This walk is the final section of a longer route taking in the magnificent west coast of Mainland Orkney.
This is the wildest, remotest, and most rugged of the three sections, featuring two of Orkney’s finest sea stacks and a range of stunning landscapes.
For a longer walk it can be combined with the Bay of Skaill to Yesnaby section.
Experienced walkers looking for an extra challenge may even wish to add the Birsay to Bay of Skaill section for a big day.
Distance
11.5km
Grade
Grading: 4
Duration
4.5hrs
Terrain
Coastal heath, with some wet and boggy stretches, particularly in winter/spring. Very exposed to elements. Some quiet single-track roads and street walking. Approximately 300m ascent/descent.
Map description
OS Explorer 463; OS Landranger 6
GPX fileStart at the Yesnaby car park where a scattering of brick buildings gives a clue to this area’s wartime past, when it was used as a base for training members of the Royal Navy in anti-aircraft gunnery. It’s generally a little quieter here these days, except on the infrequent occasions when the local motocross club is using the nearby scrambling track.
Turn left to walk south along the coast. The geology here is spectacular, with the soft, flaky layers of mudstone constantly being stripped and shattered by the pounding Atlantic swell. Do take extreme care near cliff edges, which are brittle, sloping, and often extremely slippery.
Follow the coast around a deep cove, once a seasonal base for a handful of Stromness fishermen.
Cross a small wooden bridge before following the fence line westwards. Where the fence turns sharply left carry straight ahead to explore the Brough of Bigging. From the summit cairn you get a great view back along the line of receding sea cliffs, all the way to Marwick Head in the distance.
A scattering of upright stones gives a tantalising hint of the Brough’s previous history as an Iron Age fort.
Return to the coast and turn right to head south. After around 200m you’ll pass an old quarry on your righthand side which was once used for producing millstones. Keep an eye on the stony section near the fence on your left, where a partially-cut millstone can still be seen.
Local legend tells of how a young goatherd saved the lives of men working in the quarry when a tsunami wave, probably caused by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, swept the coast here. The sharp-eyed youngster shouted a warning to the men, shortly before the great wave flooded the sloping quarry.
Carry on south along the coast, passing an impressive stone arch, to arrive at Yesnaby Castle. The great sea stack has a hole through its base, which spouts spectacularly during heavy sea swells.
Around 100m beyond the Castle pass through a wooden kissing gate, before following the fairly obvious route southwest. As you round the headland of Inga Ness the route begins to develop a very different feel. The sightseers of Yesnaby are left behind and the miles ahead are likely to be spent in near solitude.
The faint track shadows the coastline around 100m inland for around 0.5km to pass the head of the enormous Geo of Inganess. Continue beyond this and the almost equally impressive Lyre Geo for 1km to reach North Gaulton Castle.
Second only to Hoy’s famous Old Man, this is a fabulous sea stack. Flag-like in profile, when viewed at 90 degrees from the coast it presents an improbable wedge of rock, somehow defying the elements to remain standing. Fans of 1990s car marketing may remember a Rover 214 being perched on top of this unlikely podium for a TV ad.
Continue to follow the coast south. As you round Neban Point you get a fabulous view of the Hoy hills in the distance and, closer at hand, the great dark mass of the Black Craig.
Follow the track as it crosses a wooden bridge over the Burn of Mousland before passing through a wooden gate. From here, aim towards the summit of Black Craig, marked by a small concrete building topped with a radar and communications aerials, which is used as a monitoring station for the European Marine Energy Centre, which has test sites in the waters offshore here.
The way ahead becomes a little vague at this point, but if you find yourself still close to the coast by the time you reach the great jutting headland of Neblonga, simply start contouring your way left to gain height, eventually arriving at the EMEC monitoring building, with fabulous views across Hoy Sound, Stromness Outertown, the tiny island of Graemsay, and Scapa Flow beyond.
Follow a line of concrete fence posts leading downhill to the southeast, passing first over a wooden stile, then a metal gate to reach the derelict croft of Fletts. From here walk east then southeast to follow the track, which becomes a single-track road. After 1km on this road, while passing a large farm on your right, look for a junction on your left signposted ‘Heatherybraes’ (though the sign writing is on the opposite side from your approach).
After 600m the tarmac road ends. Carry straight on along the track for 1km where another short section of tarmac road is met. At this point the route (as mapped) would generally carry straight ahead onto the next short section of grassy track. This is temporarily closed, so instead turn left at the junction on the single track road, just before the track begins. After 500m take the first turn off on your right and carry on south for 600m. Just after passing the allotments, take the next turn-off on your left. Follow this for 300m to reach a roundabout.
Go straight ahead here and after 50m take the road leading straight downhill on your left. Hellihole Road takes you past two large white posts topped with coloured lights. These are the ‘leading lights’. Large vessels line the two lights up to safely navigate the mouth of the bay into Stromness.
Follow the road as it bends left to reach the junction. Turn left into Dundas Steet and enjoy the final 400m as you follow the gently winding flagstone street to the Stromness Pierhead and the end of your walk.
Visit the Scottish Outdoor Access Code website for more information and advice on how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.
Further information
- Places of interest
Most folk will travel through Orkney's UNESCO World Heritage Site to arrive at Yesnaby to begin this walk, where you can enjoy guided walks at both the Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar.
The walk ends in Stromness which is a fascinating place to spend some time. A simple wander through the town's street is a real joy where you can xplore the many nooks and crannies, and step out onto the piers and slipways to breathe in the sea air.
There are some excellent shops in the town, including a fabulous butcher, a popular deli, a well-stocked bakery, and plenty of arts, crafts and clothing stores.
If you're spending some more time in Stromness then you should take a trek up Brinkie's Brae for stunning views out over Scapa Flow and its western approaches. There's also a swimming pool and fitness suite in the town.
And, if you time your visit right, you could get caught up in the fiddling frenzy of the Orkney Folk Festival - the town is home to pub sessions, concerts and performances over the course of the festival weekend every May.
- Food & drink
North of Yesnaby you'll find the cafe at the Skara Brae Visitor Centre and the Orkney Brewery's Tasting Hall. Both offer meals, light bites, snacks, and refreshments, and are only open between April and October.
There are a number of food and drink options in Stromness. For meals you can try The Ferry Inn, and the Pier Bistro & Takeaway, which offer a mix of bar meals, à la carte options and light bites. Julia's Shed offers takeaway food and snacks. The town is home to an excellent Chinese takeaway too, which also offers traditional fish & chips. Do check with each business before visiting as some services operate on a seasonal basis.
Shops like Argos Bakery, E. Flett Butchers and the Bayleaf Deli have an excellent range of snacks and other goods, including hot drinks, sandwiches and much more. There's also a Co-op supermarket in the town.
- Transport & services
There are no direct bus services to Yesnaby with the starting point for this route a decent walk itself from the main road.
The X1 bus service runs between Stromness and Kirkwall every day. View the full timetables on the Orkney Islands Council website.
Petrol is available at the North End Garage in Stromness.
There are a number of public toilets in Stromness; at Ferry Road with one ladies’ toilet, one gents’ toilet, and an accessible toilet (Radar key needed) available; at the North Pier Terminal building, with one gents' toilet, one ladies' toilet, one accessible toilet and one shower room available (open during ferry operational hours only); and at the Stromness Pierhead, where there is one ladies’ toilet, one gents’ toilet and an accessible toilet.
There is also a toilet at Warebeth Cemetery, with one gents' toilet, one ladies' toilet, and an accessible toilet (Radar key needed) available.