Making the Most of a Self-Catering Cottage in Orkney

By Tasting Fresh Orkney Seafood at Local Harbours
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8 Sep 2026

Making the Most of a Self-Catering Cottage in Orkney

Why Self-Catering Works So Well in Orkney

Orkney rewards a certain kind of traveller: the one who doesn't mind changing plans when the wind picks up, who wants to linger at a Neolithic tomb for an hour longer than expected, and who fancies coming back to a warm kitchen with a bag of freshly landed scallops. That is precisely why a self-catering cottage suits these islands so well.

Hotel breakfasts are lovely, but they pin you to a timetable. On Orkney, the timetable is the weather and the ferry, not the dining room. With your own front door, you can leave at six in the morning to catch the light at the Ring of Brodgar, come back at three for a nap, then head out again at ten at midsummer when it is still broad daylight. You eat when you're hungry and you sleep when you're tired.

There is also a practical argument. Orkney's best food often isn't in restaurants – it's in the butcher's, the fishmonger's, the farm shop and the honesty boxes at the end of a track. A cottage kitchen turns those finds into dinner.

Choose Your Base with Care

Almost everything visitors want to see sits on the Orkney Mainland, the largest island, and its two connected neighbours, Burray and South Ronaldsay. But "Mainland" covers a lot of ground.

Kirkwall is the transport hub: ferries to the north isles, the airport, supermarkets, a good craft and food scene. Handy, but noisier.
Stromness is the west coast base – charming, close to Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar and the ferry to Hoy. Ideal if archaeology is top of your list.
West Mainland villages such as Dounby or Finstown give you rural quiet with a short drive to everything.
Outer isles – Westray, Sanday, Rousay, Hoy – mean a ferry crossing and a slower rhythm. Wonderful for a few nights, less convenient for a full week of sightseeing.

Think about how much driving you actually want to do. A remote cottage with a view is glorious, but if you're booking a week of early starts for guided tours, twenty minutes each way adds up.

Stock the Kitchen the Orkney Way

Do one big shop in Kirkwall or Stromness on arrival, then treat the rest of the week as a treasure hunt. Orkney produces far more than its size suggests.

Beef and lamb from local butchers – Orkney beef is slow-grown and richly flavoured, and the lamb grazes on coastal seaweed.
Seafood landed at Scapa, Stromness and Kirkwall: crab, scallops, langoustines, and mackerel in late summer.
Cheese, including the crumbly Orkney varieties that melt beautifully on toast.
Beremeal, an ancient barley flour used for bannocks and scones – buy a bag and bake one wet afternoon.
Oatcakes, preserves, fudge and shortbread for picnic lunches.
Whisky and gin from island distilleries, plus local beer and ale.

A slow-cooked lamb shoulder with root vegetables is the perfect antidote to a day of horizontal rain, and it costs a fraction of a restaurant meal.

Pack for the Cottage, Not Just the Coast

Orkney weather changes fast, and a self-catering stay works best when you're equipped for it. Most cottages supply the basics, but it's worth checking before you travel and bringing the small things that make a difference.

Waterproof jackets and trousers, plus wellington boots for boggy paths and beaches.
A drying rack or access to a drying room – ask in advance, as damp walking gear is the enemy of a small cottage.
Torch or head torch for winter evenings and unlit lanes.
Slippers, a hot water bottle if you feel the cold, and layers for cool evenings even in July.
A cool bag and flask for day trips to Hoy or the north isles.
Binoculars – you'll want them for seals, hen harriers and the inevitable distant something on a cliff.

Plan Around Light, Ferries and the Wind

The single most useful habit on Orkney is checking the ferry timetable and the weather forecast together each evening. Sailings can be disrupted, and roads on the outer isles are narrow single tracks with passing places – allow more time than the map suggests.

In summer, the long daylight is a gift. Midsummer in Kirkwall gives you barely two hours of true darkness, so you can walk at eleven at night and still see the path. Use the quiet hours for famous sites: the Stones of Stenness and Brodgar are far more atmospheric at eight in the morning than at noon.

In winter, the opposite applies. Days are short, so pick one thing per day, build in a long lunch, and plan to be back at the cottage by four with a fire, a book and something simmering on the stove. Winter also brings the best chance of the northern lights – a dark-sky cottage away from town lights is worth choosing deliberately.

Small Courtesies and Practical Details

Self-catering in a small island community comes with a few gentle expectations. Orkney has no midges to speak of, which is a genuine joy, but it does have wind, salt air and narrow roads. Drive slowly, wave at oncoming cars at passing places, and never park in a field entrance.

Recycling rules vary by island, and glass, cardboard and food waste may need separating – the cottage folder usually explains it. Leave the place as you found it, strip the beds if asked, and don't leave a full fridge behind.

Ring ahead for restaurants and tours in shoulder season, as many close or reduce hours outside summer. Book ferries in advance for vehicles, especially between May and September.

Above all, resist the urge to fill every hour. Orkney's real pleasure is the unhurried one: a plate of local crab, a peat fire, a sky that refuses to go dark, and nobody hurrying you along. That is what a self-catering cottage is for.

Accommodation

A Guide to Orkney's Traditional Baked Goods

Ferries connect Orkney to the Scottish mainland and smaller isles. Learn about booking, crossing times and what to bring on board.

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5 Comments

Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply
- John Abraham says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
  
  I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
  Reply
  - Robert Sonnysays Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
    
    I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
    Reply
Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply

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