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Standing stones of Stennes

The imposing neolithic standing stones of Stennes are thought to have been erected between 3000 and 2500 BC. Twelve standing stones originally formed the stone circle at Stennes but only four remain today, the tallest of which is over 5.5 metres high. The Stennes stone circle was surrounded by a ditch 6 m wide and [...]

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Stromness Parish church Barometer

Housed within a concrete and glass frame outside a church in Orkney, is a public barometer. Standing around 1m high and kept under lock and key the scientific equipment is an unusual sight to see amongst all the other street furniture. Incorporated into the boundary wall of Stromness Parish Church in Orkney the thermometer and [...]

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Groatie Hoose, Kirkwall

Within the high walls at the rear of Tankerness House, the home of the Orkney Museum, is the unusual building called the Groatie Hoose.

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Arable farming on Orkney

The windswept lands of the Orkney Isles lend themselves to limited agricultural practices. Apart from the raising of beef cattle, the only arable crops likely to be grown in Orkney are Oats, Barley and Wheat.

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Kitchener Memorial, Marwick Head

A long, narrow grass footpath wends it’s way to the imposing stone Kitchener memorial at the top of the Marwick Cliffs on the West Mainland.

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Earl’s Palace, Birsay

The ruins of the Earl’s Palace in Birsay, are a mere shadow of a grand reformation residence that once stood oppressively over the local Orcadians. Around 1565, Robert Stewart, the illegitimate son of James V, was granted rule of Orkney and Shetland by Mary, Queen of Scots. Built around 1574, he built his pretentious main [...]

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Kirbuster Farm Museum

Orkney life has always centred around the farming and fishing industries and a fine example of a typical croft house of the 16th century, is the Kirbuster Farm Museum in Birsay.

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North Ronaldsay Sheep

The North Ronaldsay sheep is small sheep belonging to the northern short-tailed group of breeds.

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Stromness ‘Liberty’ Cannon

Rusting at the edge of the sheltered harbour of Stromness is a cannon said to be a relic of the Anglo-American War. Trade routes and access to the vast grain fields of Canada became the trigger for war and the shipping lanes between Canada and Britain came under constant threat from the US Navy. Canada [...]

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Fresson Cairn, Kirkwall

Tuesday, 8 May 1933 marked the start of what would become the longest continuously-operating scheduled air service in Europe and probably the world. It was to be called Highland Airways. Commemorating this adventure, started by Captain Ernest Fresson, is a cairn overlooking the current Kirkwall airport. Unveiled in 2008 by Stephen Hagan, the convener of [...]

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