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Has anyone any experience of camping in Orkney? And that could recommend any campsites that take tents?

On our last week in France we sat down and had a family discussion with the eight year old (three year old doesn`t get a vote yet!) and decided we`d had enough of France for a couple of years. Orkney and north Wales are top favourites for next year, probably two weeks in each rather than one long trip of five weeks like this year.

 I realise the weather in Orkney will be colder, wetter and windier, but we really only want to know if camping will be tolerable in July. We`re not really expecting to go lie on the beach. We want to go look at history things, and maybe a bit of gentle cycling if the wind and rain permits.

We just arrived back from Orkney at the weekend. We used a municipal campsite in Kirkwall called the Pickaquoy Caravan and Camping Site. It takes tents and caravans/motorhomes and it's quite well placed a short walk from the town centre and adjacent to the sports centre/cinema complex. There were some problems with hot water in the showers in the morning while we were there however a new toilet block was due to be online next week after which it shouldn't be a problem any more. The campsite was fairly full (plenty of room for tents though) while we were there but still quiet. I did a bit of cycling about the place and it's a good location for that as you can get ferries direct to some of smaller islands from Kirkwall Harbour which is also close to the site. We had planned to take the bikes over to Shapinsay which was something like £6 for an adult return and £1.50 for a bike. We didn't get round to it but it looked an ideal size for cycling on.

Some must visits:

1) The Scapa Flow museum at Lyness on Hoy - very good, free and the museum is a short walk from the ferry so there is no need to take the car over. The return ferry fare was £18 for 2 adults and 2 kids.

2) Scara Brae - very interesting, as is the stately home that the visit is combined with.

3) The Italian Chapel - it's also close to the Churchill barriers where you can still see the wrecks of some of the blockships.

4) The Ring of Brodgar - on the way from Kirwall to Scara Brae.

5) Stromness - Lovely little village with an excellent little museum. There is also another campsite there which I've heard good things about but we didn't check it out. I preferred the facilities from being in Kirkwall though.

6) Ortak jewellry visitor centre - also a short walk from the campsite and a must for the ladies in your party.

Lots and lots of other stuff to do which we didn't manage because we were only there for 5 nights - shortest scheduled flight in the world (Westray - Papa Westray, under 2 minutes!), the Old Man of Hoy, various other islands.There is lots of wildlife too - we saw seals and porpoises from the ferry and various sea-birds etc.

Weather was decent enough although we had a bit of rain on a couple of mornings. Not enough to spoil the visit though. There seemed to be lots of people cycle touring/camping on the islands as well and it looked well suited as the gradients all seemed gentle although there were often headwinds.

If you want any more info please let me know. Our two week trip was 3 nights at Ardmair Point in Ullapool, 2 nights at Scourie, 3 nights at Durness, 1 night at Dunnet Bay and 5 in Kirkwall plus a "wild" overnight on the way up and back (we're motorhomers) and I thought it was an excellent balance and my kids (9 and 13) enjoyed it as well, with the high point probably being the visit to Handa Island near Scourie.

Thanks for the very detailed post, Steve.....just the sort of information I`m after. I`ve bookmarked this thread and the campsite you refer to.

 Last (and only) time I was in Orkney was 1980 on a university field trip, so have forgotton a lot. We went round some of the archeological sites then, though it was supposed to be a botany field trip.

I like the idea of being close to Kirkwall, and the ferryport. It would be great to take the bikes over to some of the other islands. Hubby would like the WW2 stuff and son wants to do Viking things. Perfect.

(Interesting you`re from Edinburgh btw....I`m going there tomorrow. Long trip though....six minutes on the train from here in Musselburgh.)

totally agree with niblue, I looked at the campsite at Kirkwall, it looked very nice, I didn't stay there, this time as we stayed at a cottage in St Margerets bay.  Family live there.  Loads to do I quite liked the Shelia Fleet Jewellery spent alot.  The beach at Scarpa flow is nice, when we were up there we threw my father-in-laws ashes at the beach.

Orkney is a good camping choice.

drazzi

Valk Scot, I can fully vouch for the Pickaquoy Centre for camping even with the hot water problem.  Orkney is a truley mystical place with an atmosphere I have never experienced anywhere else.  Whats more there are no midges, can be chilly at night but you should be ok in June.  The ferry (Northlink at the moment but now out to tender for a new operator which doesn't include Northlink) across is a bit pricey £165 for Renault Espace, 2 adults and 2 kids, the view of the old man of Hoy is worth it though.

My OH is an Orcadian and we have visited on a number of occasions.  No living relatives there now.  One site you shouldn't miss is the Tomb of the Eagles, the farmer is a real character if you can understand his accent.  The whole site was excavated by him and he now has a visitor centre which was developed for him by professionals.

Val, my wife is from Musselburgh so I know it well as her dad still lives there.

We didn't use the Northlink Ferry but instead used the shorter, cheaper Pentlands Ferry crossing from Gills Bay to St, Margarets Hope. That worked out at about £150 return but that was with a largish motorhome so a car will be a fair bit cheaper. It's a decent enough crossing although you don't get to see the old man of Hoy as the route doesn't pass that way.

The other camp site on Orkney is at Stromness and is, in my opinion, much nicer. The site is called Point Of Ness and the position is amazing, surrounded by water with fantasitc views of the hills of Hoy. It's a small site but the facilities are good. Showers are proper power showers with great water pressure. IIf it's wet there's a room in the toilet/reception block with chairs, books, electric points (lots of phone charging going on) and clothes lines.

If you're getting there with Northlink Ferries it's very handy and you'll pass the camp site on the boat as you approach the harbour.

Also, I much prefer Stromness to Kirkwall. It is small (but then so is Kirkwall really) but it has such a lovely friendly atmosphere.

Are going going on the Pentland or Northlink Ferries? Pentland is cheaper and we've always gone with them until this year when we decided to go with them but come back on the Northlink. Well, it's just going to have to be Northlink from now on! The ferry (MV Hamnavoe) is gorgeous and the route is so much nicer, passing the Old Man of Hoy. The facilities onbaord are great, a bar, a restaurant, a shop and the car deck is so much roomier - none of that having to let your passenger out before you park otherwise they'll be stuck in the car!

Orkney is such a beautiful place with so many interesting things to see. I hope you have a fantastic time.

Anything else you'd like to know just ask. Also, I have some photos of the camp site at Stromness which I'll be happy to email you if you'd like to see.

Deb

Oh and with regards to the weather, don't worry about it. You certainly won't freeze to death in a tent! We've been there in July for the past two years and also the August before. Although we've had some wind and rain we've also had some gorgeous hot days, sitting outside the tent in the sun.

You'll be fine

Deb