Orkney Islands

Ancient Treasures

While Shetland is best known for its plentiful wildlife, Orkney is best known for the archaeological remains that have been left largely intact and grand. We used the main town of Kirkwall as our base for exploring the islands.

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The Earl of Orkney built this palace in Kirkwall for himself, because the palace across the street wasn't enough for him. He used slave labor and got the land from the rightful owner by trumping up charges that led to an execution. All of this mischief and more led to another execution, the Earl's.

Everywhere you turn, someone's playing a bagpipe. In Kirkwall, there was a march of the local pipe band on Saturday night. There are nearly as many folks in the band as there are in the stands.

Skara Brae is a Neolithic community that's older than Stonehenge and older than the Pyramids of Egypt. In the nineteenth century, these ruins were discovered by chance after a storm blew away the sand dunes that had protected them for millennia.

The Ring of Brodgar is a stone circle that's from the same era as Stonehenge.

The Standing Stones of Stenness is the oldest stone circle in Orkney, and at six meters (19 feet) tall, they're impressive.