Orkney

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Getting to Orkney

Orkney is connected to the Scottish mainland by several ferry routes. Until October 2002, P&O Scottish Ferries (tel 01856/850655, www.posf.co.uk) runs car ferries to Stromness once a week (June-Aug 2 weekly) from Aberdeen (takes 8-10hr) and daily on the much shorter and cheaper crossing from Scrabster near Thurso (takes 2hr). There's also a weekly (June-Aug 2 weekly) service to Stromness from Lerwick in Shetland (takes 2hr). Note that NorthLink take over all the above services as of October 2002, which means timings may change. Pentland Ferries (tel 01856/831226, www.pentlandferries.co.uk) operates a short car-ferry crossing from Gills Bay near John O'Groats to St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay (3 daily; takes 1hr). A small passenger ferry run by John O'Groats Ferries (tel 0800/731 7872, www.jogferry.co.uk) goes from John O'Groats to Burwick on South Ronaldsay (May-Sept 2-4 daily; 40min).

Direct flights serve Kirkwall airport from Sumburgh in Shetland, Wick, Inverness and Aberdeen, and there are good connections from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London. All can be booked through British Airways (tel 0845/773 3377, www.britishairways.com).

Transport practicalities

Bus services on the Orkney Mainland are very poor, and virtually non-existent on Sundays, with some of the most interesting areas not served at all. On the islands, there's usually only a bus service to and from the ferry terminal, making a Day Rover (£6) or Three-Day Rover (£15) of limited value (see www.rapsons.co.uk for more). Cycling is cheap and relatively easy, though the wind can make it hard going; you can rent bikes in Kirkwall, Stromness and on most of the smaller islands. Bringing a car to Orkney is straightforward, if expensive; alternatively, you can rent a car in Kirkwall, Stromness or on several of the islands (details are given in the text). You may want to consider one of the informative bus or minibus tours on offer: Wildabout (tel 01856/851011, www.orknet.co.uk/wildabout) have good-value tours of the chief sights on the Mainland and Hoy.

Orkney Ferries (tel 01856/872044, www.orkneyferries.co.uk) operates several ferries daily to Hoy, Shapinsay and Rousay, and between one and three a day, depending on route and season, to all the others except North Ronaldsay, which has a weekly boat. There are also flights from Kirkwall to Eday, North Ronaldsay, Westray, Papa Westray, Sanday and Stronsay, operated by Loganair (tel 01856/872420, www.loganair.co.uk), using a tiny eight-seater plane. Travel between individual islands by sea or air isn't so straightforward, but careful study of timetables can sometimes reduce the need to come all the way back to Kirkwall. It's worth enquiring from Orkney Ferries about their additional sailings on summer Sundays that often make useful inter-island connections.

Travel details

FERRIES TO ORKNEY (SUMMER ONLY)

Aberdeen to: Stromness (2 weekly; 8-10hr).

Gill's Bay to: St Margaret's Hope (3 daily; 1hr).

John O'Groats to: Burwick (passengers only; 2-4 daily; 40min).

Lerwick to: Stromness (2 weekly; 8hr).

Scrabster to: Stromness (1-3 daily; 2hr).

INTER-ISLAND FERRIES (SUMMER ONLY)

To Eday: Kirkwall-Eday (2-3 daily; 1hr 15min-2hr).

To Hoy: Houton-Lyness (Mon-Fri 6 daily, Sat & Sun 2-3 daily; 30min-1hr); Stromness-Hoy (passengers only; 2-5 daily; 25min).

To North Ronaldsay: Kirkwall-North Ronaldsay (1 weekly, usually Fri; 2hr 40min-3hr).

To Papa Westray: Kirkwall-Papa Westray (Tues & Fri; 2hr 15min); Pierowall (Westray)-Papa Westray (passengers only; 3-6 daily; 25min).

To Rousay: Tingwall-Rousay (6 daily; 30min).

To Sanday: Kirkwall-Sanday (1-3 daily; 1hr 25min).

To Shapinsay: Kirkwall-Shapinsay (5-6 daily; 45min).

To Stronsay: Kirkwall-Whitehall (2 daily; 1hr 35min-2hr).

To Westray: Kirkwall-Westray (2-3 daily; 1hr 25min).

INTER-ISLAND FLIGHTS (MON-SAT ONLY)

Kirkwall to: Eday (3 on Wed; 8-36min); North Ronaldsay (2 daily; 15min); Papa Westray (Mon-Fri 2 daily; 12min); Sanday (Mon-Fri 2 daily, 1 on Sat; 10-20min); Stronsay (Mon-Fri 2 daily; 25min); Westray (Mon-Sat 1-2 daily; 12min).

BUSES ON ORKNEY MAINLAND

Kirkwall to: Burwick (4 daily; 45min); Deerness via airport (Mon-Sat 2-4 daily; 25min); Evie (Mon-Sat 2-4 daily; 30min); Houton (Mon-Sat 3-5 daily; 30min); St Margaret's Hope (Mon-Sat 3-4 daily; 40min); Stromness (Mon-Sat 10 daily; 30min); Tingwall (Mon-Sat 5-7 daily; 35min).

Stromness to: Houton (Mon-Sat 2-3 daily; 20min).