What not to miss in Shapinsay

You can explore all its quiet corners and wonderful wildlife, and soak up the gentle pace of island life. We’ve picked out some of our favourite things to see and do when visiting Shapinsay.

One of the best ways to get around Shapinsay is by hiring an e-bike from the island’s Development Trust. There are a range of bikes on offer, including two non-electric children’s bikes. Book online via the Trust’s website and set off on your island adventure. Check out our Shapinsay cycle route if you're looking for inspiration.

Shapinsay is home to one of the best birdwatching locations in Orkney. The RSPB’s Mill Dam Nature Reserve is a natural marsh that was dammed in the 1880s, providing the perfect habitat for birds all-year-round. During the summer you can expect to see a range of wildfowl and waders, with winter visitors including flocks of wigeon, mallard, and teal. There’s a bird hide at the site that offers an ideal vantage point.

It might be small, but it’s well worth taking a slow stroll through Balfour Village after you arrive in Shapinsay, or before you head back to Kirkwall on the ferry. Lined by stone houses and with beautiful gardens stretching down to the sea, it’s a unique place. Head south to see the Dishan Tower, a salt water shower and dovecot, or walk north through the village to pop past the island’s Heritage Centre. You’ll see entrance roads to privately-owned Balfour Castle, and if you’re feeling peckish then both the island shop, Thomas Sinclair, and the newly-refurbished Smithy Café & Restaurant should be on your itinerary (check in advance for opening times). Remember to keep your eye on the shore at the harbour and throughout the village – particularly at the shop – and you might see harbour and grey seals hauled out on the rocks.

There are two fabulous historical sites in Shapinsay that offer a special glimpse into Orkney’s past, away from similar but busier locations on the Orkney mainland. First up, the Mor Stein is Shapinsay’s standing stone. This ten-foot-tall monolith is around 5000-years-old and was originally slightly taller – it was toppled and split in the past before being reinstalled. At the north end of the island you’ll find the Burroughston Broch, an Iron Age settlement close to the coast. You can climb down into the broch itself and explore the various nooks and crannies without a visitor centre in sight. Interpretation boards shed some light onto the structures in front of you, but the best advice is to sit back and soak it up, in all its rough and ready glory.

As you’d expect from Orkney’s islands, there’s some lovely stretches of sand to enjoy in Shapinsay. Two of our favourite beaches are at Skenstoft and Sandgarth. The former looks north out over the huge Veantrow Bay and is a favourite amongst locals. It’s incredibly shallow here and the rockpools can keep little ones happy until the tide comes in again. Sandgarth faces south back towards the Orkney mainland. Although not as shallow as Skenstoft, it’s a popular place for a paddle or a swim.