Orkney

ORKNEY ISLANDS - AT A GLANCE

• This wild and windswept group of more than 70 islands off the northern tip of Scotland’s mainland are well worth the journey, with history and wildlife galore.
   
• You will get a real sense of getting away from it all in Orkney. Only 17 of the islands are inhabited and most locals live in the main towns of Kirkwall and Stromness.
   
• The quiet sandy beaches, stunning scenery, abundance of wildlife, fresh, quality cuisine and warm welcoming hospitality make these islands an ideal place for a relaxing visit or an action-packed holiday.
   
• Orkney’s history goes back more than 4,500 years to the earliest dwellings of Neolithic people. The most impressive of these is at Skara Brae. The Heart of Neolithic Orkney is a UNESCO World Heritage Site made up of Neolithic monuments, stone circles, tombs and a settlement.
   
• Fun fact: you can take the world’s shortest flight in the Orkneys - between the islands of Westray and Papa Westray.
   
• The easiest and quickest way to get to Orkney is to fly from Edinburgh, which takes just over an hour.