Orkney Factsheet

Orkney

Orkney weaves a spell on all who stand on her shores.  The main population centres are the bustling towns of Kirkwall - described by Historic Scotland as "Norway's oldest town" and still laid out in the Nordic fashion - and Stromness, whose rows of houses piled up on the steep hillsides sloping to the sea are reminiscent of the small fishing villages of Cornwall and Devon.

But total isolation is only a short boat trip from Stromness to uninhabited Fara and Cava, two of the 52 islands, which make up the Orkney Islands.  Situated only 20 miles north of the Highland mainland, Orkney is a fertile, flat land, reminiscent of the Netherlands, and in contrast to the large peaty moorlands of its near neighbours, Caithness and Shetland.

There are few trees - or traffic lights - to be found on the islands, but there is an abundance of history hidden beneath its green pastures and spectacular beach sand dunes.  The ancient Stone Age village of Skara Brae, standing stones, ancient burial chambers and ruind Pictish palaces, cairns and brochs dot the landscape, while the braethtaking St Magnus Cathedral dominates the heart of Kirkwall.  Modern Hotels and small guest houses provide quality and affordable accomodation and the abundance of fresh seafood and quality beef is a gastronomes's delight.

Orkney has been at the maritime crossroads of northern Europe since pre-history.  Scapa Flow's safe natural harbour has been the base for the British Fleet since Napoleonic times and many relic structures testify to its importance during the First and Second World War.  Evocative block ships, used as First World War defences against submarines still remain, and seven wrecks of the German High Seas Fleet still lie in the bottom of the Flow - a honeypot for sport divers.

Many of the barriers are now causeways, providing roads for remote communities which previously relied upon small boats for their links with the larger towns.  Indeed, Orkney provides a very unique and atmospheric place to film, with a pace of life unlikely to raise the blood pressure of even the most volatile location manager.  Although the winter days are short, this is amply compensated by the long summer days which are rarely darker than twilight, with golfers frequently seen on the fairways of the islands' two golf courses after 11 pm.  A clear, unpolluted atmosphere, provides the quality hours necessary for filming in a tight schedule.

ACCESS:

There are regular connecting flights from Inverness, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh.  Ferries travel to Stromness from Aberdeen and Scrabster in the north of the Highlands.  Once on Orkney there is an extensive inter-island service, both by boat and plane.  There are no railways.

For further information:

The Scottish Highlands and Islands Film Commission office for the Orkney Islands can be contacted for more detailed information on their services and facilities, including free advice and information on locations, accomodation and crew, as well as access to the extensive photographic library.

Contact:

Morag Robertson,
Department of Development and Planning,
Orkney Islands Council,
School Place,
Kirkwall,
Orkney,
KW15 1NY.
Tel: 44 (0) 1856 873535
Fax: 44 (0) 1856 875846.
Email: [email protected] 

Climate:

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Sunshine - daily	1	2.3	3.1	4.9	5.2	5.4	4.3	4.1	3.4	2.4	1.3	0.7
Temp. (c)	3	3	5	6	8	10	12	12	11	8	6	5
Rain - mm	106	73	84	56	50	52	56	78	102	116	120	113