Walking on Orkney

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.

Activity Level & Terrain

This trip is graded easy to moderate. The trails include daily distances of around 5 to 9km (3 to 6 mi) and it is generally a low-level (albeit undulating) walk with elevation levels never exceeding 250m. The walks are gentle and manageable and can be completed at your own pace. If you would like to increase your distances, this is possible and transfers can be eliminated, please read “Choice of Walks” below.

The routes follow a combination of footpaths, coastal trails, and tracks through open fields, and occasionally you'll walk along quiet country roads in rural Orkney. Some walks take in clifftop paths and therefore 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.

If you are thinking of travelling solo, please consider that mobile phone coverage may be patchy along remote sections of the trail.

Navigation

The walks are partially waymarked and easy to follow. Navigation is straightforward as you can use the Macs Adventure Smartphone App which has maps, GPS tracks, Points of Interest, and daily route information. Simply download the GPS tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone with the assurance that navigation will be simple, and you can’t get lost.

You will find more information on downloading the app in your Macs Adventure Account.

Experience & Fitness

This route is suitable for most regular walkers of average fitness. You should train by walking some daily walks of similar daily distances to your planned itinerary.

• 5 Nights in hand-picked accommodation
• 5 Breakfasts
• Guided tour by minibus of the Isle of Westray
• Luggage transfer between Stromness and Kirkwall
• Taxi transfers on Days 2, 3 and 4
• Trip Information Pack
• Access to route notes, maps, and GPS tracks via the Macs Adventure navigation app
• 24/7 Emergency telephone support

• Travel to / from Orkney
• Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks
• Return ferries to the Isle of Hoy and the Isle of Westray
• Admission to Skara Brae and Maeshowe
• Personal equipment
• Travel insurance (required)

• Additional nights along the route

When To Go

This walking holiday is best enjoyed between early April and mid-October. 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.

In our opinion, one of the most beautiful times to visit is in spring when colourful wildflowers bloom forming a beautiful contrast with the landscape. Travel between April and early August to be in the best chance of seeing puffins on the Isle of Westray. July and August are the busiest months and accommodations tend to fill up fast. At this time of year, Orkney enjoys the longest hours of daylight in Scotland! For a quieter experience, the ideal months are May/June and September. We recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment, especially when travelling in a group.

Isle of Westray Guided Tour: In 2023 it is not possible to begin this tour on a Tuesday or Wednesday as this will coincide with the Westray guided tour falling on a Saturday or Sunday 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.

Getting to the Start

Orkney is remote yet very accessible and can be reached by plane to Kirkwall, or by ferry to Stromness. There are no direct international flights to Kirkwall Airport so we recommend flying from Glasgow (duration: 1h15m), Edinburgh (duration: 1h15m), Aberdeen (duration: 50m), or Inverness (duration: 45m). The flights to Orkney are typically in small planes with few passengers with Loganair, a Scottish regional airline.

If you would like to travel from Kirkwall Airport to Stromness by public transport, you can use the island bus service. The local bus takes you from the airport into Kirkwall (duration: 10 min), then Stromness (duration: 30 min). If you would prefer getting a taxi transfer from Kirkwall Airport to your accommodation in Stromness we can organize this for you. Please speak to one of our specialists if this is of interest.

If you are planning on traveling to Orkney by ferry to Stromness, NorthLink Ferries operates services between Aberdeen and Kirkwall (duration: 6h) and between Scrabster and Stromness (duration: 1h30m).

Luggage Transfer

Your baggage will be transferred from your accommodation in Stromness to Kirkwall on Day 4 so it can be moved onto your next overnight accommodation. You won't need to carry more than a day bag on your walks. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20 kg per person.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase.  Your booking includes a transfer of 1 bag per person. It is important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

General Information

Local Ferries

Local ferries are not included in the cost of this tour. As you are traveling as a foot passenger without a car, it is not necessary to book this in advance. You can pay on board during the crossing, or if you wish to do so you can pre-book and pay for your tickets in advance. More information on ferries is provided in your Trip Information Pack.

The Heart of Neolithic Orkney

The Heart of Neolithic Orkney is UNESCO-listed and consists of 4 outstanding archaeological sites, all of which can be visited as part of this tour: Skara Brae, Maeshowe, the Standing Stones of Stenness, and the Ring of Brodgar. Visits are not included in the cost of this tour. Please note that all visits to Skara Brae as well as a visit to Maeshowe Chambered Cairn must be booked in advance to guarantee entry. This is a quick and easy process, more information is provided in your Trip Information Pack.

Guided tour of the Isle of Westray

This is a full-day guided group tour of the island’s wildlife and history of the Isle of Westray and it is included in your tour. Lunch and refreshments are also included starting with coffee and tea. Although this is a guided minibus tour, you will get out and about exploring the local attractions and landmarks on foot. You will be collected upon arrival and at the end of the day, you will be transferred back to the ferry terminal for the journey back to Kirkwall. Further details will be provided upon booking.

Equipment

Our pre-departure information pack has detailed advice and a packing list of what to bring. This includes walking gear, hiking boots, rain gear, day pack, and other specifics.

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.