Banks Chambered Tomb

I'm sorry I gave 2 stars to whomever wrote this reply to my star rating. I didn't put 2 stars because it was closed on the day I visited, I had struggled & couldn't find this place using Google maps but a lovely lady called Frieda came out & spoke to me interestingly for some time. She told me how her father, a farmer, was the person discovered it years ago ! & That it is permanently closed now. That's why I gave it a low rating, to warn others that it is closed, as I was told & not easy to find at all as well. I didn't have time to write about my experience until now, a day later. I've changed my rating to 4 stars as a result of your reply, I'm sorry & I understand what you say but I could not find it !

Made a special trip to this attraction. Arrived at opening time to be told that guides had not turned up so tour not possible. The Bistro opened an hour later. Coffee was available but not offered free as compensation for the wasted journey. Went to the Tomb of Eagles instead and had a most enjoyable morning.

A small exhibition space in the skerries bistro where you have a show and tell which was very good, then on to the chamber where you need to be reasonably limber to make it in and you get a chat about the history of the chamber. Cost £7:50 each but was interesting and no more expensive than other sites on Orkney

Highly recommend the guided talk of The Tomb of the Otters. It's very special when compared to the nearby Tomb of the Eagles experience. Don't want to give anything away by saying more, but thanks to Chris, the resident guide it was quite a wonderful experience. Food was good here too.

Sorry I never give any poor rating anywhere - but since I was not even allowed to stay (so to speak) I have no other choice. 3.Jul18 I arrived straight of the ferry and my first stop was the Tomb of the Otters as I missed that one last year. As I arrived at the driveway (which goes off the one to the Tomb of the Eagles which by the way is great, there are 3 signs in various sizes and designs - the one I was obviously most interested in was the one in the middle - the biggest and easiest to read one "Tomb of the Otters - Open April-October 11am - 4pm and in small print admission charge" - above that one a sign about the Skerries Bistro with a photo of said bistro and some very, very small print that I could not read as I stood in the middle of the road blocking the car behind me who wanted to go to the left to the Tomb of the Eagles. So I checked the time 11.03am - nice I thought they just opened. Drove up to the carpark - which is a bit confusing as there are cones everywhere - one sign on the right says - private - one straight ahead said Coaches and Campervans so I thought maybe stop next to the building where there was already a car parked. Out of the door of that building comes a man with grey hair and gestures wildly towards the other car park the one I thought was reserved for coaches - so I smiled and parked there. Meanwhile out of a van parked there too came 3 men with camera gear. A small bus was also parked there and one other car. The man with the white hair by then stood in the middle of the carpark talking to the camera people and what I guessed the bus driver. I went past them and started walking towards the building only to be asked in a rather rude tone by the man with the white hair where I think I am going - so I turned around and said well to the building to pay for admission. To which he replied No you not you missed the tour cant you read the sign. To which I must have looked puzzled and said but it said it opens at 11am and it is past 11am is it not. Then the bus driver said - well listen to him he is the owner he should know. ... Then I said - well in that case I wait inside and have a coffee - no you not was the rather rude answer again - can’t you read the sign. He also pointed towards the driveway and said in a Headmastery tone (really talking down on me by now) walk down there and read the sign and turns his back on me and says to the bus driver - clearly ignoring me by now - why can't people bloody read the signs. They turn up at 9 am and want to get in - which I thought had nothing to do with me but I felt I was not welcome and neither was my money so I left.... On the way out I stopped at the sign and read it again and nothing said "tours only" or Tours only at certain times" - and only now at closer inspection did I see that the cafe which belongs to the same people only opens at 12 rather than the tomb at 11 which I think he meant when he said I should read the sign. Now that raises a few issues in my mind. 1.the tone makes the music - all he had to do is tell me in a nice way that entry is only by guided tour and they only run every so often and the next tour is at such and such time. 2. update the signage to reflect that issue so then he can argue read the sign... right now the sign says opening 11-5 3. if you do have two businesses under the same umbrella - why not open both at the same time - I would have happily spend some money at the cafe waiting for the next tour - but clearly, he does not need or want my money. I worked in Tourism, Hospitality and art (in NZ/OZ and Europe) and run my own business and my number one rule is: Customer is king and a smile goes a long way. Perhaps the owner of this place could learn this valuable skill - but it seems someone else already had a bad experience - prompting me to publicly for the first time (and hopefully last) to give a bad review - if there was a minus 1 star I would give that...And given to the rude reply if someone does complain it explains a lot!

An advantage of this memorable private archaeological site is the opportunity to handle finds such as pottery, teeth, and carvings. They really bring the 5,000 year old site to life. Squeezing into the cairn itself along with the unexcavated human remains gave us quite a sense of how these ancients returned bodies to the earth.

Went to the Bristo only, had dog lovely day so sat outside Orkney Fudge Cheesecake ok but not as good as the Smithy on Shapinsay.

To appreciate the visit attending the talks is a must. Nice small gift shop and toilet. Plenty of parking