If you’re heading to Orkney for the 2025 Island Games this July, you might be hoping to squeeze in some sightseeing between events.
The Orkney mainland is relatively compact but there is a lot to see, and we’re expecting our main sites and attractions to be busy during the Games.
So, to get a head start with your planning, here are our top tips for making the most of your time in the islands.
Food & drink
There is a wide range of eating out options across the Orkney mainland, including restaurants, coffee shops, and takeaways.
We’d expect most locations to be busy during the Island Games, so if you want a taste of Orkney we’d strongly advise you to book tables in advance wherever possible.
Many local shops are full of Orkney produce, including bread, cheese, milk, baked goods, meat, pre-packed sandwiches, and more. There is also a range of supermarkets - Tesco, Co-op, and Lidl in Kirkwall, Co-op in Stromness, and a small Asda Local in Dounby.
Getting around by bus
Unless you have booked a hire car, or you’ve taken your own vehicle to Orkney, much of your travelling around the islands will be by public transport.
Extra bus services will be in place during the Games to make sure participants and spectators can travel to events, and do bear in mind some advertised routes will be altered or suspended for short periods for event road closures. Full details will be available on the official Orkney 2025 website, and via Orkney Islands Council’s website.
Bus services in Orkney, especially the main X1 route, can be busy during the summer months, and particularly on days cruise ships are berthed (larger ships are expected on 16 and 18 July).
Public bus services on the Orkney mainland are operated by Stagecoach. There are 10 main routes, each including stops in Kirkwall. To use local buses:
- Apart from the town centres of Kirkwall and Stromness, where you should wait for the bus at the local Travel Centres, all you have to do is find a safe point and hail the driver as the bus approaches
- Tickets can be bought from the driver with cash or card payments available. Just tell the driver where you’re headed and they will advise accordingly
- Fares depend on the length of your journey. If you’re planning on returning the same day, ask for a Day Return ticket
Sightseeing using public buses
It’s possible to see many of Orkney’s main attractions using public buses.
Most routes run through Kirkwall and/or Stromness, with easy access to popular sites including the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, the Churchill Barriers, and a number of excellent beaches. We've picked out some highlights to be found on certain routes.
- The main X1 bus links St Margaret’s Hope, Kirkwall, and Stromness. You’d be able to see (click for more):
Between Kirkwall and St Margaret's Hope you’d be able to see:
- Highland Park Distillery
- The Churchill Barriers
- The Italian Chapel
- Beaches at Glimps Holm and the 4th Barrier between Burray and South Ronaldsay
- The village of St Margaret’s Hope
Between Kirkwall and Stromness you’d be able to see:
- Maeshowe Chambered Cairn (via the Maeshowe Visitor Centre in Stenness village)
- The Standing Stones of Stenness (on enhanced summer timetable)
- The Ring of Brodgar (on enhanced summer timetable)
- Skara Brae (on enhanced summer timetable)
- Bus Route No 3 heads east from Kirkwall to the parishes of St Andrews and Deerness. You’d be able to see (click for more):
- Sheila Fleet Jewellery and the Kirk Gallery & Café
- Dingieshowe beach
- The Deerness Distillery and the Dashing Deer Kitchen & Bar (within walking distance from the bus stop)
- The Gloup and Mull Head Nature Reserve (within walking distance from the bus stop)
- Bus Route No 8S heads through the West Mainland with stops in Kirkwall and Stromness. You’d be able to see (click for more):
- Bus Route No 9 is the Kirkwall Town Service. You’d be able to see (click for more):
- Scapa beach
- Scapa Distillery (within walking distance from bus stop)
Booking and visiting advice
Many of Orkney’s most popular visitor sites can be busy during the summer months and we’d expect them to be especially so during the Island Games.
There are a couple of things you can do to make sure you see our most famous sites at their best:
- Book your visits to Skara Brae, Maeshowe Chambered Cairn, and tours of St Magnus Cathedral’s Upper Levels as soon as you can. These are all popular attractions that must be booked before you visit to guarantee entry.
- Sites like the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar can be busiest between mid-morning and late-afternoon. If possible, visit these sites early in the morning or in the evening when they’ll be quieter and more atmospheric.
Island hopping
All Orkney 2025 Island Games events will be held on the Orkney mainland, but our other island communities are only a short hop away.
If you want to try a spot of island hopping during your time in Orkney, Orkney Ferries operates routes to 13 different communities. Islands including Shapinsay, Rousay, Hoy, and Flotta are relatively close, with some sailings taking only around 25 minutes. Other islands, including Sanday, Stronsay, and Westray, are further away but day trips are still possible.
The ferry route between Houton on the Orkney Mainland and the island of Hoy is very popular during the summer months. If you’re planning to travel on this service to visit the Scapa Flow Museum or to take your car to Rackwick and the Old Man of Hoy walk, you should book as early as possible.
Meanwhile, Orkney’s inter-isles flights operated by Loganair offer a unique chance to explore our island communities. Kirkwall Airport is the base, with routes reaching six of our north isles.
Booking ferries and flights in advance is essential.
If in doubt...
We’re a welcoming bunch here in Orkney and we’re looking forward to hosting our island friends from around the world.
If you find yourself lost or if you’re just looking for advice on where to go, what to see, or places to eat, simply stop a local resident and ask. We’ll be happy to help!