Orkney

Exploring Orkney’s Quieter Corners

A day by car, from the Viking Village Birsay to Italian Chapel.

Written by Graeme Johncock

Orkney is a very special place with some bucket list locations, especially if you’re interested in ancient history. Locations like Skara Brae, Maeshowe and the Ring of Brodgar draw a lot of visitors to this northern archipelago, but on certain days, especially when cruise ships are visiting, they begin to feel overrun.

Pick your dates, and who is coming, and every stop will say whether it is open that day, and what it is like with children, a dog or a wheelchair.

How: A day by car
Distance: About 55 miles
Starts: The Viking Village Birsay
Ends: Italian Chapel
Good for: Food and drink, History, Islands, Beaches, Wildlife and animals

The day

The Viking Village Birsay
An attraction
The ruins of Viking longhouses at Birsay. These Norse invaders arrived around the year 800 and quickly made Orkney their permanent home. Before that, this special spot was home to the Picts and the replica of a carved Pictish stone found here stands amongst the stones. Not only can you find the remains of regular Norse homes and an unfinished monastery, but there’s even evidence of a Viking sauna in the corner! They would heat up rocks in a fire before pouring water over them, just like in modern saunas. I’ve no doubt the heat would have been welcome during stormy Orcadian winters!
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Brough of Birsay Lighthouse
Either carefully follow the coastline along the clifftop or head straight up the track to reach the old Stevenson Lighthouse at the Brough of Birsay’s highest point. Built in 1925, it’s now fully automated and powered by solar. Between May and July, this is a great place to spot puffins popping out of their burrows to fish in the water below. There are also plenty of fulmars nesting along the cliffside, skylarks singing loudly and the chance to spot whales amongst the waves. Even if you don’t spot much wildlife, the sight of waves crashing far below makes the hike worth it!
The Harray Potter
An attraction
Orkney is packed with artists and craftspeople, but my favourite to visit is definitely the Harray Potter and not just for the name. This pottery workshop in Harray is open for anybody to look in and browse mugs, pots or vases and if you’re lucky, then somebody will be at the wheel to put on a quick demonstration!
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About 35 min by car
Polly Kettle
Food and drink
Cross over to Burray, one of Orkney’s smaller islands, for lunch at the Polly Kettle. The menu mixes Orkney and Middle Eastern cuisine, which was a pleasant surprise on my first visit. I’d highly recommend the Hawawshy toastie and a Turkish coffee!
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About 15 min by car
The Tomb of the Eagles
An attraction
While many of Orkney’s Neolithic sites can become so busy that they lose their special feeling, the Tomb of the Eagles on South Ronaldsay is just far enough away to avoid the bus tours. It’s roughly a mile walk from the visitor centre, but the path is flat and easy. The only way inside the tomb itself is to lie flat on a trolley and pull yourself inside for a few metres - a unique experience! Uncovered accidentally by the local farmer in 1958, this tomb dates back around 5000 years and contained the remains of over 300 people. To make things even more interesting, there were talons and bones from at least 14 sea eagles alongside them, giving the tomb its name!
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About 20 min by car
Glimps Holm Beach
An attraction
Unsurprisingly for an archipelago, Orkney has some spectacular beaches. Glimps Holm is one of my favourites, a beautifully sandy expanse just a short walk from the road and with a great view of the SS Reginald Blockship and one of the Churchill Barriers. These were both attempts to protect Scapa Flow, the natural harbour used by the main Royal Navy fleet during both World Wars!
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About 5 min by car
Italian Chapel
An attraction
The barriers were built by Italian POWs during WWII, but they left another visual reminder of their stay. As devout Catholics, the soldiers needed somewhere to worship and were given permission to convert two Nissen huts into a chapel. With the artistic ability of Domenico Chiocchetti and ingenuity of the other prisoners, they created something incredible. Corned beef tins were turned into ornate lamps, poured concrete was shaped into a beautiful chapel entrance and a bell was salvaged from one of the blockships. The Italian Chapel was so loved, that Chiocchetti remained after the war to finish his masterpiece!
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