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A mini guide to
Stromness & the West Mainland: getting there
Stops, stations and how to reach Stromness & the West Mainland
Stops and stations
Getting to Stromness & the West Mainland
Choose the stop closest to where you are going.
| Stop or station | Services | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Stromness ferry terminal | NorthLink Ferries | Crossings to Scrabster near Thurso, about 90 minutes |
| Stromness | Stagecoach buses | Routes to Kirkwall passing near the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar |
| Bay of Skaill | Car or bike | Skara Brae and Skaill House; car parks at the visitor centre |
| Stromness pier | Orkney Ferries | Ferries to Moaness on Hoy and to Graemsay |
Walking from nearby areas
- Kirkwall & central Mainland: 17.5 km from Stromness & the West Mainland, better by public transport
- Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy: 20.8 km from Stromness & the West Mainland, better by public transport
- North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond: 32.6 km from Stromness & the West Mainland, 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 Stromness & the West Mainland. Public transport is selected; change it on the map. Check operator sites for live disruption.
While you are here
Things to see in Stromness & the West Mainland
A few of the sights in the area. The Things to do page lists them all, with directions and official links.
Brough of Birsay
Tidal island with Pictish and Norse remains and the church of St Peter, reached by a causeway only at low tide.
Earl's Palace, Birsay
Courtyard palace built between 1569 and 1574 for Robert Stewart, Earl of Orkney, with gun holes at ground level in every wall.
Broch of Gurness
Iron Age broch and village above Eynhallow Sound, one of the most complete later prehistoric settlements in Scotland; finds are shown on site.
Orkney
More areas to explore
Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy
The Italian Chapel and Churchill Barriers, St Margaret's Hope, and Hoy's hills, Old Man and wartime Lyness
Open the mini guide →
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 →Photo credits
- Ness Battery: Bill Boaden, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Stromness & the West Mainland (area photo): Dr. John F. Burka, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Brough of Birsay: Chmee2, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Earl's Palace, Birsay: Van de Beek at nl.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Broch of Gurness: Rob Burke, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy: Gregory J Kingsley, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond: MichaelMaggs, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kirkwall & central Mainland: Robert Scarth, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Orkney