# A tour in Orkney.



## Herbie (1 Nov 2012)

Thinking of my next summers wee world tour of Scotland and fancy heading up to Orkney.Anyone been and a tour there? any tips or advice accomdation recommendations very welcome...cheers chaps


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## Brommyboy (2 Nov 2012)

Kirkwall is the main town and more or less in the centre of a small mainland. From there a circular day ride would be no more than 65 miles. Plenty of B&B, hostel or first class camp site. Second town is Stromness, with much the same facilities. Ferries arrive at South Ronaldsway at Burwick, or half way up to Kirkwall at St Margaret's Hope, or at Stromness. Elsewhere there is plenty of choice. Try the website for more information
http://www.visitorkney.com/


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## snorri (2 Nov 2012)

There is a choice of three ferry routes from Caithness to Orkney, go over on one and back on another for a bit of variety.
You might consider an excursion to the smaller isles of Orkney, although the summer 2013 timetable is not yet online.
, http://www.orkneyferries.co.uk/timetables.php


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## srw (2 Nov 2012)

It's lovely for cycling - the locals drive like lunatics but there's not enough traffic for that to be a real worry. There's also an awful lot to see - more archaelogy than you can shake a stick at. The weather can be hideous, even in the summer. It's usually very windy, and can be revoltingly wet. I'd suggest a single-centre holiday rather than a conventional tour, so that you can hibernate for a day if the weather turns nasty on you.


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## MrJamie (2 Nov 2012)

I bet that'll be an awesome trip  I went to Shetland quite a few years ago (not cycling) and it was probably my favourite holiday, so peaceful.


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## fimm (2 Nov 2012)

A friend has just come back from two weeks on Orkney with his bike. I haven't spoken to him yet, but pictures and updates on Facebook include Scara Brae, Ring of Brodgar, Italien Chapel, Mae's Howe, Hoy, including the Old Man of Hoy, various trips to some of the outer island on little aeroplanes (including another Scara Brae type place the name of which I cannot remember). Anyway, it sounds as though he had a really good time.
Accomodation - I know he was in some kind of outdoor centre on Hoy, other than that I don't know.


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## srw (2 Nov 2012)

fimm said:


> including another Scara Brae type place the name of which I cannot remember


 The Knap of Howar. Go up the coast 100m or so from the houses and there's a crumbling cliff face which evidences several thousand years of human habitation. You'll certainly be able to find the remains of neolithic meals, and if you're lucky some pottery.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (2 Nov 2012)

Fantastic place if you get reasonable weather. We were lucky we did. Camping is a little tricky to be honest and there were not that many campsites around/wild camping would be difficult in all but a few places. Loads to do and see and we will definitely be going back there. Midge can be a major problem there though. It has been one of the few places I have taken one look at the road ahead and stopped in a car to prepare. Windows up, sunroof down, vents shut. Actually needed the windscreen wipers to remove the insects from the windscreen so I could see to drive though that section of road. We loved getting out to Westray and Papa Westray. Probably more to do on foot than cycling but plenty of places you could easily leave a bike and know it was safe. It was great going around the distilleries as well and I also found what has become our favourite beer up there... http://www.sinclairbreweries.co.uk/index.php


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## fimm (2 Nov 2012)

srw said:


> The Knap of Howar...


That's the one 
He was commenting that it was quite close to the airport - in an "enjoying the contrast" fashion - airports in Orkney not being exactly Heathrow...


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## Crackle (2 Nov 2012)

I've been once for the day. A rocking and rolling ferry and a powerful wind are my abiding memories. Scara Brae was worth it all though.


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## rvw (2 Nov 2012)

fimm said:


> That's the one
> He was commenting that it was quite close to the airport - in an "enjoying the contrast" fashion - airports in Orkney not being exactly Heathrow...


Indeed - _*nothing*_ is far from the airport on Papa Westray. We haven't (yet) flown to or from there, but the first time we went to Orkney we stood and watched the whole flight to Westray - all 3 minutes of it. The step to get into the plane is one of those cheap plastic things you get in pound shops; the luggage* was taken out from the terminal** in a shopping trolley and the ground crew*** only pitched up for the 10 minutes surrounding the flight slot.

* one child's buggy: duly labelled with an official airport label - the code is PPW
** shed
*** spotted sitting in the terminal** playing cards and drinking tea.


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## Seamab (2 Nov 2012)

I lived and cycled there for 6/7 years from 2000.
In terms of cycling the roads are in great condition and the only really busy road is the A road connecting Stromness to Kirkwall - even then only at rush hour times. I didn't find the locals to drive any worse than anywhere else. Most of the roads are quiet.
On Orkney going round the coast is a fair distance. Kirkwall is a good base as its central and has good facilities including a good bikeshop. It has a cinema, sports centre, lots of shops inc. Tesco. Stromness also has a bike shop. From Kirkwall you can do a circular tour west, north and south down to Burwick. there are good cafes in most places. Loads of eating places in Kirwall, Stromness and elsewhere. Great beaches, cliffs etc...
The main things to do are cultural (various festivals with the big one St. Magnus festival round about 20th June each year, also museums/galleries in Kirkwall and Stromness), archaeology, diving, fishing, sailing,walking, distilleries, breweries, viking related things, palaces (ruins), brochs, naval wartime info centre in Hoy, castles (Westray, Shapinsay)
From Kirkwall you can catch the ferries to most of the northern outer isles - probably Westray, Sanday are best for bike (Sanday for beaches). Rousay has a good circular route with a big hill. For Hoy you can sail from Stromness then cycle to Lyness for the naval wartime stuff and come back to Orphir.

The weather can be variable. It was the driest part of the UK last spring. It can be windy at any time, but it can be beautiful at any time. Big skies, few trees... Not any wetter than any other part of Scotland. Midges can be a pest in some places but usually there's a breeze. Natives are generally very friendly - there are a lot of "incomers" from the rest of the UK as well.

You'll get to like headwinds because you know sooner or later it will be behind you.


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## srw (2 Nov 2012)

rvw said:


> Indeed - _*nothing*_ is far from the airport on Papa Westray. We haven't (yet) flown to or from there, but the first time we went to Orkney we stood and watched the whole flight to Westray - all 3 minutes of it. The step to get into the plane is one of those cheap plastic things you get in pound shops; the luggage* was taken out from the terminal** in a shopping trolley and the ground crew*** only pitched up for the 10 minutes surrounding the flight slot.
> 
> * one child's buggy: duly labelled with an official airport label - the code is PPW
> ** shed
> *** spotted sitting in the terminal** playing cards and drinking tea.


 And the aeroplane ignored the tarmac runway and landed on the grass.


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## P.H (3 Nov 2012)

It's a great place to visit, but I'm not sure it's ideal for the usual type of cycle tour (Well mine anyway) There's loads to see and do, the distances are not great, but to get round a few island you're going to be tied in to ferry timetables, and the wind!! I've never ridden is such constant wind, not blustery, unrelenting for a week. The main island is very cultivated, it isn't like the Highlands, it feels like you could be cycling through many other parts of the UK (Except for that wind) The exception (of the island we got round) is Hoy, that's just something else, the walk round to the Old Man is wonderful. If I go again and I probably will, I'll take a folding bike and treat it as a sightseeing holiday with some cycling rather than a cycling holiday with some sightseeing.


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## snorri (3 Nov 2012)

P.H said:


> treat it as a sightseeing holiday with some cycling rather than a cycling holiday with some sightseeing.


I think that is a good summing up, it's probably not for the milesmunchers, but there's lots to see!


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## Herbie (3 Nov 2012)

Herbie said:


> Thinking of my next summers wee world tour of Scotland and fancy heading up to Orkney.Anyone been and a tour there? any tips or advice accomdation recommendations very welcome...cheers chaps


 
Thanks everyone for your replies...sounds a great place for a wee tour


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## hoopdriver (6 Nov 2012)

I love Orkney and have been up there, I think, 7 times now and have ridden al over the islands. I have written and photographed a piece about cycling in Orkney and if you would care to readit, and see a bit what the place looks like, here it is:

http://my-bicycle-and-i.co.uk/2012/an-orcadian-idyll/


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## furball (6 Nov 2012)

There is a very good traditional music festival in Stromness at the end of May. Cycling and sightseeing during the day then entertainment at night. You couldn't wish for a better holiday.


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