touring in orkney

mazza · June 2007

Im hoping to go to go to orkney and may be shetland in august when i get my new bike does anyone know where the best place to see the puffins [8D]

snorri · June 2007

On your dinner plate.[:)]
They may be seen at many cliff sites around the coast, but the major colonies at Sule Skerry and Fair Isle are not so readily accessible. Sumburgh Head can be a good place. Numbers vary from year to year, perhaps you should contact RSPB for current information nearer the time.

mazza · June 2007

I was hoping someone who has been there could give me some feed back what its like i hoping to see the puffin birds but not sure weather the be on land as they may be at sea after breeeding. ive know idea what shetlands like or weather it worth going there. i like to see places that are remote and wild to contast where i come from in the middle of big city.

andrew_s · June 2007

Problem:
By August, the puffins will have finished breeding and have mostly moved back out to sea.

In Shetland (got back Saturday) the best place was Hermaness on Unst, near HP597163. Good close views also at Noss and at Sumburgh Head by the lighthouse, but in both places there were only a few that were close enough for good piccies and I had to wait for them to come out of their burrows.
In Orkney, apparently the best places would be Noup Head on Westray, or Hoy near the Old Man. I didn't see any when I went a few years ago, but I was mainly doing antiquities rather than birds, and didn't go to either of those places.

Transport:
I did train to Aberdeen (œ25 each way), ferry Aberdeen to Lerwick via Kirkwall (œ26.50 each way, no cabin). Inter-island ferries on the Shetlands were cheap (max œ3.20 return) and pretty frequent (approx hourly)

If you want remote and wild, I'd suggest Shetland over Orkney

DomT · June 2007

Wished I'd asked this question before I visited the place... I didn't see any last week [V]

bike 1 bike 2

mazza · June 2007

if i go to orkney then on to shetland is there any deals to be had on the ferrys and how costly can it be. im thinking of going from john o groats after cycling up the west coast from kyle lochish

sjcpcp · June 2007

I've just come back from Orkney, and did see a few Puffins at Birsay Island. Although, technically speaking, I shouldn't have seen any as they feed out at sea in the daytime, returning to the nests in the late afternoon.
Orkney Mainland is a good place to tour, amazing scenery and lots of interesting places to visit. We spent 3 days, averaging 40 miles a day, and managed to visit most of the 'must-see' places.

If you're planning on visiting all the historical monuments (plus Birsay) then you can buy 1 pass to give you entry to them all, which works out cheaper than paying for each one individually.

I wouldn't bother visiting Highland Park Distillery unless you're really bored. I've been on quite a few distillery tours and I found Highland Park to be the least interesting. The tour was expensive for what you got and was a bit monotonous, with the guide coming across as being bored.

snorri · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by mazza

if i go to orkney then on to shetland is there any deals to be had on the ferrys and how costly can it be.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
See www.orkneyferries.co.uk
www.jogferry.co.uk
www.pentlandferries.co.uk
www.northlink.co.uk

daviddd · June 2007

One of the besty places to see seabirds (thousands of fulmars) is Marwick Head on Orkney west Mainland, and puffins on the Broch of Birsay as above. There's a great walk from Stromness to Birsay along the coast if you feel like ditching the bike for a day, and you pass over Marwick Head on the way. It's about 12 - 13 miles.

Alpine Tour July 2006:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=l ... =1914&v=9d
Forthcoming lap of Australia:http://www.davidddinoz.blogspot.com/

andrew_s · June 2007

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by snorri

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by mazza

if i go to orkney then on to shetland is there any deals to be had on the ferrys and how costly can it be.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
See www.orkneyferries.co.uk
www.jogferry.co.uk
www.pentlandferries.co.uk
www.northlink.co.uk
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
make that http://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/
Kirkwall to Lerwick is œ19.20 each way, high season (July/August)

touring in orkney

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