Exploring Orkney by Bus
A Quick Tour of some of the Islands' Iconic Attractions
The public buses provide an economical, environmentally friendly and rewarding introduction to both the ancient and modern features of Scotland's Orkney Islands.
Touring Orkney by public bus might not sound promising, but against all odds the 97D from Stromness to Kirkwall is a gem. Leaving from the pier, within an hour it passes each of the main archaeological sites for which the area is famous. As a bonus the pleasantly talkative driver provides a comprehensive commentary, full of local colour that's missing from the guide books. There could hardly be a better introduction to these islands.
Skara Brae is on the route and one of Orkney's main attractions. It is a group of neolithic houses a few steps from the Bay of Skaill, where present day surfers hone their skills. The site lay hidden under sand dunes for 5,000 years before a storm revealed it in 1850. No-one knows why it was abandoned but somehow the stone 'furniture' and the more durable bits and pieces of everyday life survived, creating a sense of humanity that marks Skara Brae out from many other ancient sites.
Near Marwick Head the bus passes in sight of a memorial to Lord Kitchener, a military giant of the early twentieth century. He died along with all but 12 of the crew of 655 when his ship sank near here in 1916. The circumstances of the sinking set off a storm of conspiracy theories that circulated for years afterwards in London and, the bus driver hints darkly, still do in Orkney.
In Birsay are the remains of a sixteenth century earl's palace where the bus negotiates a tricky three-point turn. From here it is an easy walk to the remains of early Christian and Norse settlements on the Brough of Birsay, accessible on foot for two hours each side of low tide. At the Orkneyinga Saga Centre in Orphir parts of the sagas are nicely presented as a video in a purpose-built, automated little theatre next to the remains of an old Viking settlement.
But Orkney offers more than glimpses into pre-history. Artists and craftsmen are increasingly prominent, on islands like Westray and Sanday as much as in the studios and workshops signposted all over the 'Mainland'. The Pier Arts Centre in Stromness is a good starting point for an art and craft tour.
The Stromness folk festival has survived and grown since 1982. There are several bird sanctuaries, and Scapa Flow, a naturally sheltered anchorage that has protected British fleets in two world wars, now attracts scuba divers and naturalists.
In Kirkwall, the islands' largest town, the twelfth century St Magnus Cathedral, the Bishop's and Earl's Palaces and the vintage radios at the Wireless Museum are effortlessly outclassed by the beautiful lines of a three-masted barque visiting from Norway.
The route from Kirkwall back to Stromness passes Maeshowe, a chambered cairn that is one of the most significant archaeological sites in Northern Europe. Inside, a runic inscription high above the tiny entrance solemnly declares 'A very tall man wrote this'. Can the pinnacle of Scandinavian wit really lie so far in the past? The Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar are within range for moderately intrepid walkers, a group for whom Orkney offers many attractions.
Doing it all by bus creates its own rewards, not least from meeting colourful local characters as fellow passengers, coupled with the warm glow that springs from environmentally responsible travel. Riding the 91A back into Stromness somehow brings a sense of triumph as the dark waters of the harbour, smooth as glass, reflect the fishing boats lit by the evening sun.
Visit www.visitorkney.com for more information on touring the Orkneys.
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