Orkney Islands Holiday Rentals (6 properties)

The Orkney Islands are truly captivating; firing the imagination and the eye with the continually changing shades of light that cross the landscape through windswept skies. In the summer months, days in the Orkney Islands are long, and the sunniest stretches are often to be found long into the evening – a fantastic time to be out and about exploring. The local Orcadians are an immensely friendly people, brazenly immune to the Orkney Islands’ unpredictable weather, and voraciously independent of mainland Scotland, despite the fact that their mystical archipelago is just a mere 6 miles from the north coast mainland.

The Orkney Islands are sparsely populated: just 17 of Orkney’s 70 islands are inhabited, and some of the most jaw-dropping scenery is to be found along the coastline where immense cliffs surge down into white, sandy shores. The Orkney archipelago contains unique traces of mankind’s ancient existence, which can’t be seen anywhere else on earth. The islands are almost awash with prehistoric sites, with ancient stone walls that have stood up well to over 5,000 years of climatic siege. Visitors wanting to glimpse a picture of the way that our ancestors lived, worshipped and perished can easily find this in the Orkney Islands, with the tomb of Maes Howe and many ancient standing stones, or Skara Brae’s almost Flintstone-esque furniture making it almost impossible not to visit.

There is more to the Orkney Islands than a voyage of discovery into ancient life, however. For a blast of more contemporary culture, with its roots firmly planted in traditional island life, the smaller islands shouldn’t be missed. Similarly, the larger towns of Stromness and Kirkwall on Mainland have numerous inviting drinking holes, some great options for holiday rentals, friendly locals and thriving festivals that are well worth a visit. If you are looking to stay, it’s worth checking out availability beforehand as Orkney Islands holiday rentals can get booked up well in advance. Orkney has an abundance of wildlife especially of Gray and Common Seals and seabirds including Kittiwakes, Bonxies, Puffins and Tysties. Enjoy watching dolphins frolicking in the crystal clear waters of the sea or laze on the cool sands of the beaches and bask under the warm sun. The long white coastline of Orkney Island is renowned for its colorful flowers including Sea Squill, Sea Thrift, Common Sea lavender and Common Heather. For avid walkers, the lovely town of South Ronaldsay offers wonderful well marked pathways which command spectacular vistas of the lush green countryside abounding the town. There is no dearth of elegant South Ronaldsay holiday rentals which provide easy access to many lovely vantage points and charming towns like Orphir, Kirkwall, and Stromness.

Orkney Island is one of the finest places for enjoying succulent seafood which is served in its wonderful restaurants. From authentic Scottish delicacies to French, Italian, Spanish and Chinese fare, you can pamper your palate to every kind of gastronomy in the pleasing dinning establishments of the island. For those who want to sample out some local drinks there are plenty of bars which are easily accessible from Orkney Islands holiday rentals. Shopping is truly a delightful affair in Orkney Islands. There is a variety of shops, outlets, stores and boutiques in the region where you can buy almost everything that you crave for, stylish clothing, smart leather wares, woolens, precious jewelery, and beautiful handicrafts made the local artisans of Orkney Islands.