Hoy

The Orkney Island of Hoy is an excellent place to visit, it is so different to the Mainland of Orkney. There is a lot to see so you need a good day there. For those interested in Naval history the Scapa Flow Museum is very good and welcoming also the Lyness Royal Naval Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery were a large number of men from both HMS Hampshire and HMS Royal Oak are buried. The views across Scapa Flow are stunning from the road that runs up the Island. We also found a lovely café called Beneth’ill Café were we had lovely cake and coffee and were made most welcome. Longhope is also a lovely place to visit especially for the history of its Lifeboat. It is advisable to book the car ferry to Lyness in advance this is easy to do on the Orkney Council website.

Great place to visit. The scenery was amazing. The atmosphere is very quiet.

Named ‘high island’ by the Vikings, Hoy certainly lives up to the title. Orkney's second largest island rises dramatically from the sea. With almost-mountainous moorland and glacial valleys, it's an incredible landscape to explore. You can see its hills looming large on the local landscape from all over. Ward Hill is Orkney’s highest at more than 1500 feet, whilst the towering cliffs on the west coast include St John’s Head – at 1136 feet, it’s the highest vertical cliff face in the UK. But the island’s most famous location is the Old Man of Hoy, the sandstone sea stack that stretches out of the surf just south of St John’s Head. This fragile tower is a mecca for climbers and has even welcomed base jumpers and a tight rope walker. The walk here from the beautiful Rackwick should be on everyone’s Orkney itinerary. Remember to visit the beach at Rackwick too, with its silver sand and sandstone cliffs. On the hillside overlooking the bay you’ll also find Craa’s Nest Museum, showcasing what life in this atmospheric crofting community would have been like in years gone by. Hoy is an island best experienced outdoors, and its wild landscape provides plenty of nature and wildlife opportunities. The Hoy RSPB reserve features around 10,000 acres of moorland and sea cliffs. It has also been home to a pair of breeding white-tailed eagles in recent years, and there’s lots of other birdlife to spot. You’ll also find Britain’s most northerly natural woodland at Berriedale, as well as the mysterious Dwarfie Stane, a 5000-year-old rock cut tomb. All of these locations are found in the north end of Hoy, which is served by a passenger ferry operating between Stromness and Moaness. Close to the terminal is the Hoy Heritage Centre, the perfect introduction to the history of the area. The rest of Hoy has plenty going for it. The island played an important role in both World Wars and there are excellent examples of wartime heritage to be found throughout, especially at Scad Head, with its impressive gun battery, and at Lyness, home to the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre & Museum.

One of the beautiful islands near Orkney, Scotland. Life time experience.

An island not to be missed when you visit Orkney.

A beautiful island so different than the rest of Orkney. We'll worth a visit. But try to stay overnight as there is so much to see and do. Also ferries need booking in advance as there is restricted spaces at peak times, espeacally for vehicles.

An interesting day trip from the main island. Several attractions on the island. As with a lot of Orkney most of the roads are single lane so be aware it can take a while to get from place to place despite the distances seeming quite short.

Dramatic scenery in northern half of island. Perhaps the biggest attraction is the vast amount of wartime history associated with the island in both world wars. Plenty of visible evidence of decaying buildings and gun emplacements. The Lyness visitor centre is closed until 2020, but will eventually interpret the history. (There is a temporary exhibition in the Hoy Hotel in the meantime.)