ORKNEY ISLANDS HOLIDAYS   >   SCOTLAND 


Orkney consists of about 200 small islands 16 km north of Caithness in northern Scotland. The largest island in the group is known as "The Mainland"; about 20 are inhabited in total.

The islands north of The Mainland are known collectively as The North Isles, those to the south as The South Isles.

Orkney's administrative capital : Kirkwall on The Mainland.


holiday rentals, hotels & inns, tour operators - orkney tours, travel guides, travel to the orkney islands

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Holiday Homes / Cottages & Apartments

   -   leading UK provider of self-catered holidays
Availability search [ refining by specifying price, pet, pub nearby, open fire, swimming pool and more  possible ], special offers and brochure request.

  Lettingweb.com   -   property to rent in Scotland, UK

Hotels in Orkney

  Hotels Orkney Islands   -   Sands Hotel

  Visit Orkney [ Orkney Tourist Board ]

Travel Agents / Tour Operators

  Orkney Archaeology Tours
Offering a choice of all-inclusive one-week small group holidays, private short breaks, including 4-night Orkney Adventure and 6-night Orkney Odyssey, and private day tours.

 
Create your perfect trip to Orkney   -   Flight, Hotel and Car



  Five Senses Orkney   -   tours / activities / courses
Experience the real Orkney as we show you its culture, wild landscape and ancient past. Unlock the secret of fire, neolithic skills, stone circles, and primitive survival.
Celebrate special occasions with our unique Rites of Passage and women-only courses. Find yourself through Independence Outdoors and gain the skills and confidence to roam the wilderness.
Enjoy it all with five senses. Orkney's history and archaeology, from the Stone Age to the Vikings, is brought to life through hands-on learning.
Five Senses is an Orkney-based business with a focus on cultural tours, ancient skills and independence in the outdoors. 
  Orkney Ramblers Club 
Rambles are designed for all ages and abilities. Ramblers are expected to wear stout shoes and wear, or carry waterproofs. A drink and a snack would also be recommended. Walks take place every second Sunday, averaging 5 to 10 Miles and include Coastal strolls, hill-walking, and hiking over heather and peat track. Visitors are most welcome, contact the walk leader for advice.

Travel Guides Orkney / Related books

  The Orkney Guide Book   -  Charles Tait 
This guide is designed to help visitors to our islands, as well as residents, find their way around and enjoy the many places of interest which are to be seen and experienced. Apart from the main sites, many of the less-frequented places and islands are described.
...Orkney benefits from many of the good things of the early 21st century, whilst at the same time missing out on most of the less desirable aspects. However it is much more affected by the outside world than ever before, and Orcadians are going to have to work hard to maintain all that is special about Orkney...
Paperback: 544 pages; Publisher: Charles Tait Photographic; 3rd Revised edition edition (4 Feb 2006); ISBN-10: 0951785958; ISBN-13: 978-0951785959.

  Walks Orkney   -   Felicity Martin
Walks Orkney features 40 walks, and includes walks on every island in Orkney which can be reached by public transport. Walks range from 0.75 miles to 14.75 miles (1.2-23.6km). Routes include: the path to The Old Man of Hoy, the Ring of Brodgar and the path around North Ronaldsay.
Paperback: 40 pages; Publisher: Hallewell Publications (29 July 2008); ISBN-10: 1872405401; ISBN-13: 978-1872405407.

Transportation / How do I travel to Orkney

Most of the larger islands have their own airfield or airstrip. Loganair operates regular services to six islands from Kirkwall.

   -   Cheap flights & Budget flights

  Ebookers   -   
Book cheap flights to Scotland at ebookers and benefit from discounted airfares. View their latest offers and book your flights, accommodation, car hire and insurance online

  Airline Tickets /  Bargain Flights   
Flight tickets Orkney

  Highland Airways 
Based in Inverness, Aberdeen and Glasgow, they are regularly serving all the Scottish airports.
They fly to the Northern and Western Isles of Scotland each day and have a range of charter aircraft to serve your pressing transport needs.

Frequent ferry services operate on the following routes:

  Lerwick to Kirkwall
  Aberdeen to Kirkwall
  Scrabster to Stromness
  John O'Groats to Burwick, South Ronaldsay
  Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope

  Pentland Ferries   -   Gills Bay - St Margaret's Hope
  Northlink Ferries

  Orkney Ferries
Online reservations, operations, the fleet, timetables, carriage, conditions, safety, enquiries.

  Orkney Harbours

  Orkney Public Transportation
Orkney Islands Council are producing a range of leaflets with ideas for days out and excursions around the isles using public transport.

  The Megalith Map
An index of all known Stone Circles. In association with Aubrey Burl


Links

  Orkney Island Council   -   Britain's smallest local authority

  Orkney   -   Visit Orkney [ Orkney Tourist Board ]

  Kirkwall   -   regional capital
Situated on the northern coast of Mainland Orkney, it is a port with ferry services to most of the other islands in the group.

The North Isles
Auskerry, Calf of Eday, Damsay, Eday, Egilsay, Eynhallow, Faray, Gairsay, Helliar Holm, Holm of Faray, Holm of Huip, Holm of Papay, Holm of Scockness, Kili Holm, Linga Holm, Muckle Green Holm, North Ronaldsay,
Papa Stronsay, Papa Westray, Rousay, Rusk Holm, Sanday, Shapinsay, Stronsay, Sweyn Holm, Westray, Wyre

The South Isles
Burray, Calf of Flotta, Cava, Copinsay, Corn Holm, Fara, Flotta, Glims Holm, Graemsay, Hoy, Hunda, Lamb Holm, Rysa Little, South Ronaldsay, Switha, Swona

  Sanday Community Website    -   http://www.sandayorkney.co.uk/
Sanday is one of the larger inhabited outer islands of Orkney, which lie off the north coast of Scotland. The island has a population of around 500. There are two main centres of population; Lady Village and Kettletoft.

  Orkney Communities
Provides an interesting and up to date source of community news and events. A wealth of information is held in the online community directory and picture gallery. Submitted articles, pictures and comments will contribute to a vibrant community website for Orkney with additional information on local news and events provided by The Orcadian and Radio Orkney

  St Magnus Cathedral   -   one of Orkney's most magnificent landmarks
Ttowering above the Kirkwall landscape with its distinctive red sandstone hues.

  News from Orkney   -   Orkney Today
  News   -   The Orcadian   -   daily news
  Radio   -   The Superstation   -   Orkney Community Radio Station

Cuisine

  Recipes from the Orkney Islands [Paperback]
Eileen Wolfe (Editor)
Paperback: 128 pages; Publisher: Steve Savage Publishers Limited; 2nd Revised edition edition (12 May 2005); ISBN-10: 190424615X; ISBN-13: 978-1904246152.

History of Orkney

  Orkneys History   -   Wikipedia
The original inhabitants were Picts, evidence of whose occupation still exists in numerous "weems" or underground houses, chambered mounds, barrows or burial mounds, "brochs" or round towers, and stone circles and standing stones...

  Orkney: A Historical Guide   -   Caroline Wickham-Jones (Author)
Paperback: 234 pages; Publisher: Birlinn Ltd (1 Jun 2011); ISBN-10: 1780270011; ISBN-13: 978-1780270012 .
  Ancient History of Orkney, Caithness, & the North
Alexander Pope,, A ormoAdegreeur Torfason
Paperback: 300 pages; Publisher: BiblioBazaar, LLC (10 Jan 2010); ISBN-10: 1141975777; ISBN-13: 978-1141975778
Orkney: A Historical Guide (Birlinn Historical Guides)  -   by Caroline Wickham-Jones
The Orkney Islands lie 20 miles north of mainland Scotland and were first given to the country as compensation for non-payment of a queen's dowry in 1472. This guide presents a chronological history of the islands from prehistoric times to the industrial age.
Paperback 192 pages (May 1998); Publisher: Birlinn Ltd
The Orkney Book  -   by Donald Omand (Editor)
Consisting of 67 islands, the Orkneys lie to the north of the Scottish mainland. This work gives an overview of their history. Starting with the prehistoric period, it goes on to discuss the flowering of the Celtic Church in the sixth and seventh centuries and the subsequent invasion by the vikings
Hardcover 256 pages (September 1, 2003); Publisher: Birlinn Ltd

Music, Culture & Entertainment

  George Mackay Brown [ 1921 - 1996 ]   -   Bard of Orkney

  Orkneyjar   -   The Heritage of the Orkney Islands

  Ba Game
One of the main events in the town of Kirkwall is the Ba Game, held each Christmas Day and New Year's Day between the Uppies and the Doonies; each team representing one half of the town. See Wikipedia [ Ba Game is a version of Medieval football played around Christmas and New Year ].

Portals / Directories

  Orkney.org 
  Orkney Links 
  Orkney Communities
  Orkneyislands.info   -   Information, Hotels, B&Bs, Self Catering, Hostels and Shops by Island
Situated off the north tip of Scotland, Orkney is home to 19,000 people on it's 19 inhabited islands. Within this website we offer useful information for visitors to the islands, from getting here, to places to stay, and things to do.
  Orknet.co.uk 

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