between Scrabster and Stromness (1hr 30 min).

By Bus: Once on the islands you can get around by bus, local sevrices are operated by Stagecoach Orkney.

Luggage Transfer

Bag and taxi transfers are included on this trip on days 3 and 4 as per your itinerary. You won't need to carry more than a day bag on your walks. We ask you to limit your luggae to one bag of up to 20 kg / 44 lbs per person.

General Information

Isle of Westray Guided Tour - Availability

We recommend you don't begin your holiday on a Wednesday or Friday as this will coincide with the Westray guided tour falling on a Sunday and a Tuesday respectively (unfortunately the tour isn't possible on these dates due to a limited ferry timetable). Please speak to our Destination & Adventure specialists if you have any questions about this.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.

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Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive Stromness on Orkney Day 2 Walking on the Isle of Hoy 14.5 miles / 23.5 km

After a hearty Orcadian breakfast hop across to Moaness on a short ferry journey (25 mins) from Stromness.

Walk across the island of Hoy to the small settlement at Rackwick, complete with bothy and long sandy beach, from here the signposted path swings north towards the iconic sea stack named the Old Man of Hoy. An ascent of the sea stack is a classic route for rock climbers. From your clifftop vantage point look out for the puffins, guillemots, and kittiwakes who call these wild cliffs home. Return to Moaness passing Scotland's most northerly native wood to await the ferry back to Stromness for a well-earned pint of local ale alongside a dish of freshly caught seafood.

Overnight Stromness

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

The Royal Hotel | Hotel

A small family run hotel with 11 en-suite rooms and 2 self-contained annexes. Rooms are simply furnished and have all the amenities you need. There is a restaurant on site where you may enjoy the taste of Orkney’s finest produce and 3 bars serving local beer and whisky.

The Ferry Inn | Hotel

Situated on the harbour front on the heart of Stromness the Ferry Inn provides an ideal base your trip. They serve great all day food in the cracking community bar. The Inn boasts a restaurant with pub and a la carte menus centred around fresh local produce - fantastic seafood, great beef and lamb, home baked breads and desserts (along with interesting vegetarian options).

Stromness Hotel | Hotel

Established in 1901 this historic hotel is perfectly situated to enjoy the many walks in the area. The hotel offers comfortable accommodation in a relaxed setting. The bay windows of the Hamnavoe Bar look out over the picturesque harbour, why not sample an award-winning Orkney Ale? There's also a restaurant - the Scapa Flow - serving locally sourced Orcadian dishes.

Day 3 Walk from Skara Brae to Stromness 12 miles / 19 km Day 4 Walk from the Ring of Brodgar to Stenness and transfer to Kirkwall 3.5 miles / 5.5 km

A morning transfer brings you to the Ring of Brodgar, beautifully situated on a land bridge between the lochs of Stenness and Harray. Today's short walk allows plenty of time to amble around the Ring of Brodgar, a renowned stone circle, the 5000 year old standing stones of Stenness, restored Neolithic barnhouse village and Maes Howe chambered cairn. If you're a history enthusiast we highly recommend a guided tour of the cairn's interior - only accessble ona pre-booked guided visit, but well worth it to see the best example of Viking runic writings within.

Meet your return transfer in the little town of Stenness from where you’ll head east to Kirkwall, the island’s capital, for an overnight stay. Why not fill the afternoon with a visit to Highland Park Distillery, or to the nearby but more remote Scapa Distillery? Take a tour and sample a dram or two before enjoying dinner in one of the town's pubs or restaurants.

Overnight Kirkwall

Accommodations

A sample of our typical carefully chosen accommodation in this location. Where you stay will vary depending on availability, but will be a similar standard.

Hildeval B&B | Guest House

Hildeval is a lovely 4* B&B just a 10 minute walk from the harbour with views over across Kirkwall Bay and the North Isles. Breakfast is a delicous affair with plenty of choice; fresh fruit, cereals and a traditional Orkney breakfast or continental if preferred.

Kirkwall Hotel | Hotel

One of Orkney's finest Victorian buildings, the Kirkwall Hotel is situated on the picturesque harbour front. Despite it's large size, the hotel has 36 rooms, you can expect a warm-Orcadian welcome at this family-run hotel. Enjoy a harbour-view restaurant offering an extensive menu of the best local produce on offer, relaxing lounge, function rooms, lounge bar and public bar.