Complete Guide To Orkney With Kids

Where Are The Orkney Islands?

The Orkney Islands are located in the North of Scotland, approximately 10 miles North of mainland Scotland separated by the Pentland Firth. Along with Shetland they are known as the Northern Isles of Scotland. They are an island archipelago comprised of around 70 individual islands. Only 20 of the islands are inhabited, each of them have a ferry service provided between islands or the main island.

The main island is 202 square miles and is connected to a further 4 islands via the ‘Churchill barriers’. I’ve explained a bit more about these in the history section below. If you are looking for more of an itinerary of the Orkney’s, you can check out my 7 day itinerary for Orkney with kids here. If you’re heading further North to the Shetland Islands, you can also check out my Guide To The Shetland Islands here.

How To Get To The Orkney Islands

Getting to the Orkney islands is very simple. There are 3 different ferry services from the Scottish mainland to the Orkney islands. The first is the Northlink ferry from Aberdeen to Kirkwall, it’s a car ferry (takes passengers only too) and has cabins available for overnight travellers (it takes 6 hours). Next two are in the North of Scotland from Scrabster to Stromness (Northlink ferries) or Gill’s Bay to St Margaret’s Hope (Pentland Ferries). Both take cars and foot passengers. It’s only 70 minutes to Orkney via Gill’s Bay or 90 minutes via Scrabster, so both good options if you are in the North of Scotland.

There is also the possibility of travelling to the Shetland Islands and visiting Orkney on the way back South, as the Northlink ferry calls in at Kirkwall after Lerwick.

Of course there is also the option of flying to Orkney. Flights are available from Loganair and they fly to Kirkwall from Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and Sumburgh (Shetland).

Buses and trains can take you to Aberdeen to take the ferry and Citylink buses also head up North to Gill’s Bay and Scrabster to connect to ferries there too.

Brief History Of The Orkney Islands

The Orkney islands are full of history! There is evidence of humans living on the islands since around 8,800 years ago. It’s the best place to find ancient Neolithic sites, which have been discovered over the years. Including the Neolithic village of Skara Brae, standing stones and stone circles and the chambered cairn of Maeshowe.

Later the Norse arrived and took over the island from the late 8th century. There is plenty of evidence of Viking settlements, not just in archaeology, but in the place names and Orcadian dialect.

The Orkney islands were given to the King of Scotland in 1468 when the King of Denmark used them as part of his daughters dowry in her marriage to King James III of Scotland. Ever since they have been part of the Kingdom of Scotland. Although they remain proud of their Norse heritage, with most Orcadians descending from the Norse.

Orkney was also an extremely important location for the UK navy during WWI and WWII. The sheltered bays at Orkney were used for the navy’s fleets. After a tragedy where a U-boat sneeked in and sunk UK ships, the Churchill barriers were created. These barriers stopped enemy u-boats entering the area, with only one entrance/exit. It also is a lasting defence that actually made life easier for the Southern islands of South Ronaldsay, Burray, Lambs Holm and Glimps Holm. They were now connected to the main island by the stone barriers, with a new road built on top. You can read all about the importance of Orkney in WW1 and WW2 here.

Where To Stay On Orkney

There are plenty of good locations to stay on Orkney for a family holiday. It’s possible to stay on the mainland and still visit the smaller islands of day trips. The main island is where the majority of attractions are, so I’d definitely recommend some time there. However, if you would like to spend some time away from the crowds and tour buses then it would also be good to plan some time to stay on one of the smaller Orkney islands.

We would personally recommend the campsite at Wheems Organic Farm. It was a great spot to camp with kids and just a short walk to a quiet sandy beach. There are many hotels around, along with B&B’s or self catering cottages. So you can easily find something to meet your needs on your family trip.

Where To Eat On Orkney

Orkney has plenty of places to eat, with the majority being in the main town of Kirkwall. However there are also cafes and restaurants scattered around the rest of the islands, including the smaller islands to the North East.

Here are some great restaurants and cafes to try whilst in the Orkney’s;

Foveran Restaurant – Kirkwall
Beneth’ill Cafe – Isle of Hoy
Eviedale Bakehouse and Bistro – Evie
The Hamnavoe – Stromness

Don’t forget to try some of the local seafood, Orkney cheddar and beer from the Orkney brewery.

Best Things To Do On Orkney With Kids

Orkney has plenty to do with kids. They might seem like remote islands in the middle of nowhere. But actually they were once the centre of the Viking world! There is even evidence that they were an important part of the Neolithic world, with stone circles originating in the far North before they got further down into Southern UK. Check out my post here about Orkney with kids!

Anyway, there is plenty for kids to do on the islands, whether it’s playing on the beach or visiting historical sites. If you visit in winter you may even see the mirrie dancers, otherwise known as the Northern Lights!

Mainland and Islands Connected By Barriers

The mainland has the majority of attractions on Orkney, so it is worth staying there for at least part of your visit. One of our favourite attractions, the Tomb of the Eagles, is no longer open, although it’s hoped that another organisation may be able take over the attraction in the future.

Orkney Museum

The Orkney Museum is in the heart of Kirkwall across from St Magnus’ Cathedral. It’s run by the Orkney Islands Council. It looks like a small building, but when visiting it seemed to go on forever with room after room of interesting history of Orkney. It’s definitely a good place to explore with kids and when it’s too much inside you can go and play in the gardens outside.

Bishop’s and Earl’s Palace

The Bishop’s Palace was built in the 1100’s, the only surviving example of an episcopal palace built in Norse Scotland. It was where Haakon IV of Norway took his last breath, he was the last Norwegian King of the Western Isles – the Hebrides. The Earl’s Palace was added later, by Patrick the Earl of Orkney in the 1500’s, although he was executed only 23 years later. The two buildings are quite complicated and great fun for kids to explore, even if they don’t understand the history.

The Orkney Fossil and Heritage Centre

Located on the island of Burray (connected to the mainland by the barriers), it’s open from April to October. This is a little gem of a museum with lots of interesting information about the islands heritage and the use of the islands during wartime. The fossils are particularly intriguing for children and there are plenty of parts of the heritage area that kids may enjoy too. You can also find a great cafe with delicious food too!

Orkneyinga Saga Centre

Older children may enjoy a visit to learn more about the Orkneyinga Saga. It tells the story of the Norse earls of Orkney, check opening times as it’s not open everyday.

Broch of Gurness

Gurness is located over to the North East of the main island. Open from April to late September it’s a great example of how people lived in the Iron Age on Orkney. It also has a great example of a broch village which surrounded the broch itself. Young children will love exploring all the ancient houses, it’s like a maze!

Italian Chapel, Lamb Holm

Although it’s not particularly exciting for younger children, older kids may be more interested in the history of the Italian chapel. Spoiler – it was made by Italian prisoners of war out of a Nissan hut and things they could find around camp!

Skara Brae

Revealed by the sand in 1850, after a great storm, Skara Brae is an excellent example of a Neolithic village. Our children were quite young when we visited, yet were still fascinated by this ancient village, the stone furniture and the excellent displays of finds in the visitor centre. There’s also a cafe and gift shop, so you can easily spend some time here and have lunch. Skara Brae is actually older than the Egyptian pyramids!

Brough of Birsay

This is one where you need to check the tide times before you go! The Brough of Birsay is located on a tidal island, which you can cross via a causeway. However it also makes it ideal for a spot of rockpooling on the way back if there’s time. Have fun exploring the ruins (the Pictish stone is particularly interesting), take a walk across to the lighthouse and if you are there in Spring there’s also the chance to see puffins.

Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar

The stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar are both a stone circle in the heart of Neolithic Orkney. They were both important parts of the Neolithic Orcadian’s lives and although kids may not want to spend a huge amount of time here. They are definitely interesting enough for a stop on the way by to explore the sights.

The Orkney Folklore and Storytelling centre

This is the perfect place to go if your kids love stories, the Orkney Folklore and Storytelling Centre. Learn about the legends and myths of Orkney and listen to stories being told by Orcadian storytellers. There are various different sessions available, including family sessions. Or you can book your own private bespoke experience for 6+ people.

Maeshowe

At Maeshowe you can learn how the chambered cairn was built in 2800 BCE. It’s a feat of construction and lines up perfectly for the midwinter solstice. You can also see runes carved by Vikings who broke into the tomb at a later date, probably taking anything of value left inside. Although it’s incredibly interesting for adults and older kids, you can only access it via a guided tour. So for younger kids you’ll need to consider how they’ll cope. Ours were 2 and 4 years old at the time and although we did manage to keep them quiet, it did take some effort! So definitely consider whether your child will cope or bring a fidget toy or similar to keep them occupied (our 4 year old collected pebbles and moved them around inside).

Skaill House Falconry

Just round the corner from Skara Brae is Skaill House Falconry. It’s a family run business with a fab falconry. Opening times are on their website, but you can choose from watching a bird display or the experience sessions where you get to hold the birds. Or why not do both! Kids as young as 5 can take part in the experience sessions.

Orkney Boat Trips

Orkney is obviously an island as per most islands there is plenty of wildife to see from the sea! So I highly recommend a boat trip if you can get a chance. There are a fair few different boat trips to choose from, but be aware there are age restrictions and can be cancelled at short notice due to the weather. So have a look at these options below:

OceanTrek – Wildlife and historical tour via speedboat
Orkney Boat Charter – Wildlife Trips From Kirkwall

Beaches

There are plenty of beaches of varying sizes all around Orkney. So just check out the places nearest to you or stop at one of the options below that have car parking nearby.

Glimps Holm beach – Great view of one of the sunken block ships too.
Weddell Bay – Opposite Glimps Holm above.
Sands of Wright – near St Margaret’s Hope on South Ronaldsay
Dingyshowe Bay – Main island on the way to Deerness
Newark Beach – Deerness
Skaill Bay – Right beside Skara Brae
Aikerness Bay – near Broch of Gurness

Hoy

The island of Hoy is easily accessible from Stromness by ferry, as per all the Orkney islands you will need to book with Orkney Ferries. Take your car as it’s too far to walk with little ones, especially if you want to go further across to the island to Rackwick Bay. It’s one of the South Isles of Orkney, with many being quite small.

You can find out more information about Hoy with kids in this post. The Old Man of Hoy is impressive, but a bit too steep near a cliff for younger children, check the route before you attempt it with kids.

Rackwick Bay

This was one of our favourite beaches, the tide was in and no sand when we arrived, but it was slowly revealed as the sea turned and a huge expanse of sand for the kids to play on. However, there are tons of beautifully rounded pebbles and larger stones to stack into towers and play games with. Perfect for kids and a stunning place to visit!

The Dwarfie Stane

The Dwarfie Stane is actually a 5000 year old rock-cut tomb. You can go inside and find out what the tomb would have been like. There’s nothing inside but a platform, however do look out for birds in the area too, there are some birds of prey on the cliffs above the Dwarfie Stane.

Scapa Flow Museum

Children who are interested in vehicles and WWI and WWII will love this museum. It tells the history of the Scapa Flow as the centre for British naval history. It’s had a huge renovation and will definitely keep you occupied for a while!

North Eastern Islands

There are a large number of islands in the Orkney’s. So I’ve only listed the major ones here which would be good to visit with the kids.

Westray and Papa Westray

Westray is the larger of the two islands. Here you can find a large number of Neolithic sites, with the history being explained at Westray Heritage Centre on the island. You can even see Scotland’s oldest interpretation of the human form, the Westray Wife. There is also the excellent Noltland Castle built by the Balfour in the 16th century, they had links to Mary Queen of Scot‘s.

Don’t miss the bird life with Noup Head excellent for sea birds or Castle O’Burrian for puffins in the spring and early summer. There’s also a lovely beach at Grobust that the kids will love to play on.

The world’s shortest flight (2 minutes!) connects the island of Papa Westray and Westray. Although you can also take the slightly longer ferry service!

There is a small play park for children on Papa Westray and you can take boat tours out in the bay with Holm of Papay Boat Tours. Take the kids for a walk around some of the Neolithic sights, particularly Knap of Howar, an ancient farmstead even older than Skara Brae. If it’s wet have a look in at the Kelp Store, the local arts and heritage centre.

Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre

Rousay and it’s nearby islands of Egilsay and Wyre are easily accessible to the Orkney mainland by ferry.

The island of Rousay is often known as the Egypt of the North for its large number of ancient sites – over 150! Some of the best to visit are Midhowe broch and the 5000 year old Midhowe chambered cairn. There are also various cairns near to the pier of Rousay.

You can also enjoy some lovely walks around the island, including a visit to the RSPB reserve at Trumland.

Wyre is a big attraction to visitors, to see Cubbie Roo’s Castle. A 12th century fortress built by a Norse chieftain. A tall well built man’s body was uncovered here and it’s thought it could have been Kolbain Hruga (Cubbie Roo) himself.

The island of Egilsay has a beautiful beach on the East coast where you can spot seals and seabirds. There is also the attraction of a 12th century Norse church called St Magnus Kirk.

Sanday

The main feature of the island of Sanday are the numerous stunning sandy beaches! It’s perfect for children who love time at the beach.

Don’t miss Quoyness chambered cairn (similar to Maeshowe in its style, but no ticket required). However, it could be good to start at the Heritage Centre to find out more about the island before you visit the rest of Sanday! Expect a lot of wildlife wherever you go on the island.

Eday

Start at the Eday heritage centre and then travel along the 9km Eday heritage walk. Or just take a shorter return walk to Vinquoy chambered cairn. It’s similar in construction to Maeshowe and also has stunning views all around.

There are various beaches and plenty of places to eat around the island as well.

Shapinsay

A short ferry journey from Kirkwall and you arrive at the village of Balfour on Shapinsay. Take time to visit the Burroughston broch in the North of the island. It feels quite wild and you may even get it all to yourself.

The RSPB reserve of Mill Dam has plenty of wetland birds to spot, so bring binoculars to encourage the kids to look too!