A short walk taking in three of the highlights of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site.
This is best experienced as an evening walk as, even at the height of summer you’ll generally find plenty of peace and solitude as you ponder Orkney’s great stone monoliths.
Distance
5km
Grade
Grading: 2
Duration
2hrs
Terrain
Grassy tracks, mainly well-maintained, though with some softer sections during wet weather. One very short road section.
Map description
OS Explorer 463; OS Landranger 6
GPX fileStart at the carpark for the Stones of Stenness. From there, go through the metal gate leading to the stones (ensure the gate is fully closed behind you, as sheep graze in this small field). The four stones stand up to six metres in height and at one time there would have been twelve stones, arranged around a hearth at the centre of the circle.
A ditch and bank would have once surrounded the site. While this has been largely lost to millennia of agriculture, you can still get a hint of this feature on the western side of the stones (nearest the road). It helps give an appreciation of how the full stone circle must once have looked.
Beyond the stones, look for a gate, diagonally across the field from the one you entered. Turn right onto the wide grassy track for around 150m to reach the remains of Barnhouse Settlement. Excavated in the 1980s, it would once have been a small group of homes, similar to Skara Brae. While just the lower footings of the buildings remain, they are beautifully preserved.
Around 100m beyond Barnhouse is an RSPB Scotland bird hide. With views across the Harray Loch, it’s a good spot to view a range of birdlife, or escape a brief rain shower.
Head back along the grassy path, this time passing the Stones of Stenness on your left. Just before you reach the public road turn right along the obvious path heading northwest. After 100m you’ll arrive at the Bridge of Brodgar. More of a causeway than a bridge, it’s looked over by the impressive Watch Stone, which stands sentinel at its eastern end. There is no footpath across the bridge, so do watch out for traffic, which can be avoided by stepping up onto the grassy verge on the left.
Once over the bridge look for a footpath on the righthand side, which runs parallel to the road, along the lochside. The field across the road on your left is where the extraordinary Ness of Brodgar excavations were carried out from 2004 until 2024. While the site is now covered over and closed, the post-excavation work is set to continue for decades to come.
Shortly after passing the fine stone house on your left, the track emerges onto the road. Cross carefully and look for a grassy track heading straight ahead at right angles to the road towards the Loch of Stenness. In summer, this part of the route is lined with a profusion of wildflowers.
Follow the path as it turns right and traces the lochside westwards. The Ring of Brodgar dominates the horizon ahead, the stones standing sharp against the skyline. After following the curve of a small bay look for a bench on a low headland – a fine spot to admire the surrounding landscape or the birdlife of the loch.
After a further 700m you’ll pass another bench just before the track turns sharply to the right between two fields towards the Ring of Brodgar. Head for the left of the stones to pass around the ring in a clockwise direction (anti-clockwise or ‘against the sun’ would probably be considered very bad luck by our forebears!) using either the outer path or – if it’s open at the time – the inner path.
Once you’ve explored the Ring look for the Comet Stone, a short stone which stands alone around 100m downhill to the east of the main circle. Follow the obvious grassy track past the Comet Stone to reach the public road (this last section can be a little muddy during spells of wet weather). Follow the grassy track on the righthand side of the road eastwards for around 500m.
Just before the stone farmhouse of Brodgar, cross over the road to pick up your outbound path back to the carpark at the Stones of Stenness.
Visit the Scottish Outdoor Access Code website for more information and advice on how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.
Further information
- Places of interest
There is so much to see and do in the West Mainland, you could easily fill at least a couple of days exploring thousands of years of Orcadian history. In the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site alone we'd recommend guided walks at both the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar. Tours of the nearby Maeshowe Chambered Cairn are a must too. Skara Brae is the other incredible site that makes up the Heart of Neolithic Orkney and is only a few miles from the Ring of Brodgar.
Other historical sites in the surrounding area that are well worth a visit include Unstan Cairn, HMS Tern, and Kirbuster Farm Museum.
There are some beautiful stretches of coastline close by, including Yesnaby, Marwick Head, and the Bay of Skaill. These locations are perfect for wildlife watching and bird-spotting - don't miss the RSPB hide at The Loons in Birsay too.
- Food & drink
Stenness village sits on the banks of the loch just a mile or so from the Standing Stones of Stenness and is home to the Stones Hotel, which offers evening meals and Sunday lunchtime roasts. The village also has Sutherland's Garage which stocks a wide range of pre-packed meals, snacks, and hot drinks. Gerri's Ice Cream Parlour is close-by and offers a Orkney Ice Cream, sweets, and snacks during the summer months.
Other options in the area include the cafe at the Skara Brae Visitor Centre, and the Orkney Brewery's Tasting Hall, which is open during the summer months.
- Transport & services
Orkney's X1 and 8S bus routes run past both the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar (note - the X1 route only passes these sites on its enhanced summer timetable). View the full timetables on the Orkney Islands Council website.
Petrol is available at Sutherland's Garage in Stenness village.
There is a public toilet in the village, with an accessible unisex toilet available.