Orkney Mainland tourist information

Orkney Mainland is the largest of the islands, pinched in the middle to form two distinct halves, the East and West.

In the centre lies Kirkwall, the bustling capital of Orkney and the main ferry port. The town was once ruled by the Viking Earls of Orkney, and their most impressive legacy is the beautiful 12th century Cathedral of St Magnus. This, along with the adjacent Bishop's and Earl's Palaces, are the heart of the town. There are a good selection of local amenities, pubs and restaurants, as well as an interesting museum of local history and the unique Orkney Wireless Museum.

The larger half of the island is the West Mainland. This scenic area of rugged coast, lochs and rich farming country has some of the finest prehistoric remains in Western Europe. The incredibly well preserved village of Scara Brae was exposed by a storm in 1850 after being hidden for 5,000 years, and its buildings show domestic life in incredible detail. There is a very good visitor centre, but expect the site to be busy in the summer months.

You could spend months visiting the archaeological sites on the island, but don't leave without also seeing the fantastic stone circles of the Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness, and the fascinating tomb of Maeshowe, all located in the centre of the island and together making up the Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site.

And there is more to the area than the prehistoric remains. Adjacent to the site is the historic mansion of Skaill House, and there are museums of rural life in Harray and Birsay. Explore the western coats for some great beaches and cliffs such as those at Yesnaby, which boasts another seastack to rival the Old Man of Hoy. Also in the west is the pretty town of Stromness, Orkney's second largest. This fishing and ferry port has a wonderful winding main street and stone-built houses and lanes of great character.

The east is the smaller part of the island, with some pretty beaches and villages, and linked to the island of South Ronaldsay by causeways built to block off the Scarpa Flow in WWII, known as the Churchill Barriers.

Scapa Flow itself is a natural harbour between Orkney Mainland, Hoy and South Ronaldsay which has been used for many navel operations. It is most famous as the place where the German navy was scuttled during WWI, and is also the site of the sunken HMS Royal Oak, torpedoed in 1939 and now a protected war grave. The visitor centre is on Hoy, a short trip away by boat, and this area attracts divers from around the world wanting to explore the wrecks beneath.