The history of Orkney dates back over 8,000 years. The early inhabitants settled and prospered on this wind-blasted island, eventually growing the site into a major trading centre of the neolithic world.

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Skara Brae (neolithic village), Ring of Brodgar (Orkney's older, more spectacular version of Stonehenge) and the Ness of Brodgar (one of the most important Stone Age archaeological excavations in the world) all contribute to Orkney's World Heritage status & fame as a site of archaeological significance: sometimes referred to as the Egypt of the North.

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Orkney also played a pivotal role in both World Wars, as site of the battle of Jutland and building of the 'Italian chapel' by prisoners held on the island from 1942.

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You can get to Orkney by ferry - leaving from Scrabster, Gills Bay or John O'Groats. We suggest at least one full day, although Orkney could definitely justify two or more! More detail on ferry times are available here.