Stronsay

Whitehall - The village took its name from a house built here in the 1670s by Patrick Fea. By the early 20th century, the village had become one of the Herring Capitals of Europe and in 1924 over 12,000 tons of herring were landed at Whitehall. During the boom years Whitehall developed considerably and the Stronsay Hotel was reported to have the longest bar in Scotland!

Lower Whitehall - Now almost deserted this little community was built to house the families of herring fishermen.

Ayre of the Myres - This beautiful sandy beach, near Whitehall, is ideal for a picnic, seal watching and swimming.

Well of Kildinguie - Water from this fresh spring located just below the high water mark, when taken, was reputed to be a cure for all known ailments except the Black Death.

Mill Bay - Nestling within this horse-shoe shaped bay is one of Stronsay's finest sandy beaches overlooked by a variety of grassy slopes, low cliffs and sand dunes which are home to a diverse flora of mosses and flowering plants.

Stronsay Meal Mill - This privately owned three-storey meal mill with wheel and lade was built in the early 19th century and stands at the foot of Mill Brae, fed with water from a stream leading from the Muckle Water to Mill Bay.

The Muckle Water - The Meikie or Muckle Water as it is known locally is one of Stronsay's largest freshwater lochs where bird and plant life abound. Merganser and Shoveler Duck are found and it's an excellent site for marsh plant communities. The loch has been stocked with Brown Trout and the fishing is free.

Bluthers Geo and the Maime - Adjacent to the geo there is a natural swimming pool and the setting is ideal for a picnic. Nearby on a stack called the Maime a grass-covered mound is an early Christian hermitage site.

Vat of Kirbister - A recently constructed nature walk affords easy access to the Vat (Orkney’s best natural arch). Cliff scenery in the area is breathtaking - a must for every visitor. But take care. From Whitehall, a round trip of 10 miles.

Tarn's Castle - On the summit of this stack is a hermitage ruin within the shelter of a high parapet wall.

Iron Age Fort - A small promontory fort dating from the Early Iron Age has a stone-faced rampart across the narrow isthmus.

Broch of Burgh Head - This is the largest of Stronsay's hermitage sites. Running along the landward side of the stack is a stone wall, the 'Vallum Monasterii', a symbolic barrier against the outside world.

Burgh Hill - Part of the recently formed Nature Walk the area abounds with plant life including a variety of mosses and lichens.

Lamb Ness & Lamb Head - This beautiful promontory, home to myriad seabirds, is also dotted with interesting archaeological sites including 'Pict Houses'. At the neck of the isthmus the so-called Danes Pier, a natural rock structure said to be the site of a Norse harbour, is a haven for seals. From Whitehall, a round trip of 12 miles.

The Pow - The pow or pool is a safe anchorage used by a local fisherman which ebbs dry at low water. Along the track beside the Pow is an unusual population of White Thistles and a large area of Patagonian Ragwort, a naturalised plant belonging to Southern Chile and Patagonia.

Lea-sihun and the Sand of Crook - The large Lea Shun loch attracts a large variety of breeding wildfowl and along the adjacent beach can be found the lovely blue-flowered Oyster plant.

Rothiesholm Sand - On this beautiful sandy beach stretching to over a mile some of Orkney's rarest shells can be found. To the west of the bay is an area of wet dune slack where a wealth of plants are located.

Rothiesholm Head - Pronounced locally as Rousam Head this large tract of heather moorland attracts many breeding birds. Here, by tradition, crofters are afforded 'Peat Rights' and many backbreaking but happy hours have been spent on the Hill. It now hosts aero-generators.

Hillock of Baywest - Elongated mound just above the shoreline, an unexcavated site which contains a burial chamber of the stalled type dating from 3000BC or earlier. To the north is a mound containing a broch tower and the broad platform conceals the remains of an extensive Iron Age village.

St Catherine's Bay - A fine sandy stretch with very low tides which make it a popular 'spoot’ or razor fish beach; this edible shellfish is dug out of the sand. Access road to parking area and beach.

Linga Holm - Now owned by the Scottish Wildlife Trust, this is an important breeding site for Atlantic Grey seals and for Greylag Geese.

Holm of Huip - Important breeding site for Atlantic Grey Seals in October and November.

Wreck - A concrete barge built in France in the early 1900s used to store coal to supply herring drifters. It sank in the 1930s and for many years local men 'salvaged' the coal from her in small boats in the dead of night.

Moncur Memorial Church - This is the islands only church and was built in 1955 to a design by Edinburgh architect Leslie Grahame MacDougall. A large building of cruciform design it is architecturally unique in Orkney while still retaining many of the traditional Orcadian features in its construction.

Papa Stronsay - This island witnessed the murder of Earl Rognvald Brusison in 1046 by supporters of  Earl Thorfinn. Thus ended the rivalry between the 2 Earls and Thorfinn ruled as sole Earl for another 20 years.

In 1999 the Transalpine Redemptorists bought the island and re-established the Monastery (St Nicholas), renaming it Golgotha Monastery. The monks have built 24 new cells and renovated the Big House for use as the refectory, kitchen and tool shed.

Visits can be arranged with prior agreement from the owners.