Old Man of Hoy, Orkney
Four mini hills, a stone-cut tomb and the UK’s highest rock stack await you on this unmissable hike on Hoy, part of the Orkney archipelago.
The red sandstone stack of the Old Man of Hoy is a joy to behold from a hike along the cliffs. It’s one of the UK’s highest rock stacks and soars 137m above the sea, but be quick – he’s approaching 250 years old and could collapse any day!
However, before this geological marvel topples, enjoy it as part of this route from the old coastal town of Rackwick on a tour of the rolling, boggy, heathery hillside inland to a human-made attraction. A climb from Sandy Loch over the boulder-strewn top of Ward Hill (481m) and Haist (333m) brings you to the Dwarfie Stane, a rock-cut stone tomb from around 3000BC, thought to have been carved with only sharpened stone tools!
This makes our hike seem like a breeze, as we skirt round Ward Hill and over Cuilags (435m) and Sui Fea (378m) to the coast at St John’s Head. Here the reward is evernearing sea views of the Old Man along a rolling, grassy path atop high, red cliffs. Then it’s back to Rackwick to enjoy the Cra’as (Crow’s) Nest crofting museum and the stunning sandy bay with large, smooth stones in red, orange and black.
1
ND201992 From Rackwick car park turn right and walk back up the road 800m until it bends right and crosses Rackwick Burn. Turn left to follow the path north, across Rackwick Burn first, keeping the river on your right. Cross it again after around 500m, so it’s on your left as you hike up the valley all the way to the saddle before Sandy Loch.
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HY214025 Turn right at the saddle and head steeply up Ward Hill between two rivers – Water Glen on your left and the Burn of Redglen on your right. Curve leftwards, handrailing Water Glen as you near the top. The summit is 500m due east of this river’s start point. The gradient starts to ease as you reach the top of Ward Hill (479m) and the trig point is partly surrounded by a curved stone wall – handy for a snack out of the wind.
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HY228022 Descend down Ward Hill’s eastern spur, the Howes of Quoyawa, keeping the cliff edge to your left as you walk the ridge to Haist (333m). Ease right to continue descending down Haist’s gentler, grassy southeastern flank, which soon becomes very steep indeed as you drop to the car park at the road in the valley. Here, follow the well-trodden path southwards to the Dwarfie Stane below the cliffs.
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HY243004 Retrace your steps to the road, cross it and turn right on the path that runs beside it as it curves northwards all the way to the first field boundary at Whiteglen. Here turn right to reach the road, then turn left on it to continue north towards the small town of Hoy. Turn left at the main road B9047, then left just after Hoy Outdoor Centre, back towards the hills. Stop at the car park for Sandy Loch at the bend in the road.
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HY222033 Carry straight on down the path for Sandy Loch, take a right fork in the path to cross Braebuster Burn and reach the loch’s north-western corner. Here turn slightly right to climb steeply up the grassy Cuilags (435m) on its eastern spur. It’s a tough, steep ascent, but only for less than 1km until you reach the distinctive stone, cone-shaped cairn at its summit.
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HY209033 Descend in a north-westerly direction to the saddle, then curve south-west across the broad, boggy bump of Sui Fea (378m) and descend off its western flanks to the promontory of St John’s Head, high above the sea cliffs. Here the clear path south along the cliff tops is easily followed to the Old Man of Hoy viewpoint.
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HY177006 Turn your back on the Old Man to continue following this clear path south-east around Moor Fea (climb it from here if you have excess energy!). With this lump on your left and the sea to your right, curve eastwards all the way back round to Too of the Head just before Rackwick where you take the right fork in the path inland through farmland. This path soon meets a track and a left turn would take you to the Cra’as (Crow’s) Nest crofting museum (well worth a visit). However a right turn on this route takes you back out to the coast at Nose of the Yard, then left and left again back to the car park.