Orkney Islands Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
archipelago, county and council area in northern Scotland
About Orkney Islands
These faraway places were inhabited from the Mesolithic period circa 7000 BC, and archaeologists are still reeling from the 2021 discovery of 5500-year-old objects that appear to be cricket balls. The islands only stumbled into written lore and history with the 9th century AD arrival of the Vikings, who became christianised and penned theOrkneyingasaga, an unreliable early soap opera. The Orkneys are low-lying and fertile upon a bed of bright red old sandstone, and the ocean is harsh but around the next headland is sure to be a bay or inlet enjoying shelter. "Ork" may be from a Norse word for pigs, meaning "sea-pigs", dolphins, porpoises, and seals. Norse or Viking sea power extended in the 8th century, and the Orkney and Shetland Islands became part of the Kingdom of Norway for over 500 y
Top Attractions in Orkney Islands
Explore the best things to see and do in Orkney Islands:
- ★20th International Island Games
Orkney Islands Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 9 sections including: