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Why the North Isles Reward a Little Planning

Ask anyone who has spent time in Orkney and they will usually say the same thing: the Mainland is wonderful, but the islands beyond it are where the place really opens up. North of the sheltered waters of Scapa Flow, roughly a dozen inhabited islands fan out towards the Atlantic, each with a distinct personality and a population you could fit into a village hall.

Shapinsay is farmland and a Victorian castle. Rousay is archaeology on a hillside. Sanday is long white beaches and enormous skies. Westray is cliffs, puffins and a lively little harbour. Papa Westray holds a stone house older than the pyramids, while North Ronaldsay has seaweed-eating sheep and a lighthouse that seems to lean into the wind. The trick is not choosing between them — it is working out how the ferries stitch them together.

Getting to Grips with the Ferry Network

Almost all inter-island sailings radiate from two points. Kirkwall's harbour serves the outer north isles, while Tingwall, on the west side of the Mainland about twenty minutes' drive from Kirkwall, is the departure point for the Rousay group. A few routes link islands to each other rather than back to the Mainland, which means you can occasionally hop sideways without retracing your steps.

• From Kirkwall: Shapinsay (about 25 minutes), Stronsay, Sanday, Eday, Westray, Papa Westray and North Ronaldsay, with the longest crossings taking around two and a half to three hours.
• From Tingwall: Rousay (roughly 20 minutes), Egilsay and Wyre, often on the same vessel and the same run.
• From Westray's Rapness pier: the short link across to Papa Westray, which pairs neatly with a night on Westray.

Foot passengers can usually turn up and pay on board, but vehicle spaces in summer are precious and should be reserved weeks — ideally months — in advance. Timetables shift with the day of the week and, on some routes, with the tide, so check the date you are actually travelling rather than the pattern you saw last year. Weather can cancel sailings at short notice; build a spare day into any tight itinerary.

Shapinsay, Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre

This is the easy-going introduction to island hopping, and it suits a first visit perfectly. Shapinsay is a short hop from Kirkwall and can be done as a comfortable day trip: a walk or cycle out to the Iron Age broch at Burroughston, a look at the walled garden at Balfour, and a slow afternoon watching curlews in the fields.

Rousay deserves more than a day. The road along its south coast passes one of the densest concentrations of prehistoric monuments in Britain, including the chambered tomb and broch at Midhowe, and the island has been nicknamed the Egypt of the North for good reason. Egilsay is tiny and quiet, with a Norse church and a round tower worth the walk, and Wyre holds the remains of a twelfth-century castle. If you are based in a Kirkwall guest house, these three make an excellent combined outing; if you would rather not rush, a night on Rousay in a small guest house or bunkhouse is a joy.

Stronsay, Sanday and Eday

The middle isles feel noticeably wilder. Stronsay has a handsome natural arch at the Vat of Kirbister, a scattering of lochs and a strong tradition of crofting and fishing around Whitehall. Sanday is the beach island — mile after mile of pale sand, dunes and machair, with the chambered cairn at Quoyness at the end of a fine walk. Bring binoculars, because the birdlife is exceptional.

Eday is quieter still: peaty moorland, the imposing Stone of Setter, and a real sense of remoteness. These three islands do not always connect conveniently on the same day, so treat them as separate excursions rather than a single loop. Two nights on Sanday, with a day trip across to Eday if the timetable allows, is a realistic and rewarding pattern.

Westray, Papa Westray and North Ronaldsay

Westray is the liveliest of the outer isles, with a proper harbour village at Pierowall, a ruined castle, and seabird cliffs at Noup Head that will keep you occupied for hours in late spring. From Rapness there is a short ferry crossing to Papa Westray, where the Knap of Howar — the oldest standing stone dwelling in northern Europe — sits beside a sandy bay, and where a nature reserve protects nesting seabirds. There is also an inter-island air link between the two, one of the shortest scheduled flights anywhere, and a memorable experience in its own right.

North Ronaldsay is the furthest north and the most self-contained, famous for its native sheep that graze on seaweed behind a long stone dyke circling the entire island. Its bird observatory makes a wonderful base for a night or two, and the crossing gives you a real sense of leaving the world behind.

Basing Yourself, Booking and Packing

Most visitors base themselves on the Mainland and take day trips, which works well for Shapinsay, Rousay and Egilsay. For Sanday, Westray or North Ronaldsay, staying overnight transforms the experience.

• Book early. Small guest houses and B&Bs on the north isles fill up quickly from May to September, often with minimum two-night stays in high season.
• Carry cash. Not every island has a shop or a card machine, and the nearest alternative may be a ferry ride away.
• Pack for four seasons in a day. Waterproofs, warm layers, midge repellent for still summer evenings, and sturdy footwear for boggy ground.
• Take food if you are self-catering. Stock up in Kirkwall before you sail, and remember Sunday opening is limited.
• Allow slack. Plan the ferry you want, then note the next one as well. That is the real secret to enjoying Orkney's north isles — leave room for weather, for a longer walk, and for the chance to stay an extra night when somewhere quietly persuades you to.