Midhowe Broch
One of at least nine brochs on Eynhallow Sound, well preserved inside, with a water tank, fireplace and room partitions still visible.
Ein Mini-Guide zu
Rousay's tombs, Westray's castle and cliffs, the Knap of Howar and the lighthouses of the outer isles
1 / 10Willkommen in der Gegend
The North Isles are reached by Orkney Ferries and Loganair's inter-isles flights from Kirkwall. Rousay, a short crossing from Tingwall, has at least 15 chambered cairns and a walk along its south coast that passes Blackhammer, Taversoe Tuick and the Knowe of Yarso before reaching Midhowe's huge stalled cairn and broch. Egilsay and Wyre hold a Norse church and a castle of the 1100s.
Westray, with a population of a little over 550, has Noltland Castle, the Westray Heritage Centre in Pierowall and the seabird cliffs at Noup Head. From Westray, the world's shortest scheduled flight crosses to Papa Westray and the Knap of Howar, among the oldest standing houses in north-west Europe. Sanday, Eday and North Ronaldsay have more tombs and the tallest land-based lighthouse in Britain.
Highlights
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One of at least nine brochs on Eynhallow Sound, well preserved inside, with a water tank, fireplace and room partitions still visible.
The largest of Rousay's 15 chambered cairns, a stalled tomb inside a modern hangar, seen from raised walkways; at least 25 people were buried here.
Unusual Rousay cairn with two burial chambers, one above the other, and a third small chamber downhill.
Route Website Report a problem with Taversoe Tuick Chambered Cairn
Stalled cairn about 5,000 years old with a long chamber divided into seven compartments; excavators found just two skeletons.
Route Website Report a problem with Blackhammer Chambered Cairn
Hillside cairn where excavations in 1934 found the remains of at least 29 people and the bones of 36 red deer.
Route Website Report a problem with Knowe of Yarso Chambered Cairn
Roofless church of about 1136 on the island where Earl Magnus was killed; its round bell tower once stood nearly 20 metres high.
Route Website Report a problem with St Magnus Church, Egilsay
Orientierung
The map shows North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insidertipps
Orkney Ferries asks travellers to book as early as possible, particularly in summer; the inter-isles planes have seven passenger seats.
Historic Environment Scotland describes a walk from the Rousay pier via Blackhammer, Taversoe Tuick and the Knowe of Yarso to Midhowe.
The Sanday Bus meets every ferry at Loth pier from early May to late September and runs on demand in winter.
Historic Environment Scotland says visitors enter the Holm of Papa Westray cairn through a roof hatch and down a vertical ladder.
Tipps der Britlens-Redaktion
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Orkney
Orkney's main town: St Magnus Cathedral, the palaces, the Orkney Museum and Neolithic tombs close by
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Skara Brae, Maeshowe and the stone circles, Stromness harbour and the cliffs of Birsay and Yesnaby
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The Italian Chapel and Churchill Barriers, St Margaret's Hope, and Hoy's hills, Old Man and wartime Lyness
Mini-Guide öffnen →Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Orkney