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Sea cliffs rise above waves, with a ruined stone shelter in the foreground grass
Orkney

Rackwick Bay

A remote bay of sand and massive boulders on Hoy, under a towering sandstone cliff, where the path to the Old Man of Hoy begins.

Welcome

Rackwick is a bay on Hoy, facing out into the Pentland Firth, with a towering sandstone cliff above it and hills around it.

Orkney.com counts it among the most remote and beautiful beaches in Orkney, a small stretch of sand with an end-of-the-earth feeling and a peaceful place to sit and take it all in. From the small car park you walk towards the bay past the old bothy, cross the Rackwick burn and pick a path through the massive boulders to reach the beach.

Rackwick is also where the signposted path to the Old Man of Hoy begins, and the Cra'as Nest Museum, which shows life in an Orkney croft, is nearby. To get here you take the foot-passenger ferry from Stromness to Moaness or the car ferry from Houton to Lyness, then travel on by road, so look at the Orkney Ferries timetable before you set out.

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Arrives at 5am every day.

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The Daily for 11 November, from Scotland with love. The broken stone walls of a lochside castle rise from a small tree-covered island, autumn foliage glowing orange against the dark water and forested hillside beyond.
A little further outScapa Flow MuseumA free museum in the old naval pumphouse at Lyness on Hoy, telling how Scapa Flow served the fleet in both world wars and what it meant for Orkney.35 min by roadSee itScapa Flow Museum

Before you go

Reached by ferry to Hoy, then by road.

Hoy is one of Orkney's most popular islands in summer, so plan the crossings ahead, and book the minibus to Rackwick in advance.

Where
Rackwick, Hoy, Orkney, facing out into the Pentland Firth. The drive from the ferry terminal at Lyness to Rackwick takes the best part of half an hour.
Parking
A small car park, from which you walk to the bay.
Toilets
Public toilets at Rackwick: one ladies' and one gents'.
Food
There is no shop at Rackwick. The only shop on Hoy and South Walls is in Longhope, a 40-mile round trip by road, and the Beneth'ill Café near Moaness Pier is open in summer only, so bring food and drink for the day.
Getting there
Hoy has two ferries, both run by Orkney Ferries: a passenger-only boat from Stromness to Moaness at the north end of the island, and a car and passenger ferry from Houton to Lyness. Not every sailing calls at Lyness or Houton directly, so check the timetable. A private bus meets the Moaness ferry and takes visitors to Rackwick; booking in advance is essential, on 01856 791 315. There is no car hire on Hoy. To reach Orkney, Loganair flies to Kirkwall from Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness. NorthLink Ferries sail from Aberdeen to Kirkwall and from Scrabster to Stromness, and Pentland Ferries from Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope.
Booking
Book Orkney Ferries tickets online. Orkney.com says planning a Hoy visit in advance is essential, especially in summer.
Walk
The path to the beach crosses the Rackwick burn, which needs care, and runs through massive boulders.
Next
The signposted path to the Old Man of Hoy starts at Rackwick; the Cra'as Nest Museum, which shows life in an Orkney croft, is on the way.

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Where it is

Rackwick, on Hoy, facing out into the Pentland Firth.

Close byOn Hoy and across the water.
  1. The Old Man of HoyThe Old Man of HoyA 137-metre red sandstone sea stack off the west coast of Hoy, seen from a coastal path that starts at Rackwick.Under a mile 3 min by road
  2. The old lifeboat station at Brims on South Walls, a grey boathouse with a curved roof standing on a timber jetty over the water on a clear day.Longhope Lifeboat MuseumThe old lifeboat station at Brims on South Walls, where the lifeboat Thomas McCunn still sits in the building she was launched from.21 miles 46 min by road
  3. A white gallery at the Pier Arts Centre, framed paintings along the walls.Pier Arts CentreA free gallery on a pier in Stromness, with Margaret Gardiner's collection of Hepworth, Nicholson and Wallis.28 miles 163 min by road
Directions
AttractionsScapa Flow Museum14 miles

Recommend to a friend

Stay nearby

Places to stay near the bay, and when each is next free.

A turreted white mansion with stepped gables and tall chimneys stands behind a low stone wall on a lawn.House of the Northern Gate
  • Sleeps 18
  • In Dunnet
  • 17 miles from Rackwick
Check datesPlaces to stayEvery stay in OrkneyAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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What we have written about it, the collections it is in and more in Orkney.

ArticleConquering the Old Man of HoyArticleRackwick Bay – The Hidden Valley of LightCollectionScotland's Best Beaches
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