Orkney

[idetika]

Hoping to take the Bongo to Orkney in a couple of weeks.
Has anyone been?
Any tips would be greatly received. We're hoping to wild camp and have the odd night on a site.

[ELZE]

Hi

Spent 10 weeks there late Aug till October working but did get a bit of time to sight see.

Best way to get there is a drive to either Scrabster or St Gills bay and take the Pentland ferry to St Margret's bay Kirkwall. The trip will be 1hr 20 minutes and will cost around £45 for a Bongo and 2 persons (last years prices)

Westray is the best island, No police no MOT or tax and drinking and driving is the main activity. Only one pub Pierowall Hotel! Open daily from 10am to 11pm serve nice meals. a bit on the expensive side as all the islands. Scallops and lobster to die for. If you need a B&B try the new one at the Manse Ask around for Adam Sharp tell him I sent you (Mike from Newcastle) Knotland Links is a good site and a must to visit with Neolithic round houses still intact, seals on the beach and sand a turquoise water breaking over the sands.

Next up is main Orkney, Nice bars but the locals are clannish! Skippers bar and The Shore in Kirkwall are nice bars -lively- but there are a few more. Look around this island and you will find plenty of Neolithic and stone age sites which you can visit and actually get to speak to archaeologists in person. There are the block ships which Churchill sank to stop the Nazi U Boats from sneaking up between the islands and sinking the fleet. Some good history there!

Eday is a crap island with a population of around 60 none of which are from the island? (you work it out) No bars or B&B here only a flea bitten hostel.

some of the islands are not inhabited and therefore no ferry. North link ferries are reasonably in price but be aware of the timetable as some go to an island but return another way so you may not get back the main the same day but the day after. Try an island hopper ticket. I have placed some pics below as a taster

Have a good one!

[Muzorewa]

I only had a couple of days to spare so only went to the Orkney mainland. Nevertheless, some ideas HERE

[ELZE]

Sorry, cant compete with that some of us had work to do

[Muzorewa]

....but I was working. For a couple of hours

[ELZE]

I was working 10 weeks solid. See all those wind turbines that blighted the place? I did that!

[Muzorewa]

Oh, so you're to blame

I'm liking the sound of Westray. I remember on the Jura distillery tour, before Google Maps towed Jura out into the Atlantic and sunk it, the guide telling us there's no police there either. This was in the maturing warehouse. She noticed me looking surprised at this and then, after a pause, said "Ok, so where are you going to take it once you've stolen it?"

I also fancy the plane from Westray to Papa Westray, the shortest scheduled flight in the world

[ELZE]

Oh, so you're to blame

I'm liking the sound of Westray. I remember on the Jura distillery tour, before Google Maps towed Jura out into the Atlantic and sunk it, the guide telling us there's no police there either. This was in the maturing warehouse. She noticed me looking surprised at this and then, after a pause, said "Ok, so where are you going to take it once you've stolen it?"

I also fancy the plane from Westray to Papa Westray, the shortest scheduled flight in the world

yes it is...all 3 minutes of it! problem is like the boat once you get there there's nowt! walkies I am afraid and although the island is small when the weather is poor it's bloody wet and cold even in summer. In Westray there's two cafe's The Haff yok which is the old fire station, was poor but my mate owns it now starting this year so it has to be better as his missus is a great cook. Then there is the wheel and Steel, much posher him and his daughter are photographers and have a very nice selection of local pics all framed ranging from 30 to 80 quid a shot! Also they have the cabin of an old wreck which an old woman lived in as the story goes, he is intending to recreate the story in pictures and make it a gallery feature.

Nearly forgot to mention, if you like fishing take a fly rod there is a small loch stuffed with trout!

strange, despite all the good info there is no comment from the bloke who started the thread?

[idetika]

Been busy, not logged on til just now (I'm female by the way ).
I've read through your fab replies and have loved looking at the pictures which have given us loads of ideas, thanks!
We'll get the Pentland ferry going and maybe the Northlink coming home (to catch a glimpse of the Old Man of Hoy).
Other than that we will just go with the flow although I'd quite like to have a fly over the Islands at some point.
I love photography so I'm hoping to get some good pictures whist up there.
Just got the 600 mile drive to John O'Groats to endure

[ELZE]

Hello there idetika ! no indication of gender in a name so being a bloke!!!

Anyway as I was saying to Muzz if you like photography go to the wheel & Steel gallery in Westray you will be blown away. And do take a camera, you would be a fool not to given the scenery and the weather changes by the minute! At one time I had 3 rainbows all at once in 3 different positions...weird! If your quick enough you will still see the puffins.

I hope you have a good one. It's a nice place to chill. As for the drive up there I agree it is gruelling but take a 3 hour drive and stop at Knock hill services just pass Perth have an hour or so rest, it's a canny place with a burger king if you have little'uns. Once you hit the M9 there are loads of stop off/laybye's along the way but very little garages or services unless you leave the beaten track. Once you hit the ferry terminal you will have a wait. this is when the Bongy comes in useful..get a brew on. If I remember one ferry leaves at 12pm and another @ 6pm and the other leaves at midnight.

I am off to Skye in Aug for my nest assignment and am not looking forward to the 8 hour drive there

[idetika]

Absolutely love Skye (and the rest of the Hebrides) but fancy a change. However, we are planning to head home via the west coast and may make it onto Skye, so look out for a green Bongo!
Do you think it's necessary to book the ferries in mid august? We'd rather be flexible in case we see something interesting on the way!

[Muzorewa]

When I went it was the August bank-holiday weekend last year and you can see the space on the ferries. I had booked but I also managed to amend the bookings at no charge to suit when I was at the terminal. At least having it booked you are sure of a crossing in case it is busy.

Take the ferry operator's phone numbers so you can alter your crossing as you need

[ELZE]

I agree, take the phone numbers and get a time table for all the ferries from the tourist stop along the way. Usually I am in the islands and Highlands from late summer to winter due to the nature of work so space on a ferry is not usually a problem, but I do realise that they overbook to take into account those who do not turn up. They usully allow bookers on first then everyone else up to a certain number. I have been bumped off a ferry before due to overboking and they all turned up! Just have to swallow the dissapointment! It is rare however.

In my pictures i posted, one is of a ferry crossing and just to change the subject a minute, if you look at it you will see in the distance a funny looking orange structure in the water that looks like goal posts. This is the worlds first oceanic turbine on its trials. Its a huge jet style engine at the sea bed turning with the in and ut of the tidal movemen. If this works within around 20 years all our electricity will be coming from the seabed and no wind farms.

The orkneys has one of the strongest tidal pathways in the world so som etimes ferries are late arricing due to struggling with an uptide!

As for looking for a green bongo, I will post on the forum when I arrive and maybe we can have a mini meet at the weekend if anyone is around? By then I will have a black bongo not a silver on!