Orkney Walking Holidays

• Walk through a land rich in Viking history and Orcadian hospitality.
• Listen to the cacophony of sea birds on the western cliffs.
• Step back in time and follow in the footsteps of Neolithic man at Skara Brae.
• Marvel at the rugged rocky architecture of the spectacular Old Man of Hoy.
• Look out for seals, porpoise and orcas rolling in the deep turbulent waters.

Few places in the British Isles feel quite like Orkney, a sprawling archipelago best explored on foot. Walking here means dramatic coastal trails, clifftop paths with sea views that stretch to the horizon, and a landscape layered with thousands of years of history. The archaeology alone is worth the journey: the Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae, and Maeshowe are among the finest Neolithic sites anywhere in the world, and out here they feel genuinely remote rather than roped off and crowded. Orkney mainland is home to the St Magnus Way, one of the UK's newest pilgrimage routes, and a walk steeped in the remarkable story of Orkney's own patron saint.

The wildlife is the other reason people fall for Orkney. Clifftop paths on the Isle of Hoy lead to the foot of the 140m Old Man of Hoy sea stack, where seabirds wheel and nest in their thousands. Head out to the North Isle of Westray between April and early August, and you're in prime puffin territory, one of those encounters that's hard to forget. 

A walking holiday on Orkney with Macs includes daily luggage transfers and 24/7 support. You'll overnight in cosy, well-located B&B's and have access to our award-winning app for navigation and helpful tips along the trail.