Orkney

About 7 miles of choppy sea lie between the northernmost tip of the mainland of Scotland and the most southerly of 67 islands that make up Orkney. Largest Orkney island called Mainland has greater acreage than all others combined. Most of Orkney green and fertile – majority of islanders- still make living from land chiefly cattle farming. Old saying – The Orcadian is a farmer with a boat, the Shetlander a fisherman with a croft.

For 500 years Orkney was ruled from Norway and Denmark, until in 1468 given to Scotland as part of dowry. People here used to speak Norn form of Old Norse, not Gaelic and language lives on in many place names and clear, slightly sing-song accent of the people. Orcadians still treasure Norse links – thriving Orkney-Norway friendship societies, exchange visits etc. Before Norsemen, Picts, Celts and neolithic people all had settlements here.

Main tourist attractions as well as beauty of scenery – less dramatically wild than Shetland, but very varied and tranquil – are fascinating variety of archaeological sites and ancient buildings, excellent fishing both fresh and sea water and bird watching.

The population in Orkney isles, which had been in steady decline since the mid-r9th century, has now leveled out. To an already rich and complex racial mix a new strain has recently been added: scores of families, mostly from England, have settled in the islands in the last two or three decades. Surfeited with industrialism and the retrace most of them have soon settled down to be good Orcadians.

Orkney has always kept its doors wide and welcoming.

Top Sites and Attractions

Kirkwall Travel, Maes Howe, Skara Brae, Sanday Orkney, Hoy Island,

Travel and Tourism Information

Orkney Weather, Orkney Tourist Board

Features

Orkney Chair, Orkney Food

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