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A mini guide to
Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy: getting there
Stops, stations and how to reach Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy
Stops and stations
Getting to Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy
Choose the stop closest to where you are going.
| Stop or station | Services | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| St Margaret's Hope pier | Pentland Ferries | Crossings to Gills Bay in Caithness, about 70 minutes |
| Churchill Barriers road | Stagecoach buses | Kirkwall to St Margaret's Hope via the Italian Chapel |
| Houton pier | Orkney Ferries | Ferries to Lyness on Hoy, Longhope on South Walls and Flotta |
Walking from nearby areas
- Kirkwall & central Mainland: 15.7 km from Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy, better by public transport
- Stromness & the West Mainland: 20.8 km from Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy, better by public transport
- North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond: 44.6 km from Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy, better by public transport
Reaching Orkney
Official travel information
Orkney is reached by ferry from Caithness or Aberdeen, or by Loganair flights to Kirkwall. Crossing and flight times below are the approximate figures published by Visit Orkney; always check the operator for current times, fares and weather disruption.
- Visit Orkney (orkney.com) → — the official visitor site
- NorthLink Ferries → — Scrabster, Aberdeen and Lerwick sailings
- Pentland Ferries → — Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope
- Orkney Ferries → — inter-island ferries
- Loganair: Orkney inter-isles → — flights to six North Isles
- Orkney Islands Council: bus services → — timetables and weather warnings
- Historic Environment Scotland → — tickets for Skara Brae and Maeshowe
Times, fares and disruption change: use the operator pages above for live information.
Plan your journey here
Enter your starting point and Google Maps will show routes to Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy. Public transport is selected; change it on the map. Check operator sites for live disruption.
While you are here
Things to see in Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy
A few of the sights in the area. The Things to do page lists them all, with directions and official links.
Italian Chapel
Two Nissen huts turned into an ornate chapel by Domenico Chiocchetti and fellow Italian prisoners of war who built the Churchill Barriers.
Churchill Barriers
Four causeways, 2.3 km in all, built from 1940 to 1944 to guard Scapa Flow and open as roads since May 1945.
Orkney Fossil and Heritage Centre
Orkney fossils and geology going back 350 million years, at Burray; the museum reopens around Easter 2027 and the Relic Cafe stays open.
Orkney
More areas to explore
North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond
Rousay's tombs, Westray's castle and cliffs, the Knap of Howar and the lighthouses of the outer isles
Open the mini guide →
Kirkwall & central Mainland
Orkney's main town: St Magnus Cathedral, the palaces, the Orkney Museum and Neolithic tombs close by
Open the mini guide →
Stromness & the West Mainland
Skara Brae, Maeshowe and the stone circles, Stromness harbour and the cliffs of Birsay and Yesnaby
Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Cantick Head Lighthouse: Calum McRoberts, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy (area photo): Gregory J Kingsley, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Italian Chapel: Mike Pennington, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Churchill Barriers: Bewahrerderwerte, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Orkney Fossil and Heritage Centre: N Chadwick, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond: MichaelMaggs, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kirkwall & central Mainland: Robert Scarth, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Stromness & the West Mainland: Dr. John F. Burka, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Orkney