Burray & South Ronaldsay

There are four islands in total to explore on your journey here, featuring one of Orkney’s most beautiful villages, ancient sites, wartime heritage and some spectacular scenery.

As far as road trips go, the route through Burray and South Ronaldsay, encompassing the Churchill Barriers and the small islands of Lamb Holm and Glimps Holm, is amongst the best to be found anywhere. The barriers were built to protect the naval anchorage of Scapa Flow from U-boat attack after the sinking of HMS Royal Oak during WW2 and you can still see the remains of earlier blockships in the water nearby.

After leaving the Orkney mainland and crossing the first barrier, you’ll arrive in Lamb Holm. Here you’ll find one of Orkney’s most enduring attractions, the Italian Chapel. Constructed by Italian Prisoners of War, who were taken to Orkney to build the Churchill Barriers, the chapel is a symbol of hope and peace from a dark time in history.

Next door you’ll find the Orkney Wine Company and J. Gow Rum, two family-run businesses offering a fantastic range of wine and spirits, as well as tastings and tours.

Further south and across another causeway, the road traverses Glimps Holm, a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it isle, but one that is home to a spectacular beach with sand snaking along its east coast, ending under the shadow of the third Churchill Barrier. The blockships here are popular with recreational divers, and Kraken Diving offers ‘try-a-dives’ for all levels of experience.

Over the third and smallest Churchill Barrier is Burray, a small but thriving community of around 350 people. It has a well-stocked shop, hotel and bar and beautiful beaches. There’s also an excellent play park and crazy golf course, with putters available to hire from the shop. Burray is also home to the fascinating Orkney Fossil & Heritage Centre, an incredible collection of fossils up to 380 million years old, as well as items from Orcadian history throughout the 20^th century. There’s an extensive display about life in the islands during the First and Second World Wars, plus an excellent gift shop too.

Orkney Gin Company is based in Burray too, with its wide range of award-winning gins produced in the village. Although there is no visitor centre, you can find bottles in shops across Orkney.

The final Churchill Barrier linking Burray with South Ronaldsay now has a huge expanse of sand on its east side, completely covering the concrete blocks that make up the causeway. The result is a fantastic beach with plenty of wildlife-watching opportunities.

South Ronaldsay itself is Orkney’s fourth largest island and home to St Margaret’s Hope, possibly the most picturesque village in the archipelago. Known locally as ‘the Hope’, the village is a charming place for a stroll, with local shops – including the Workshop & Loft Gallery - a coffee house and hotel/restaurant to enjoy. The Smiddy Museum in the heart of the village is an excellent reminder of the importance of a village blacksmith, and next door is South Ronaldsay Golf Course, offering an excellent nine-hole challenge.

Head west of the village past the beach at the Sands o’Wright and you’ll come to the coast at Hoxa Head. A clifftop walk here gives you the chance to take in the huge expanse of Scapa Flow, as well as an opportunity to explore some of Orkney’s finest wartime buildings. The nearby Hoxa Tapestry Gallery is well worth a visit too.

South Ronaldsay is home to some of the best walks in the islands, with a stretch of eastern coastline from the spectacular Windwick up to Eastside one of the highlights. Another route on the west coast from Burwick provides fantastic seal-spotting opportunities during the autumn months, and views over the Pentland Firth.

South Ronaldsay is also one of the gateways to Orkney, with Pentland Ferries operating to and from St Margaret’s Hope daily, and John O’Groats Ferries running to Burwick and back during the summer months.

Other information

Burray and South Ronaldsay are on Orkney’s main X1 bus route, with services operating as far as St Margaret’s Hope.

Pentland Ferries is based in St Margaret's Hope and operates daily sailings between the village and Gills Bay in Caithness. John O'Groats Ferries sails across the Pentland Firth between John O'Groats and Burwick, at the southern end of South Ronaldsay.

Burray and South Ronaldsay are on Orkney’s main X1 bus route, with services operating as far as St Margaret’s Hope.

Find out more about getting around Orkney.

About Burray & South Ronaldsay

Life in Burray and South Ronaldsay changed forever during the Second World War when the Churchill Barriers were built. Once only accessible by boat, these islands were suddenly forever connected with the mainland by the iconic causeways.

The barriers have helped make each island an attractive place to live and work, with vibrant villages and a small group of makers all inspired by their spectacular surroundings. Sea views abound here, and South Ronaldsay has some of the finest coastal walks in the archipelago.

For many, the picturesque village of St Margaret’s Hope is merely a gateway to Orkney thanks to its ferry terminal and the main road that snakes north towards the tourist treasures of the mainland. But visitors that take the time to explore Burray and South Ronaldsay properly are rewarded with a rich history, heritage, and unrivalled natural highlights.

Useful information

Getting around

Many visitors to Orkney will arrive with Pentland Ferries in the village of St Margaret’s Hope in South Ronaldsay. ‘The Hope’, as it’s known locally, is around 15 miles from the centre of Kirkwall, with the island’s southernmost point at Burwick a further seven miles away. Burray’s village is a little over 11 miles from Kirkwall.

Orkney’s X1 bus service runs between St Margaret’s Hope and Kirkwall and vice versa on a regular basis, with onward connections to Stromness. It travels through Burray en-route, passing the Churchill Barriers and the Italian Chapel too.

There is no public transport available between St Margaret’s Hope and the southern section of South Ronaldsay. Here, bringing a car or bike is essential for getting around. If you’re cycling, remember that the main road from Kirkwall to St Margaret’s Hope, including the Churchill Barriers, can be very busy, especially when coinciding with ferry arrival and departures.

You can find tourist information leaflets at Robertson’s Coffee Hoose & Bar on Church Road in St Margaret’s Hope.

Shopping

There is no general store in Burray, but St Margaret’s Hope has two excellent shops, full of local food and drink, fresh fruit and vegetables, plus other essentials and much more. Doulls is found on Church Road in the village – check opening times on Facebook or by phoning 01856 831 230.

The Trading Post on the Back Road is also well-stocked with groceries and is the village post office too. Check opening times on Facebook or by phoning 01856 831 225.

The Workshop & Loft Gallery sells a variety of local handmade crafts, including artwork, textiles, and ceramics. Find the shop on Facebook to check opening times.

Fuel

There are no petrol stations in Burray and South Ronaldsay. Your closest options to fill up are in Kirkwall.

Public toilets

There are public toilets available at:

• Burray Pier: one gents’ toilet and one ladies’ toilet
• 4^th Barrier beach: one male toilet, one ladies' toilet and one radar accessible toilet
• Cromarty Square (St Margaret’s Hope): one gents’ toilet and one ladies’/accessible toilet
• Sands of Wright: one ladies' toilet, one gents' toilet and an accessible toilet

The causeways have created a couple of beautiful beaches since they were built, adding to the fantastic natural environment in this part of Orkney.

Burray and South Ronaldsay also host a handful of fascinating museums and other points of interest that are well worth taking the time to visit too. Browse our listings below to discover what you can see and do across these communities.