48 hours in Orkney

Sally Toms suggests what you might do with only a few days to discover Orkney.

Unless you're one of those enviable people who seem to be on a perpetual vacation, free to spend weeks on end exploring Scotland's every corner, chances are you're going to experience this fine country little by little. You might start with Edinburgh and Glencoe; Glasgow and Ayrshire, or perhaps go over to Skye and the Inner Hebrides. Scotland's more remote regions, such as Orkney, are sometimes are overlooked for being too inaccessible. Yet it is possible to experience these beautiful islands even if you only have limited time. Forty eight hours on mainland Orkney is enough to give you just a taste of the Islands, and will no doubt leave you wanting more.

GETTING THERE For a start, Orkney is more accessible than you might think. Flybe flies into Kirkwall airport from the major British airports, and there are good inbound links from many European and North American destinations. A lot of people fly into Aberdeen airport then get a connecting flight to Kirkwall, which takes only about 50 minutes and is probably the easiest way to travel.

Alternatively you could reach the islands by sea, via a choice of ferry sailings from Aberdeen (6hrs) and Scrabster (90mins), Gills Bay (1hr) or John O'Groats in Caithness (40mins).

Once you've arrived, consider hiring a car or a personal guide with a car to chauffeur you around. A professional guide costs from around £100 a day, which sounds like a lot but you really do get a lot out of it. Contact the tourist office for information on th...

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• By : Sally Toms
• In : Travel
• Issue : 45
• Page : 68
• Words : 1,735