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The Standing Stones of Stenness at sunset, tall thin slabs on the grass with the loch behind.
Orkney

Standing Stones of Stenness

Four great standing stones of what may be the earliest henge monument in the British Isles, about 5,000 years old; free and open all year.

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Welcome

The Standing Stones of Stenness stand at the start of the Brodgar peninsula, on the B9055 about a mile from the Ring of Brodgar, and they may be the earliest henge monument in the British Isles.

Bones from the ditch date it to around 3100 to 2900 BC. Four great stones still stand, up to six metres high, the remains of an oval ring of twelve about 30 metres across.

The stones were once encircled by a ditch at least four metres wide and two deep, cut into the bedrock, and by a bank, but ploughing has lost the form of both. At the centre the large hearth is still visible, and pottery and animal bones show that people cooked and ate here. The stones may have been part of ceremonies celebrating the relationship between the living and past communities, and two stones close by, the Watch Stone and the Barnhouse Stone, are likely to have some connection with the henge. It is free to visit and open all year, and the Ring of Brodgar is a mile further on.

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The Daily for 31 October, from Scotland with love. A ring of standing stones set among mist and autumn birch
Close byNess of BrodgarThe Neolithic complex between the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar, excavated for twenty years and now covered over; the site is closed to visitors.1 min by roadSee itThe Ring of Brodgar's standing stones beside Loch Harray, a short walk from the Ness of Brodgar.
Before you go

Free, open all year and always outdoors, so dress for the weather.

Where
On the B9055, about 5 miles north-east of Stromness, at Stenness on the Orkney Mainland. The Ring of Brodgar is about a mile away.
Open
Open all year round.
Price
Free to visit.
Parking
Car parking and coach parking are available.
Getting there
Orkney's local buses pass close to the Standing Stones of Stenness, running on a hail and ride basis, and Traveline Scotland plans the journey. 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.
Guided walks
Rangers lead free walks of around an hour. Orkney.com lists them at the Stones of Stenness at 10am on Wednesdays and Thursdays until 17 December 2026; walks may be cancelled at short notice, so contact the Rangers on orkneyrangers@hes.scot to confirm.

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Where it is

On the B9055, about 5 miles north-east of Stromness, at Stenness on the Orkney Mainland.

Close byAt Stenness.
  1. Ring of BrodgarRing of BrodgarA Neolithic stone circle of 36 standing stones on a strip of land between two lochs; free to visit and open all year.Under a mile 2 min by road
  2. Maeshowe, a great grassy mound in green fields under a grey sky.Maeshowe Chambered CairnThe finest Neolithic building to survive in north-west Europe, lit by the midwinter sunset and carved with Norse runes; by guided tour.1 mile 3 min by road
  3. Unstan Chambered Cairn, a grassy mound with its low entrance and an information board, the loch beyond.Unstan CairnA 5,000-year-old chambered tomb by the Loch of Stenness, where you crawl in to see its stalls; free, any time.2 miles 5 min by road
  4. Fursbreck Pottery, a stone cottage with a red-edged roof and a garden of pots and benches, Harray.The Harray PotterA working pottery in Harray, founded in 1977, where you can watch pots being thrown and buy them.5 miles 8 min by road
  5. Skara BraeSkara BraeA 5,000-year-old village on the Bay of Skaill, the best-preserved Neolithic settlement in Western Europe, with its stone furniture in place.7 miles 14 min by road
Directions
The Ring of Brodgar's standing stones beside Loch Harray, a short walk from the Ness of Brodgar.AttractionsNess of Brodgar0.3 miles
A white gallery at the Pier Arts Centre, framed paintings along the walls.AttractionsPier Arts Centre5.3 miles
The layered sandstone cliffs of Yesnaby dropping into a calm dark sea, lit by low sun.AttractionsYesnaby7.2 miles
Green aurora swirling across a starry sky above a snow-covered peakAttractionsThe Aurora Borealis in Orkney9.7 miles
Musicians play fiddles and double bass on a ship's wooden deckAttractionsOrkney Festivals9.7 miles
Inside the firehoose at Kirbuster Farm Museum: smoke from the central peat fire rising towards a roof hole, with stone walls, a bench and low doorways beyond.AttractionsKirbuster Farm Museum10 miles
The Foveran's dining room, tartan chairs at laid tables and big windows onto the fields and Scapa Flow.RestaurantsThe Foveran11 miles
The Orkney Wireless Museum at Kiln Corner, Kirkwall: a stone building with a sign over its door and radios on show in the windows.AttractionsOrkney Wireless Museum11 miles
A plate of seared scallops with asparagus and potato at Helgi's.RestaurantsHelgi’s11 miles

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From the magazineBack to OrkneyCollectionStanding Stones in Scotland Worth Seeing
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