One of Orkney's finest viewpoints, with the town of Stromness and the Hoy hills stretching out in front of you.

Stromness is blessed with stunning scenery. Its old winding streets are wonderful to explore, with the buildings huddled along the harbour.

The town is wedged between the sea to its east and a huge granite hill to its west. This is Brinkie's Brae, a conspicuous part of Stromness and its history.

It's a steep climb to the top, but the views are well worth it. You can see Scapa Flow spread out in front of you, and the busy Stromness harbour with its passenger vessels and fishing boats heading out into Hoy Sound. The hills of Hoy are just to the south too - head up at sunrise and see them bathed in a beautiful pink light.

The beauty of Brinkie's Brae is that you can be in the heart of Stromness one minute, then the next you're climbing skywards with a feeling of adventure under your feet. You'll pass large chunks of granite on your walk, a relatively rare occurrence in Orkney.

To take the brisk walk up Brinkie's, head to the Old Academy on the town's Back Road. You'll see Downie's Lane opposite the entrance to the Academy, and a small car park with a set of stone steps. That's your gateway to the top. Don't worry if you need to stop and catch your breath, en-route you'll find a lovely stone bench and a short poem carved into the stones on the ground.

There's no doubt about it, it's a steep walk, but the views, and the peace and quiet, are more than worth it.