Orkney Archive

North Ronaldsay – Sheep, Lighthouses and Birdlife at the Edge of Orkney

Black-and-white striped North Ronaldsay lighthouse in warm evening light

Seaweed-eating sheep, two lighthouses and rare migrant birds: the best things to do on North Ronaldsay, plus walking and travel tips.

Churchill Barriers – a Bulwark Against German U-Boats

Once they protected the flank of Scapa Flow, the great natural harbour of Orkney. Today they are convenient crossings between the islands: the Churchill Barriers have a turbulent history.

Brough of Birsay – an Island in the Flow of Time

Some places are only a few metres away, and yet worlds apart. The little island of Brough of Birsay can be reached on foot at low tide, and it takes visitors into a different millennium.

Skaill House – a House Full of Memories on Orkney

Cool and grey on the outside, but inside, Skaill House holds 400 years of memories and stories. A visit to the estate brings them vividly to life.

Broch of Gurness – a Multi-Generational House on Orkney

Stone Age people, Picts and Vikings all lived here. That, together with the village complex surrounding the tower, is what makes the Broch of Gurness so unique.

Earl’s Palace in Birsay – Splendour and Brutality of the Stewarts

This palace mirrors the soul of the man who built it: arrogant and paranoid – and ultimately ruined. That’s what makes a visit to the Earl’s Palace worthwhile.

Kirkwall on Orkney – the Whole Town is a Playing Field

Orkney’s capital is approaching its thousandth anniversary. Over that long history, some unique traditions have survived. Like this game…

Italian Chapel on Orkney – the Miracle of Camp 60

To the Italian prisoners of war, Orkney must have seemed like hell. So they built themselves a piece of heaven: today, the Italian Chapel moves its visitors

Brough of Deerness, The Gloup and the Mull Head Reserve

Ein Blick auf eine felsige Landzunge, die durch eine Spalte vom Land abgeschnitten und nur durch einen engen Pfad zu erreichen ist.

Surely one of the most beautiful landscapes on Orkney Mainland. In the Mull Head Nature Reserve, nature, history and geology come together in perfect harmony.

Maes Howe – Where the Dead Live on Orkney

This unassuming mound has been through a lot: death rituals, Viking graffiti and UFO researchers. And once a year, right on the winter solstice, the inside of Maes Howe even sees the sun. “Nonsense! Elvis was far too unfit to build that!” a woman scolds her husband. The historian who runs the tours at Maes […]