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Iron Age broch
Midhowe Broch
One of at least nine brochs on Eynhallow Sound, well preserved inside, with a water tank, fireplace and room partitions still visible.
A mini guide to
North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond
Rousay's tombs, Westray's castle and cliffs, the Knap of Howar and the lighthouses of the outer isles
Photos
1 / 10Welcome to the area
Rousay's tombs, Westray's castle and cliffs, the Knap of Howar and the lighthouses of the outer isles
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
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Neolithic tomb
Midhowe Chambered Cairn
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.
Directions Website Report a problem with Midhowe Chambered Cairn
Neolithic tomb
Taversoe Tuick Chambered Cairn
Unusual Rousay cairn with two burial chambers, one above the other, and a third small chamber downhill.
Directions Website Report a problem with Taversoe Tuick Chambered Cairn
Neolithic tomb
Blackhammer Chambered Cairn
Stalled cairn about 5,000 years old with a long chamber divided into seven compartments; excavators found just two skeletons.
Directions Website Report a problem with Blackhammer Chambered Cairn
Neolithic tomb
Knowe of Yarso Chambered Cairn
Hillside cairn where excavations in 1934 found the remains of at least 29 people and the bones of 36 red deer.
Directions Website Report a problem with Knowe of Yarso Chambered Cairn
Norse church
St Magnus Church, Egilsay
Roofless church of about 1136 on the island where Earl Magnus was killed; its round bell tower once stood nearly 20 metres high.
Directions Website Report a problem with St Magnus Church, Egilsay
Find your way
On the map
The map shows North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Book ferries and flights early
Orkney Ferries asks travellers to book as early as possible, particularly in summer; the inter-isles planes have seven passenger seats.
2
Walk Rousay's tomb trail
Historic Environment Scotland describes a walk from the Rousay pier via Blackhammer, Taversoe Tuick and the Knowe of Yarso to Midhowe.
3
Sanday's summer bus
The Sanday Bus meets every ferry at Loth pier from early May to late September and runs on demand in winter.
4
Hatch and ladder
Historic Environment Scotland says visitors enter the Holm of Papa Westray cairn through a roof hatch and down a vertical ladder.
Tips from the Britlens editors
Explore this guide
Everything for North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond
Orkney
More areas to explore
12 sights · 22 places to eat
Kirkwall & central Mainland
Orkney's main town: St Magnus Cathedral, the palaces, the Orkney Museum and Neolithic tombs close by
Open the mini guide →
21 sights · 12 places to eat
Stromness & the West Mainland
Skara Brae, Maeshowe and the stone circles, Stromness harbour and the cliffs of Birsay and Yesnaby
Open the mini guide →
13 sights · 7 places to eat
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 →Photo credits
- North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond (area photo): MichaelMaggs, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Midhowe Broch: Bronwy Chomitz, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Midhowe Chambered Cairn: MichaelMaggs, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Taversoe Tuick Chambered Cairn: Stephen McKay, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Blackhammer Chambered Cairn: Otter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Knowe of Yarso Chambered Cairn: MichaelMaggs, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- St Magnus Church, Egilsay: Otter at Dutch Wikipedia (Original text: Hopmans), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Cubbie Roo's Castle and St Mary's Chapel: Bob Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Noltland Castle: Otter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Westray Heritage Centre: Sandy Gerrard, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Noup Head Lighthouse: Use:JBellis~commonswiki, Public domain, source
- Links of Noltland: Otter, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Knap of Howar: Drew Corser, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Holm of Papa Westray Chambered Cairn: hayley green, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Holland Farm: Rob Burke, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Quoyness Chambered Cairn: Callum Black, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Vinquoy Chambered Cairn: Chris Downer, CC BY-SA 2.0, 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
- Scapa Flow, the South Isles & Hoy: Gregory J Kingsley, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
Keep exploring Orkney