What to do and see in Orkney Islands, Scotland: The Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day

HOORAY! We'll be open again to visitors on May 31st 2021. Please phone the mill to book. Tours are at 11, 11.45, 12.30, 1.15, 2.00, 3.15 and 4pm. Numbers are limited. Barony Mill is Orkney's last remaining water mill, grinding the ancient grain bere. Milling is done in winter and in summer we are open to visitors. You can have a guided tour by the miller or a volunteer guide. Feel the building shake and shudder when the water is turned on! Afterwards buy some beremeal or oatmeal at the mill and try the recipes in our book for yourself. Entry is £3.50 for adults (free for children) but we still welcome donations which help keep the mill going. We look forward to meeting you!

Kirbuster Museum is the last un-restored example of a traditional ‘firehoose’ in Northern Europe. The house has a central hearth, complete with peat fire, and a stone neuk bed reminiscent of the Neolithic interiors that can be seen at sites such as Skara Brae, and demonstrates how little some aspects of domestic life changed in Orkney over many centuries. The house also has an Edwardian parlour and Victorian Gardens and visitors can enjoy a game of putting on the green and explore the Trowie Trail in the back garden. Kirbuster is a unique survivor which gives a fascinating insight into four centuries of family life in Orkney. An excellent place to visit if you are researching your Orkney ancestry. FREE ADMISSION. Access is currently restricted so please be prepared to wait if the site is busy, and to adhere to the safety advice on hygiene and physical distancing. It is mandatory to wear a face covering in the building and you will be asked for your contact details for Test & Protect.

Free Wifi throughout. We provide internet access with a small charge for visitors. Our Archive section is great for family history searches - please note, our Archive section is CLOSED every Wednesday but the LIBRARY is OPEN. Books and so much more.

Orkney's first distillery in over 132 years, producing handcrafted gin and vodka. Come and visit us for an insight into the fascinating world of distilling, sample our spirits and enjoy our shop offering locally sourced quality gifts, takeaway tea and coffee. Offering over 30 different tonics, we are sure to have something for everyone! Tours available 11am and 1pm every day (10GBP per adult) booking advisable.

This site is closed for now. We’re working hard to gradually reopen the places you love while making sure the experience is safe for everyone. Enter one of the finest Neolithic buildings in north-west Europe, a masterpiece of ancient engineering. This chambered tomb, which sits on a platform encircled by a ditch, is a monument to the skill and beliefs of Orkney's people some 5,000 years ago. If you visit in midwinter - and the skies are clear - you can witness the central chamber illuminated by a shaft of light from the setting sun. Maeshowe's unique story continued with it was broken into about 1,000 years ago by Norsemen. They left their mark in the astonishing runic graffiti, alongside the stunning 'Maeshowe Lion' carving. Visits are by guided tour only. Tours depart from the new Maeshowe Visitor Centre (at Stenness), postcode KW16 3LB. Tours are hourly and start at 10am with the last tour at 4pm.

Home of our award-winning single malt Scotch whisky, made in a traditional way by modern-day Vikings. Explore the stories behind our 18th century distillery in Kirkwall, founded by Magnus Eunson - a direct descendant of the Vikings who first made their home on Orkney over 1,000 years ago. We offer 4 different tours to cater for every interest and every budget - from a short visit to our working distillery with a dram or two in our visitor centre to an in-depth exploration of our whisky's birthplace and the opportunity to taste some of our finest, aged expressions. Advanced booking is required.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, access is currently limited to the Baikie Library and Drawing Room and our temporary exhibition 'Between Islands'. Visitor numbers are limited, so please be prepared to wait outside if the museum is busy. Please note that it is mandatory to wear a face covering in the building and that you will be asked for your contact details for the national Test and Protect system.

The Pier Arts Centre in Orkney was established in 1979 to provide a home for an important collection of British fine art donated by Margaret Gardiner (1904 - 2005). Alongside the permanent collection The Pier Arts Centre curates a year round programme of temporary exhibitions and events for the education and enjoyment of the general public.