Day Trip to Orkneys from Dunnet Bay

ChilliAndBaz
ChilliAndBaz Forum Participant Posts: 3
edited August 19 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Hello all! There are some very old discussions on this forum about taking a motorhome/caravan on the ferries over to the Orkneys, but we would like to take a day trip to see the main sites from the Dunnet Bay camp site WITHOUT our motorhome. We understand that the local ferries sail from Scrabster or Gills Bay and that JOG Ferries are no longer operating. What are the logistics involved? Could it be easier/cheaper to hire a car for the day instead of transfer to/from the ferry and then local transport on Mainland, Orkney? We'll be there the last week in September, which could also impact things, I guess. Thanks for any advice!

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  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,134 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 19 #2

    Both crossings are very easy from Dunnet Bay and each take around an hour. The Gills Bay crossing lends itself to starting at the south of the islands and working your way north (don’t miss the Italian Chapel) while the posher North Link crossing docks further north at Stromness which is a bit closer to Kirkwall and the Ring of Brodgar. 

    Check the websites for the cost of fares. I don’t know what the availability of hire cars is in Orkney or on the mainland but, personally, I’d rather not have to rely on public transport. You may even find organised coach trips to Orkney and the Dunnet Bay site info room has lots of leaflets about Orkney. It’s perfectly doable to take your MH across and stay in Orkney if you change your mind. We’ve done it twice before sailing on to Shetland.

    https://pentlandferries.co.uk

    https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk

     

     

     

  • Hja
    Hja Club Member Posts: 846 ✭✭
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    edited August 19 #3

    We have had a couple of really good holidays on Orkney with the caravan which we had then.  The cruise ships dock and take people by coach around some sites for the day but they certainly don’t get to see much and then only the prime tourist spots. There is so much more to Orkney. Also if you are unlucky enough to arrive at a site when a coach does you are better going somewhere else and returning. I outline this because in a day you would only see a couple of sites eg scarra brae, Kirkwall, Italian chapel but there are so many more monuments let alone scenery and birdwatching. Why not take your van over for a couple of days, plenty of sites to stay and unless your van is very big no real problems driving around. The driving is slow anyway. On a purely practical note I would be surprised if there is very much I. The way of local transport that is going to transport you to the various sites unless you book into some sort of tour.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,856 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 19 #4

    The seems to be a number 80 bus, Stagecoach, seems to run a hourly service along the road past Dunnet Bay campsite. Only problem I can find bus stops near the site so I don't know if you can flag down the bus? As mentioned the site would have more information.

    David

  • ChilliAndBaz
    ChilliAndBaz Forum Participant Posts: 3
    edited August 21 #5

    Thanks for the information everyone!

  • Graydjames
    Graydjames Forum Participant Posts: 440 ✭✭✭
    edited August 24 #6

    I did a day trip to Orkney, from John O'Groats, when staying at Dunnet Head. Admittedly that was many years ago, but looking online there is some evidence that such tours still operate. The tour I did was a ferry crossing and then a coach which went to all the main high spots of the island. It was a very full day I remember.

    If you Google "Day Trips to Orkney" I think you might find some options. 

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