Orkneys Accommodation:
Stromness
St Margarets Hope
Kirkwall
Burray

Orkneys

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The Trows of Orkney The Trows of Orkney

Information

County Town: Kirkwall
Population: 19,480
Area: 382 sq miles
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Food Legends:Orkney Cheese
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The Trows of Orkney
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Old Man Of Hoy

Events

January
The Ba'

March
Scarecrow Festival

April
Orkney Ceilidh Weekend
Orkney Jazz Festival

May
Orkney Folk Festival

June
Orkney Fine Wine Festival
St Magnus Festival

August
Festival of the Horse and Boys Ploughing Match
Kirkwall Sailing Regatta
Orkney Beer Festival
Orkney International Science Festival
Riding of the Marches
The County Show
The East Mainland Show
The Hope Show
The Sanday Show
The West Mainland Show

September
Blues Weekend
Orkney International Science Festival
Orkney Middle Distance Triathlon

October
Harvest Homes Annual Celebration

December
Hogmanay Celebrations
Northern Lights Festival
The Ba'

Orkneys - 8 places to stay

Hotels | Bed & Breakfast | Self Catering | Attractions | Activities | Shops | Sports | Directory

Surely the most accessible remote place in Europe, the Orkney Isles lie just 6 miles to the north of the Scottish Mainland. This fascinating and flourishing archipelago of 70 islands has a vibrant culture, abundant wildlife, and spectacular scenery enhanced by the beauty of the changing light. With Neolithic, Pictish and Viking heritage to be seen, Orkney has over 1000 recorded archaeological sites, including some with World Heritage Site status, some older than Egypt¹s pyramids, dating back more than 5,500 years. It¹s a place of mystery, with many as yet untold tales.

17 of the islands are inhabited. Stay in comfortable 3 or 4* accommodation, tour on peaceful roads, with time to stop and breathe the fragrance of the wildflowers in the verges ­ gaze at the panoramic vistas round every corner, find bays where you may be completely undisturbed except by seals or porpoises; explore ancient sites where the hands of distant ancestors fashioned the landscape. With frequent (several times daily throughout the year), fast, ferry services from Aberdeen and Caithness, it has never been so easy to enjoy Orkney¹s unique attractions.

Much of Orkney¹s unique archaeology has World Heritage Site status, in common with Stonehenge and The Great Wall of China, and is situated in landscape of spectacular beauty, beside lochs equally famous for their excellent trout fishing. Historic Scotland¹s Skara Brae Visitor Centre has VisitScotland five-star status, as has the Highland Park Distillery Visitor Centre in Kirkwall. Sea angling is also popular, as is diving on Orkney¹s famous Scapa Flow wrecks. Welcoming restaurants and hotels serve up Orkney¹s delicious produce ­ beef, cheeses, and seafood, oatcakes and ice cream, which make succulent ingredients for finely presented cuisine.

There's so much to see and do throughout the year that, if anything, visitors are spoilt for choice. A busy round of festivals and events starts in April and continues until October. The season includes celebrations of traditional dance, classical and contemporary music, theatre, the visual arts, community spirit, scientific innovation, sustainable development, and gourmet dining.

Out and about, Orkney¹s internationally renowned jewellers and silversmiths create stunning designs, and many craftspeople and fine artists in the islands open their studios and workshops to visitors. Visitors can see many different kinds of craft carried out ­ including traditional Orkney chair-making, hand-spun and knitted designer knitwear, textiles and tapestry weaving, stained glass, and jewellery.

Courtesy of www.visitorkney.com

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