Visiting Orkney In Winter

When you say you’re visiting Orkney in winter, some people might give you strange looks. They’ll tell you that it’s the wrong season; nothing’s open, the weather’s horrible. Well they’re clearly not in the know, because winter in Orkney can be a fantastic time to explore!

Yes, the weather is changeable and you might have clear skies one day then snow the next. But I doubt you were travelling to the northern isles to work on your suntan anyway! What you’ll find is that most of the iconic places to visit in Orkney are either free to visit at will or open all year round anyway. In fact, you’re likely to get usually crowded spots entirely to yourself!

I spent three January nights in Orkney and wasn’t short for things to do. I could easily have filled a whole week with everything I missed out in the north of the islands. This is what visiting Orkney in winter looks like.

How To Get To Orkney

There are a few different options for how to get to Orkney at any time of year. The quickest is simply flying with LoganAir which takes just over an hour from either Glasgow or Edinburgh. Remember though that if you want to really make the most of your trip then you may need to hire a car!

Most people will take the ferry to Orkney and again, you’ve got choices here. Northlink Ferries run a service from Aberdeen, stopping at Kirkwall before heading onto Shetland, but not every evening. Their service from the north coast port of Scrabster heads to Stromness in 90 minutes, twice a day.

For this trip, I took the Pentland Ferries service from Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope. It took just over an hour and cost £114 return for me and the car. Bear in mind that the drive from Edinburgh to Gills Bay takes around 5-6 hours although there are plenty of places to stop on the way. You might even want to add it onto this trip along the Caithness coastline!

Skara Brae Prehistoric Village

Starting off with a bang, Skara Brae Prehistoric Village is without a doubt the top thing to see in Orkney. Built over 5000 years ago, these collection of stone houses were perfectly preserved under sand and turn until a great storm revealed them in 1850. The site is open all year round and thanks to visiting Orkney in winter, I got it all to myself!

If you thought that people were primitive in Neolithic times then a walk through Skara Brae will change your mind. Sheltered corridors lead to rooms with boxbeds surrounding a central hearth. There are special stone dressers, a cool space to preserve food and containers that may have held anything from freshwater to fishing bait. Best of all, running below the houses is a functioning drainage, sewer system!

After around 700 years of use, Skara Brae was abandoned in 2500 BC and we have absolutely no idea why! You had better stop by for a visit, soak in the atmosphere and make up your own mind.

Ring of Brodgar

Roughly the same age as Skara Brae and not very far away, you’ll find two of Scotland’s most incredible stone circles. The first of these is the Ring of Brodgar, the largest stone circle in Scotland at 104 metres diameter and once comprised of 60 stones. Only 27 remain standing but that makes it no less impressive!

The Ring of Brodgar is one of Historic Scotland’s many free, outdoor sites on the islands so you don’t have to worry on your Orkney winter trip. The ground can get a little boggy so wear waterproof boots, especially if its snowing like on my visit.

Local folklore claims that these stones were all originally nocturnal giants who once roamed the islands. One night, a giant played his fiddle and the others began to dance. They spun round and round in a perfect circle, getting faster and faster, forgetting to watch the time. The giants were so engrossed in the dance that the sun came up and turned them all to stone.

You can still spot the fiddler who also turned to stone, just a little bit away from the others.

Stones of Stenness

The second gargantuan monument at the heart of Neolithic Orkney is the Standing Stones of Stenness. Not only are the stones themselves enormous, they also make up the oldest stone circle henge in the British Isles. They’ve had a tough life though.

There are four upright stones still standing, the largest around 6 metres tall. Erected around 5400 years ago, evidence suggests this was the very first of its kind anywhere. From Orkney, whatever the idea was behind the Stones of Stenness spread, reaching right through Scotland, out to the Western Isles and all the way south to Stonehenge in England.

Originally there were 12 stones, plus an outlier with a hole in it known as the Odin Stone – a reminder of Orkney’s Viking past. Even in the 19th century, locals clasped hands through the hole to make oaths or confirm their engagements. That was until December 1814 when a Captain Mackay began destroying them.

He was a newcomer to Orkney and claimed the locals were damaging his land to visit the stones. He smashed the Odin Stone into pieces and began toppling the Stones of Stenness! Luckily he was stopped before he got to all of them!

This is another site perfect for visiting Orkney in the winter, outside and entirely free to enjoy at your leisure!

Maeshowe & Other Chambered Cairns

If the weather turns against you, then you might fancy heading indoors. That doesn’t mean you not to cease your exploration of ancient monuments though! Orkney is littered with chambered cairns, essentially stone built tombs, some excavated while others remain undisturbed. These pointy mounds are pretty obvious even to the untrained eye and the most iconic of all is Maeshowe.

Inside, gigantic stone slabs line the passageway and you can see fascinating Viking rune graffiti! There are three chambers inside for holding the remains of ancestors, although any rituals or meaning behind the cairn has been lost. Probably the biggest reason for visiting Orkney in winter is that for about 6 weeks around the Winter Solstice, light shines through the Maeshowe entrance and lights up the inside.

This monument isn’t free, you can only get inside with a guide from the visitor centre and unfortunately, there’s no photography allowed inside. There are other chambered cairns to be found though, smaller but accessible at any time. I visited Unstan Cairn for these internal pictures and it gives you an idea of Maeshowe on a smaller scale.

Ophir Round Church & The Earl’s Bu

Leaving the Neolithic history behind, there’s plenty more to see on an Orkney winter trip. These islands are famous for their Viking history and there’s even an old Icelandic history dedicated to the islands called The Orkneyinga Saga. It’s an incredible source of legends around Orkney and one place mentioned is Ophir Round Church & The Earl’s Bu.

When you arrive at this wee ruin, it looks a little bit basic. The view to the sea is lovely, but there’s just a tiny section of ruined church left to visit. However, you might spot to your left as you entered the gate the remains of more stone walls and this is the Earl’s Bu. It was a Viking drinking hall and the scene of a brutal murder recorded in the Orkneyinga.

The Earl’s Bu was one of the greatest estates owned by the Earls of Orkney and many famous characters from the sagas feasted and fought here. There seemed to be lots of Yuletide celebrations here and they often featured murder, mystery and mayhem! That should be enough to get your imagination going and turn a pile of stones into something worth seeing.

Scapa Flow

If you get a clear day, then head down to the nearby beach at Scapa Bay for sunrise or sunset. It’s a beautiful location, gazing out into the enormous sheltered bay, but it hides an incredible history. During the World Wars, Scapa Flow became the Royal Navy’s primary harbour.

It’s an enormous expanse of water, sheltered by the surrounding islands, big enough to fit the whole fleet. Things weren’t perfect though, a U-Boat sneaked in at the start of WWII and sank the Royal Oak. Then after the war, the German fleet was anchored here while the Allied commanders negotiated their nation’s surrender.

Just as a deal was about to be signed, the German commander sent an order round to all of his ships. They began to scuttle their vessels, sinking them into Scapa Flow to ensure nobody would be able to use them ever again. The majority were later salvaged for scrap but there are a few wrecks still down there for experienced divers to visit.

Covenanter’s Monument

That’s not the only maritime disaster that you can find evidence of in Orkney. Head east and enjoy a straightforward walk down to the Covenanters Memorial at Deerness. It was particularly wet and wild when I made the journey, winter in Orkney at its worst, so be warned that this is an exposed location.

The Covenanters Memorial was raised to mark a tragic event in December 1679 when a ship wrecked on the rocks here. It was carrying rebels to the crown known as Covenanters, being taken as slaves to the Americas. Sadly, the captain of the ship refused to unlock the holds as the ship began to sink, condemning around 200 to death.

It’s said that one sailor defied the orders, smashing open the lock and allowing some to escape. Legend says that some evaded capture and went on to make a life in Orkney. Many residents still trace their ancestry back to these runaway slaves!

The Italian Chapel

Another site that remembers prisoners, but in a more positive way, is the Italian Chapel. Thankfully this little gem is open all year round for a very small fee and a definite highlight when visiting Orkney in winter. It was built by Italian prisoners of war during WWII, out of two Nissen Huts and decorated by the men themselves.

The prisoners had been located here to build the Churchill Barriers which protected Scapa Flow and we now use as causeways to connect the islands. The men needed a chapel to pray in though and thankfully, permission was granted. Domenico Chiocchetti painted the inside of the chapel, based on a prayer card given to him by his mother. Fellow prisoner Giuseppe Palumbi created the beautiful wrought iron gates.

The most interesting story, however, surrounds the smallest feature. A tiny little loveheart, set into the floor as a stopper for the iron gates and easily missed. Palumbi had been visiting the mainland when creating the gates and struck up a friendship with a local girl. When he left, he took a photograph of her home and left a tiny metal heart set into the floor in return.

St Magnus Cathedral Tours

If you like your churches slightly bigger than the chapel then don’t worry, Orkney still has you covered! St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall carries on offering tours twice a week – Thursdays and Saturdays – during winter. Outside those days, you’re still able to visit and wander the lower level at your own pace.

I couldn’t recommend the tour of the Upper Levels enough, it was the surprise highlight of my trip to Orkney. There are all sorts of fascinating stories from the original Scandinavian builders, to the eccentric Sheriff Thoms who left his fortune to restore the church. There’s a lot of stairs and some rather narrow passages, but it’s worth it to reach the spire.

There you have the opportunity to be deafened by the bells if you reach them in time. Then out onto the ramparts to get a 360 degree view of Kirkwall! Back down on solid ground, you can see the pillar that holds the bones of St Magnus, hidden there for centuries. Believed to be lost during the Reformation, they were only rediscovered by chance during restoration work!

Take The Ferry To Hoy

All of the previous attractions were on the main island, but don’t limit yourself to that just because you’re visiting Orkney in winter. The days are short so if you’re going to make the most of it, get the earliest ferry possible. I went from Houton to Lyness on Hoy at 8am while it was still dark, this is the only ferry I could get that takes vehicles!

After I departed the ferry, I didn’t see another soul until I arrived back again! First stop was the Dwarfie Stane, another tomb but this one was actually carved out of a single, giant stone. Legend says it was carved by a dwarf as a home for him and his pregnant wife. Look up and you might spot eagles soaring from the cliffs above!

Next, head round to beautiful Rackwick Beach and begin the walk out to the Old Man of Hoy. It took around two and a half hours return trip, including lots of photography time. The Old Man is an incredible seastack with such fantastic views that it’s almost worth heading to Orkney just to see it alone!

Where To Eat In Orkney?

The biggest downside to visiting Orkney in winter is that some food or accommodation providers are either closed or running reduced services. I still didn’t struggle to stay fed at all though, here is my choice for where to eat in Orkney:

Ayre Hotel – A semi-formal setting in Kirkwall, with delicious local produce and friendly service. You’ll find lots of Scottish classics here and I plumped for fresh scallops and a big steak!

Helgi’s – This is a traditional pub down by the harbour doing great pub grub. I only stopped for a couple of drinks and to enjoy a chat with locals, but the food being served looked mouthwatering!

Beiting & Brew Street Food – Follow them on social media to find out exactly where they’ll be and what they’re serving. Order beforehand and it’ll be ready to collect – my burger was perfect!

Julia’s Cafe – This one is in Stromness and was a great spot for lunch. Coffee, hot soup and an Orkney crab roll was just what I needed after a wet day of exploring!

If you enjoy exploring Scotland no matter the season or weather then why not have a look at Visiting Shetland In Winter as well?

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