Kirkwall

Kirkwall is the largest town and capital of the Orkney Islands, an archipelago some 10 miles (16 km) off the north coast of Scotland.

Kirkwall has two faces, depending on where you have just come from. If arriving from a large city such as Edinburgh or Glasgow, it is a small, quiet town, with a gentle pace of life. On the other hand, if you arrive from a more remote area, such as the outer islands of Orkney, Kirkwall seems like a buzzing metropolitan centre with shops, cafes, bars, traffic and areas of housing and industry sprawling south, east and west from its busy harbour.

The presence of cruise ships in Kirkwall can make a substantial difference to the town. Arrival of a 4000-person cruise ship over summer can cause queues to attractions and a jostle for space in the tea-rooms. If you can, time your visit to not be on a cruise-day, you'll find the town much calmer.

The Tourist Information Centre is at the bus station in town centre.

The most attractive part of Kirkwall is the central alley, which starts as Bridge St by the harbour, turns along Albert St, then widens into Broad St with the Cathedral and palace ruins. The Kirkwall City Pipe Band often parades here on a Saturday evening. The street then narrows again to the alley of Victoria Street. Just west of the centre, circumnavigate the Peedie Sea: once a tidal inlet, it's now been enclosed into two freshwater lagoons. (Well, 2.1 if you count the little overflow pond.) Beyond the centre, Kirkwall is a modern and work-a-day place, with various marine industries sprawling along the shore.

• St Magnus Cathedral, Broad Street KW15 1NX. Apr-Sep: M-Sa 09:00-18:00, Su 13:00-18:00; Oct-Mar: M-Sa 09:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00. It was founded in 1137 but took 300 years to complete. It is an impressive Romanesque building with alternating courses of sandstone: red from Kirkwall and yellow from Eday. Probably the builders were the same as for Durham and Dunfermline cathedrals. The interior is atmospheric, dominated by red circular columns and multi-coloured textile hangings. This is a working church so it's closed to tourist visits for services, funerals, etc. It started out as part of the RC Archdiocese of Trondheim but is now a Presbyterian parish church, so ecclestiastically it's no longer a cathedral.
• Bishop's & Earl's Palaces, Watergate KW15 1PD (Opposite the cathedral. Apr-Sep: daily 09:30-17:30. Two ruins either side of the street. Enter the Earl's Palace, the newer one, first for tickets. The Bishop's Palace was built in the 12th century at the same time as the cathedral, but fell into ruin. It was restored and extended in the 16th century by Bishop Robert Reid, founder of Edinburgh University. Ownership then passed to the wicked, wastrel Earls of Orkney, and in the 17th century Earl Patrick decided that it wasn't grand enough, and set about building a new palace next door. He couldn't remotely afford it, even by the stratagem of lynching the landowner instead of buying the land, and by using slave labour. Adult £5, conc £4.
• Orkney Museum, Tankerness House, Broad Street KW15 1DG (opposite the cathedral. M-Sa 10:30-12:30 & 13:30-17:00. For 3 centuries this was the home of the Baikie family from Tankerness. It now houses exhibits on Orkney from the Stone Age to the present. Free.
• Orkney Wireless Museum, Kiln Corner, 1 Junction Rd KW15 1LB (At roundabout by harbour. M-Sa 10:30-16:30, Su 14:30-16:30. In the early 20th century radio technology developed rapidly, and was a lifeline to remote islands like South Ronaldsay. Jim MacDonald (1927-1988) grew up there and amassed a great collection, including rare prototypes and secret-squirrel military kit. And here they are.
• Highland Park Distillery, Holm Road KW15 1SU (on A961 one mile south of town, +44 1856 874619. Apr-Sep: daily 10:00-16:00; Nov-Mar: M-F 10:00-16:00. The world's most northerly Scotch whisky distillery (just edging nearby Scapa Distillery), producing some 2.5 million litres a year for blend and a variety of single malts. These are more peaty than the Scapa whisky. Founded in 1798, it's now owned by Edrington Group of Glasgow, who also produce Famous Grouse, Cutty Sark, Macallan & Glenrothes, as well as vodka and rum. Longer & pricier tours than the basic involve sampling more whisky: so imagine the £250 tour? Basic one-hour tour £10.
• Scapa Distillery, KW15 1SE (On Scapa Flow 2 miles S of town, follow A964. Apr-Sep: M-Sa 09:30-17:00 & Su 12:30-17:00; Oct-Mar: M-F 09:30-17:00. Founded in 1885, though with occasional lapses in production, the present facility dates from 2004/5 and turns out a million litres a year for blend or single malt. It's only slightly peaty, the chief single malt bottling being the Scapa 16 year old. Short tour £10, 45 min, long tour £20, 90 min, booking recommended. The distillery is today part of Chivas which is part of Pernod Ricard.
• Grain Earth House is an Iron Age chamber, circa 1000 BC, entered by a 5-m underground passage. It was probably part of a larger settlement now engulfed by Hatston Industrial Estate on the north edge of town. Free to enter, but you need to collect keys from (and return them to) Judith Glue's Knit Shop at 25 Broad Street during business hours (M-Sa 09:00-21:00, Su 10:00-18:00). The chamber is at the corner of Swordfish Rd and Dakota Rd, Kirkwall KW15 1GR.
• Wideford Hill Cairn: Maeshowe all booked out? This stone cairn is of similar construction and quality yet no-one else will be there. Built around 3000 BC, it has a central chamber with three cells to the side; nowadays you enter through the roof. It's set into the hill two miles west of Kirkwall (KW15 1TS), follow Old Finstown Rd not the main road. Free to enter, any time.
• Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn, is a similar but smaller burial chamber from 3000 BC. You'll need to crawl down the passageway into the chamber. It's a mile further west along the Old Finstown Rd (KW17 2EJ), almost coming into Finstown village. Free to enter, anytime.
• Rennibister Earth House, circa 1000 BC, is a stone-lined underground chamber accessed by a hatch and a ladder. In it were found the bones of six adults and a dozen children, who may have been interred later. It's 3 miles (5 km) west of Kirkwall (KW15 1TX) on A965 towards Finstown, bus stop "Rennibister", in a farmyard. Free to enter, any time.

St Magnus Cathedral, Broad Street KW15 1NX. Apr-Sep: M-Sa 09:00-18:00, Su 13:00-18:00; Oct-Mar: M-Sa 09:00-13:00 & 14:00-17:00. It was founded in 1137 but took 300 years to complete. It is an impressive Romanesque building with alternating courses of sandstone: red from Kirkwall and yellow from Eday. Probably the builders were the same as for Durham and Dunfermline cathedrals. The interior is atmospheric, dominated by red circular columns and multi-coloured textile hangings. This is a working church so it's closed to tourist visits for services, funerals, etc. It started out as part of the RC Archdiocese of Trondheim but is now a Presbyterian parish church, so ecclestiastically it's no longer a cathedral.

Bishop's & Earl's Palaces, Watergate KW15 1PD (Opposite the cathedral. Apr-Sep: daily 09:30-17:30. Two ruins either side of the street. Enter the Earl's Palace, the newer one, first for tickets. The Bishop's Palace was built in the 12th century at the same time as the cathedral, but fell into ruin. It was restored and extended in the 16th century by Bishop Robert Reid, founder of Edinburgh University. Ownership then passed to the wicked, wastrel Earls of Orkney, and in the 17th century Earl Patrick decided that it wasn't grand enough, and set about building a new palace next door. He couldn't remotely afford it, even by the stratagem of lynching the landowner instead of buying the land, and by using slave labour. Adult £5, conc £4.

Orkney Museum, Tankerness House, Broad Street KW15 1DG (opposite the cathedral. M-Sa 10:30-12:30 & 13:30-17:00. For 3 centuries this was the home of the Baikie family from Tankerness. It now houses exhibits on Orkney from the Stone Age to the present. Free.

Orkney Wireless Museum, Kiln Corner, 1 Junction Rd KW15 1LB (At roundabout by harbour. M-Sa 10:30-16:30, Su 14:30-16:30. In the early 20th century radio technology developed rapidly, and was a lifeline to remote islands like South Ronaldsay. Jim MacDonald (1927-1988) grew up there and amassed a great collection, including rare prototypes and secret-squirrel military kit. And here they are.

Highland Park Distillery, Holm Road KW15 1SU (on A961 one mile south of town, +44 1856 874619. Apr-Sep: daily 10:00-16:00; Nov-Mar: M-F 10:00-16:00. The world's most northerly Scotch whisky distillery (just edging nearby Scapa Distillery), producing some 2.5 million litres a year for blend and a variety of single malts. These are more peaty than the Scapa whisky. Founded in 1798, it's now owned by Edrington Group of Glasgow, who also produce Famous Grouse, Cutty Sark, Macallan & Glenrothes, as well as vodka and rum. Longer & pricier tours than the basic involve sampling more whisky: so imagine the £250 tour? Basic one-hour tour £10.

Scapa Distillery, KW15 1SE (On Scapa Flow 2 miles S of town, follow A964. Apr-Sep: M-Sa 09:30-17:00 & Su 12:30-17:00; Oct-Mar: M-F 09:30-17:00. Founded in 1885, though with occasional lapses in production, the present facility dates from 2004/5 and turns out a million litres a year for blend or single malt. It's only slightly peaty, the chief single malt bottling being the Scapa 16 year old. Short tour £10, 45 min, long tour £20, 90 min, booking recommended. The distillery is today part of Chivas which is part of Pernod Ricard.

Grain Earth House is an Iron Age chamber, circa 1000 BC, entered by a 5-m underground passage. It was probably part of a larger settlement now engulfed by Hatston Industrial Estate on the north edge of town. Free to enter, but you need to collect keys from (and return them to) Judith Glue's Knit Shop at 25 Broad Street during business hours (M-Sa 09:00-21:00, Su 10:00-18:00). The chamber is at the corner of Swordfish Rd and Dakota Rd, Kirkwall KW15 1GR.

Wideford Hill Cairn: Maeshowe all booked out? This stone cairn is of similar construction and quality yet no-one else will be there. Built around 3000 BC, it has a central chamber with three cells to the side; nowadays you enter through the roof. It's set into the hill two miles west of Kirkwall (KW15 1TS), follow Old Finstown Rd not the main road. Free to enter, any time.

Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn, is a similar but smaller burial chamber from 3000 BC. You'll need to crawl down the passageway into the chamber. It's a mile further west along the Old Finstown Rd (KW17 2EJ), almost coming into Finstown village. Free to enter, anytime.

Rennibister Earth House, circa 1000 BC, is a stone-lined underground chamber accessed by a hatch and a ladder. In it were found the bones of six adults and a dozen children, who may have been interred later. It's 3 miles (5 km) west of Kirkwall (KW15 1TX) on A965 towards Finstown, bus stop "Rennibister", in a farmyard. Free to enter, any time.

• Norwegian Constitution Day. 17 May. To celebrate Orkney's historical ties with Norway, Norwegian Constitution Day is celebrated every year with a parade and guests from Norway.
• St Magnus International Festival. Orkney's midsummer celebration of the arts. Founded in 1977 by a group including the late Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, the Festival has grown from small beginnings into one of Britain's most highly regarded and adventurous arts events. The next event is 19-25 June 2020.

Norwegian Constitution Day. 17 May. To celebrate Orkney's historical ties with Norway, Norwegian Constitution Day is celebrated every year with a parade and guests from Norway.

St Magnus International Festival. Orkney's midsummer celebration of the arts. Founded in 1977 by a group including the late Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, the Festival has grown from small beginnings into one of Britain's most highly regarded and adventurous arts events. The next event is 19-25 June 2020.

Kirkwall has a good range of craft shops, and look out for the local Orkney Fudge.

• Ortak Jewellery, Garrison Rd KW15 1RH
• Longship, 13 Broad St KW15 1DH, has knitwear and other local crafts
• Orcadian Bookshop 50 Albert St KW15 1HQ

Supermarkets: shop like a local at Tesco, Lidl or Co-op, all side-by-side on Pickaquoy Road A963, 400 yards (360 m) south of the bus station. There's another Co-op in the centre of town.

Takeaways include Harbour Fry and International Chip Shop, both on Bridge St, and Willows Chinese on Willow Rd.

• Strynd Tearoom The Strynd +44 1856 871552, M-Sa 10:00-16:00. A cosy tearoom in an alley beside the cathedral, good cakes.
• Kirkwall & St Ola Community Centre Broad St +44 1856 871552, M-Sa 09:00-16:00. Popular cafe opposite the cathedral.
• Trenabies 16 Albert Street, M-Sa 08:30-17:30 & Su 11:30-15:30.
• Cafelolz@21 21 Albert Street, M-Sa 10:00-16:30, Su 11:00-15:00.
• Pomona Cafe 9 Albert Street, M-Sa 08:00-17:00, Su 10:00-16:00.
• Wrigley and The Reel, 6 Broad Street, M-Sa 09:00-18:00, Su 10:00-17:00. Coffee and music shop.
• Well Park Garden Centre KW15 1NE.

Strynd Tearoom The Strynd +44 1856 871552, M-Sa 10:00-16:00. A cosy tearoom in an alley beside the cathedral, good cakes.

Kirkwall & St Ola Community Centre Broad St +44 1856 871552, M-Sa 09:00-16:00. Popular cafe opposite the cathedral.

Trenabies 16 Albert Street, M-Sa 08:30-17:30 & Su 11:30-15:30.

Cafelolz@21 21 Albert Street, M-Sa 10:00-16:30, Su 11:00-15:00.

Pomona Cafe 9 Albert Street, M-Sa 08:00-17:00, Su 10:00-16:00.

Wrigley and The Reel, 6 Broad Street, M-Sa 09:00-18:00, Su 10:00-17:00. Coffee and music shop.

Well Park Garden Centre KW15 1NE.

• Dil Se, 7 Bridge Street KW15 1HR, +44 1856 875242. Daily 16:00-23:00. North Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine.
• Busters Diner 1 Mounthoolie Place, daily 16:30-20:30.
• Empire Chinese 51 Junction Rd, daily 12:00-14:00 & 17:00-23:30.
• Orkney Hotel, Kirkwall Hotel and Ayre Hotel all have good restaurants, see "sleep" listings.

Dil Se, 7 Bridge Street KW15 1HR, +44 1856 875242. Daily 16:00-23:00. North Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine.

Busters Diner 1 Mounthoolie Place, daily 16:30-20:30.

Empire Chinese 51 Junction Rd, daily 12:00-14:00 & 17:00-23:30.

Orkney Hotel, Kirkwall Hotel and Ayre Hotel all have good restaurants, see "sleep" listings.

As well as the local whisky, try the beer brewed at Orkney Brewery, on the north Mainland near Skara Brae.

Kirkwall is within easy reach of the rest of Orkney. The top sights on Mainland are Stenness with its neolithic remains, Stromness the old fishing port, and the road across the "Churchill Barrier" past the Italian Chapel.

Beyond Mainland, visit one of the other islands for a tranquil contrast: Shapinsay is the closest.

And then either continue north to Shetland, or return south to the Scottish mainland - which you'll have to do to reach the Hebrides and other Scottish islands.