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Ferry [ edit ] MV Earl Thorfinn arrives at Westray. Orkney Ferries operate a fleet of inter-island ferries. [193] This is a continuing list of uninhabited smaller Orkney islands (many of which are called " Holm" from the Old Norse holmr, meaning a small and rounded islet), [24] tidal islets only separated at higher stages of the tide, or skerries which are only exposed at lower stages of the tide.

Learn more in the article dedicated to the Maeshowe Chambered Cairn. Maeshowe Chambered Cairn #12 – Standing Stones of Stenness The word is of uncertain origin and has also been attested in the Lothians and Fife in the 19th century. [210]Papa Stronsay had usually resident population of 10 in 2001 [22] but was apparently not permanently inhabited in 2011. [11] Smaller islets and skerries [ edit ] The Old Man of Hoy Saeva Ness Lighthouse, Helliar Holm The Orkney region experiences a steady cool temperate climate due to the influence from the Gulf Stream. The annual average temperature is 4 °C (39 °F) in winter and 12 °C (54 °F) in summer. The winter season lasts from December to March, with January as the coldest month. Spring begins in April and lasts till mid-June. Summers are mild, with a record high of 25 °C (78 °F) experienced in July. Right next to Skara Brae, you can visit the Skaill House: how a family home was in the 1950s and the tales related to the discovery of Skara Brae. Skaill House #8 – Brough of Birsay The Orkney Islands are located approximately 16 km north of mainland Scotland, across the Pentland Firth strait, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the North Sea. They are separated from the Shetland Islands by Fair Isle Channel. The archipelago lies to the south of Shetland Islands, with the Fair Isle Channel separating the two island groups. To the east of the archipelago, across the North Sea, is Norway. Geography The raised cliff coastlines of the Orkney Islands.

In July 2023, Orkney Council were investigating proposals to change its status, looking at options that included becoming a British Crown Dependency, a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Norway or just staying in the United Kingdom. [155] Economy [ edit ]

Buses and trains to Orkney

St Magnus Festival includes music, theatre and literature. It's held for a week in June, mostly in Kirkwall. The Orkneys and Shetland: The Orkneys and Shetland; Their Past and Present State . By John R. Tudor. Loudon, Stanford, 1883. 29+703 p., illustr. 8°". Science. ns-2 (44): 743–745. 1883. doi: 10.1126/science.ns-2.44.743. PMID 17782947.

Both Orkney and Shetland saw a significant influx of Norwegian settlers during the late 8th and early 9th centuries. Vikings made the islands the headquarters of their pirate expeditions carried out against Norway and the coasts of mainland Scotland. In response, Norwegian king Harald Fairhair (Harald Hårfagre) annexed the Northern Isles, comprising Orkney and Shetland, in 875 (it is clear that this story, which appears in the Orkneyinga Saga, is based on the later voyages of Magnus Barelegs and some scholars believe it to be apocryphal). [55] Rognvald Eysteinsson received Orkney and Shetland from Harald as an earldom as reparation for the death of his son in battle in Scotland, and then passed the earldom on to his brother Sigurd the Mighty. [56]

Deerness Distillery at the east tip of Mainland makes gin, with a whisky distillery under construction. The North Isles [ edit ] North Ronaldsay sheep are a semi-feral breed that has evolved to eat seaweed. [140] Their unique genetic inheritance makes them of interest to conservationists. [141] Orkney Islands Council consists of 21 members, 18 of whom are independent, that is they do not stand as representatives of a political party. Two councillors are members of the indigenous Orkney Manifesto Group, and the remaining councillor represents the Scottish Greens. [148] [149]