Local Heroes
JP Orkney offer tailor-made tours of Orkney, exploring the world-class attractions on offer and showcasing the island’s best food and drink
VISITING Orkney can be a once-in-a-lifetime trip for some travellers so you want to make sure you see everything there is to see – and what better way to do that than to hire a local guide.
Armed with knowledge and comfortable electric vehicles seating six, JP Orkney take guests on tailor-made tours of this fabulous destination.
Paul Hudd and Jane Ellison set up their touring business after moving to Orkney from Sheffield in 2017, and since then the business has grown to incorporate local produce hampers and electric campervan hire.
Whether it’s a day trip to familiarise yourself with the area and attractions or a week-long series of excursions, the tours can be purely sightseeing or very active.
“We started doing food and drink tours and this theme has continued to be our most popular.
“As we are producers ourselves we are well-placed to offer these tours. The first tour we ever delivered is called The Spirit of Orkney Tour,” says Paul. “This involves being taken round some of the world-class drink and food producers we have on the island.
“Since I qualified with the STGA (Scottish Tourist Guide Association) we have offered more varied tours showcasing everything the island has to offer, but always with a foodie theme running at the heart.”
The idea for the business came from the couple’s passions and interests, which has helped it thrive.
“Jane is a proper food nerd and has worked in the food industry in some capacity all her working life,” says Paul. “Over the past 15 years she has been, and still is, a secondary school teacher teaching food.
“I’ve always loved chatting and most of my previous
“Most guests have never heard of a Fatty tours” Cuttie until they come on one of our
professions have centred on talking to people. My favourite subject at school was history and when I had the chance to go back to school in 2017 and train with the University of the Highlands and Islands, I jumped at it.
“I spent a year learning about the history of Orkney and loving every minute of it.”
The enterprising couple can pick you up and drop you off anywhere on Orkney Mainland and, at the end of the tour, all guests receive a JP Orkney goodie bag with some of the island’s best produce.
“Guest can sample lots of JP Orkney produce such as jams, chutneys and relishes, as well as our new Bloody Mary Sauce – made using Into The Wild vodka from Deerness Distillery,” says Paul.
“Sweet things like our tablet and fudge are popular and most guests have never heard of, let alone tried, a Fatty Cuttie until they come on one of our tours – it’s a shortbread meets a Garibaldi, originally from Westray, and is cooked on a griddle.”
The couple also work with local producers and take guests to sample their goods.
“We are particularly fond of the mussels and queenies – queen scallops – from Humes smokehouse and we work with Deerness Distillery – using the junipers from the distilling process in our pickled cucumber.
“We provide lunch catering options, too, which usually involves samples of Orkney beef and cheese.”
Jane and Paul can cater their tours to individual customers, with themes including Neolithic sites, Viking sites, Wartime Orkney, Renewables, Walking and Water.
“Orkney has so much to see. The UNESCO World Heritage sites are among the most popular, such as the Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae.
“I believe the Italian Chapel is Orkney’s most photographed building and a trip here without a visit to it is like going to Liverpool and not seeing Anfield,” says Paul.