Stenness
Stenness is a small, scattered village in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, on the A965 main road between Kirkwall and Stromness. It has several UNESCO World Heritage Listed neolithic sights: the Stones, Maeshowe and Ring of Brodgar, with Skara Brae a few miles further north.
Get in
[edit]
Stenness is on A965 between Kirkwall and Stromness.
Bus X1 runs daily, hourly along this road and April-Oct is extended, doubling back from Stromness to Stenness, Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae.
Bus 5 runs twice M-F from Stromness to Stenness, Ophir and Houton (for south Hoy ferry). Houton can also be reached by Bus 2 from Kirkwall, with six M-Sa, four on Sunday April-Sep and two Nov-March.
Get around
[edit]You can walk between Maeshowe Visitor Centre, Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar, although there's no footpath in places.
For Skara Brae cycling is ideal, or in summer take Bus X1 as above.
See
[edit]- 1 Maeshowe
- 2 Tomb of Unstan
- 3 Stones of Stenness
- Barnhouse Stone is an outlier, near the main road 200 yards west of B9055 turnoff.
- Lochview Stones are a lichen-clad pair just north of the causeway between the two lochs. They probably marked the entrance to the Ness of Brodgar, a ritual complex in use 3300-2200 BC. This was excavated over 20 summers from 2003 and the archaeologists gave talks and guided walks. The dig has finished and the site has been re-buried to protect it from erosion, so only the Lochview Stones are now visible.
- 4 Ring of Brodgar
- Ring of Bookan is a small ring a mile northwest of Ring of Brodgar. It's on private farmland, no public access.
- 5 Skara Brae, Sandwick KW16 3LR, ☏ +44 1856 841815. Daily Apr-Sep 9:30AM-5:30PM, Oct-Mar 10AM-4PM. This prehistoric village dates from 2500 BC, older than Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Giza, but it was only discovered in 1850 when a storm eroded the sand dunes. A series of passages and round dwellings were uncovered, complete with stone dressers and implements. There's a visitor centre and cafe. Combi with Skaill House adult £12.50, conc £10, child £7.50.
- Skaill House is 100 yards south of Skara Brae visitor centre, same hours and ticket. It's a 17th-century mansion house, built by Bishop George Graham and added to by later Lairds. The present building is two storeys set around a central courtyard.
- 6 Ophir Church and Earl's Bu
- Orkneyinga Saga Centre next to Ophir Church recounts the story of the Norse Earls of Orkney. It's open Apr-Oct daily 9AM-6PM.
Do
[edit]- Hike: a rough trail leads south along the rugged coast to Stromness.
- Orkney Storytelling is a cultural centre on A967 at Sandwick, with performances several times a week in summer.
Eat and drink
[edit]
- Merkister Hotel serves non-residents, booking essential.
- Gerri's ice cream parlour is 100 yards east of Standing Stones Hotel, open daily 11AM-6PM.
- Orkney Brewery is at Quoyloo, 2 miles north of Skaill off the road towards Birsay. It's open M-Sa 10AM-5PM, with tours and tasting flights in the cafe.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Standing Stones Hotel, Stenness KW16 3JX, ☏ +44 1856 850449. Poor reviews for comfort and service, that's if they honour the booking at all.
- 2 Merkister Hotel, Russland Rd, Harray Loch KW17 2LF, ☏ +44 1856 771366. Friendly small B&B at north end of Harray Loch, looking south to Stenness Stones. B&B double £190.
- 3 Mill of Eyrland, Stenness KW16 3HA (on A964 to Houton), ☏ +44 1856 850136. Welcoming comfy B&B with 5 rooms in a converted mill built in 1861.
- 4 Button Ben, Stenness KW16 3HA (on A964), ☏ +44 1856 850794. Splendid comfy modern B&B by the bay. B&B double £120.
Connect
[edit]As of July 2024, there is a patchy mobile signal from EE, O2 and Three, but nothing from Vodafone.
Go next
[edit]- North to Birsay for the medieval wicked Earl's palace and "brough" on a tidal islet.
- West is Stromness, a delightful small fishing village, with ferries to Scrabster on the Scottish mainland.
- East is Kirkwall, the Orkney capital with a wealth of heritage.