WANDER WEST

Atrip to the West Mainland takes you to the heart of Orkney’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, to discover some of Europe’s best archaeological sites. The famous Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar are a huge draw for thousands of visitors, year after year, as is the Maeshowe burial chamber.

Excavation work will take place for the last time this year at the Ness of Brodgar, and as you head from Stenness into Sandwick, follow the sweeping landscapes and endless skies, to find Neolithic village, Skara Brae. While you are there, visit the 17th century Orkney mansion Skaill House, which was the home of William

Graham Watt, 7th Laird of Breckness — the man who unearthed Skara Brae in 1850. The coastal scenery in the area is stunning in all weathers — storm-battered, and ever-changing. Sea stacks, caves and cliffs can be found at Yesnaby, a popular area for walkers.

More rugged, unspoilt coastline can be found at the tidal island, Brough of Birsay. Accessible only for two hours either side of low tide, those who venture to the site can explore the remains of Pictish and Norse settlements, as well as a modern lighthouse.

While in Birsay, pay a visit to Orkney’s only working watermill at Barony mills, built in 1873, and very much unchanged to this day.

The village of Birsay is home to the ruins of the Earl’s Palace — built by Earl Robert Stewart between 1569 and 1579. An illegitimate son of King James V of Scotland, the palace stands as a monument to Robert’s royal pretensions and his oppression of the people of Orkney.

Stop for a refreshment at one of several tearooms in the area, for a taste of something stronger, pay a visit to the Orkney Brewery in Quoyloo, or the Swannay Brewery by Evie.

Kirbuster and Corrigall Farm Museums can also be found in the west, and other places to explore include Harray, Dounby, Orphir, Finstown, Evie and Rendall, where a warm welcome most certainly awaits.