Beginning and ending in Stromness, this two day journey visits five of the well-known ancient settlements on the Orkney Mainland, the largest of the Orkney Isles.
Sites to be Visited on Day One
Barnhouse Settlement
Ness of Brodgar
Skara Brae
Sites to be visited on Day Two
Brough of Birsay Settlement
Broch of Gurness Settlement
Journey to the Orkney Ancient Settlements Stone Sites
Beginning and ending in Stromness, the second largest town on the Orkney Mainland, this one-day journey visits five of the well-known ancient settlements on the Orkney Mainland, the largest of the Orkney Isles.
Journey to the Orkney Ancient Settlements-Day 1
Prior to Leaving Stromness, the traveller needs to find out the times of the Ness of Brodgar Tours when the restrictions currently in place because of Covid-19 are lifted. The tours are very informative and worth your time.
Our first site on this journey is the Barnhouse Settlement, a partially reconstructed Neolithic village of 15+ houses that is estimated to have begun in 3300 B.C. To access the site, drive 5.1 miles (8.2 km) to the parking area near the Stones of Stenness. A short walk on a trail near the stones leads to the settlement located at NGR HY307127. Detailed Driving Directions Map
The second site is a short 1/2 mile (0.8 km) away to the North. It is the Ness of Brodgar, an active archaeological excavation site begun in 2003 and which has become one of the most important digs in the world located between the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness in the Heart of the Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site on the West Mainland of Orkney.
There is a parking lot at the site that is located at NGR HY303129. After parking, join one of the tours. A small shop run by the Orkney Archaeology Society is also worth visiting.
Our final site for the first day of this journey is Skara Brae, a large well-preserved stone-built Neolithic village that was occupied from roughly 3100-2500 B.C. The village consists of ten clustered houses, which were sunk into the ground, and connected by tunnels and is located 6.1 miles (9.8 km) away at NGR HY2295718685. Detailed Driving Directions Map.
Return to Stromness, 7.3 miles (11.7 km) away, after visiting the last site of the day. Detailed Driving Directions Map
Journey to the Orkney Ancient Settlements - Day 2
Prior to leaving Stromness, the traveller needs to consult a tide table book to find the times to walk across the causeway at near or low tide to the Brough of Birsay.
Our first site of Day 2 is the Brough of Birsay, a 50 acre tidal island roughly 800 feet off the northwest coast of the Orkney Mainland. The earliest settlement of Birsay seems to have been by Christian missionaries in the 5th Century A.D. By the 7th Century, the Picts had established a settlement, only to give way to a Norse settlement in the 9th Century. It is located 13.8 miles (22.2 km) away at NGR HY239285. Detailed Driving Directions Map.
Our second site of the day and the last of this two-day journey is the Broch of Gurness, a sprawling complex dating to 100-200 A.D. that includes the remnants of a magnificent broch that was once 26 feet high and 65 feet in diameter and the remnants of several semi-detached stone buildings that were living areas containing hearths and stone furniture. It is located 11.1 miles (17.9 km) away at NGR HY383268. Detailed Driving Directions Map.
Return to Stromness, approximately 17 miles (27 km) away, after visiting the last site of the day. Detailed Driving Directions Map
Addendum: The above are only two of the many stones sites on the Orkney Mainland. Here are three other standout sites to visit.
Maeshowe Chambered Cairn
Ring of Brodgar
Stones of Stenness
Visitors Information
General tourist information may be found at the Orkney.Com website.
Disclaimer
As of the date of this posting, road directions and conditions are correct. Please check local road conditions, however, for possible changes prior to venturing forth on this journey. A helpful resource for road changes and possible trip interruptions if you are travelling in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland is the AA-UK Route Planner. Another map source that this website uses and that may be useful to you on your journeys is Streetmap UK.
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