# Things to see in Kirkwall (United Kingdom): 61 places and when to go

> Kirkwall is a town in United Kingdom, and this site lists 61 places in and around it, mainly History (24), Nature (24), Food and drink (6). The best known are HMS Royal Oak, St Magnus Cathedral and Scapa distillery. The best time to come is April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. In June there are 18 h 06 of daylight, and in December, 5 h 54. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.

- Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/kirkwall/
- Reviewed on: 2026-10-02
- Language: en

## In a nutshell

- **Where:** United Kingdom · 58.967, -2.95
- **Places:** 61 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- **What people come for:** [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/historia/) (24) · [Nature](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/naturaleza/) (24) · [Food and drink](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/gastronomia/) (6) · [Temples](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/espiritual/) (4) · [Mountains](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/montana/) (4) · [Diving](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/submarinismo/) (2)
- **Best time:** April to September.
- **Also possible:** February to March, October and December.
- **Nearest airport:** EDI Ingliston, Edinburgh, 337 km as the crow flies

## What to see in Kirkwall

The places in and around Kirkwall, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.

- [HMS Royal Oak](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/hms-royal-oak/): 1914 Revenge-class super-dreadnought battleship · 4.7 km
- [St Magnus Cathedral](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/saint-magnus-cathedral/): Cathedral in Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland · 1.7 km
- [Scapa distillery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/scapa-distillery/): Whisky distillery in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 2.0 km
- [Highland Park distillery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/highland-park-distillery/): Whisky distillery in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 413 m
- [Broch of Gurness](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/broch-of-gurness-settlement/): Tower in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 19 km
- [Italian Chapel](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/the-italian-chapel/): Chapel in the Orkney islands built by Italian prisoners of war · 9.3 km
- [Balfour Castle](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/balfour-castle/): Country house on Shapinsay, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 7.5 km
- [Mor Stein](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/mor-styne-prehistoric-standing-stone/): Neolithic standing stone in southeast Shapinsay, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 10 km
- [Bishop's Palace, Kirkwall](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/bishop-s-palace/): Palace in Kirkwall, Scotland · 1.6 km
- [Midhowe Chambered Cairn](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/midhowe-chambered-cairn-3-500-bc/): Neolithic chambered cairn in Scotland · 23 km
- [Midhowe Broch](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/midhowe-broch/): Broch and hillfort on Rousay, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 23 km
- [Mine Howe](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/mine-howe-iron-age-settlement/): Prehistoric chamber in Orkney, Scotland · 6.4 km
- [Castle Bloody](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/castle-bloody/): Prehistoric feature on the island of Shapinsay, Orkney, Scotland · 11 km
- [Cobbie Row's Castle](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/cubbie-roo-s-castle/): 12th century castle ruins on the island of Wyre, Orkney , Scotland, UK · 17 km
- [The Orkney Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/orkney-museum/): Museum in Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom · 1.7 km
- [Rennibister Earth House](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/rennibister-earth-house/): Souterrain in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 6.6 km
- [St Peter's Pool, Orkney](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/st-peter-s-pool/): Bay on Mainland, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 10 km
- [The Ouse](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/the-ouse/): Tidal estuary in northern Shapinsay, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 11 km
- [Blackhammer Chambered Cairn](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/blackhammer-cairn/): Neolithic cairn on Rousay, in Orkney, Scotland · 19 km
- [Dounby Click Mill](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/click-mill/): Watermill in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 19 km
- [Copinsay Lighthouse](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/copinsay-lighthouse/): Lighthouse in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 18 km
- [Cuween Hill Chambered Cairn](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/cuween-hill/): Neolithic chambered cairn on Mainland in the islands of Orkney · 9.7 km
- [Grain Earth House](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/grain-earth-house/): Underground building in Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK · 2.7 km
- [Inganess Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/inganess-bay/): Bay in Mainland, Orkney, Scotland, United Kingdom · 3.7 km

And the other 37, by what you come to do:

- **History**: [Knowe of Yarso chambered cairn](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/knowe-of-yarso/), [St. Mary's Chapel, Wyre](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/st-mary-s-chapel/), [Taversöe Tuick](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/taversoe-tuick/), [Broch of Ayre](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/broch-of-ayre/), [Cairns O' The Bu](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/cairns-o-the-bu-broch/), [Linton Chapel](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/linton-chapel/), [Dingy's Howe, broch, Upper Sanday](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/dingy-s-howe-broch/), [Eves Howe,broch 640m N of Braebuster](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/eves-howe-broch/)
- **Nature**: [Veantro Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/veantrow-bay/), [Bay of Berstane](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/bay-of-berstane/), [Bay of Carness](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/bay-of-carness/), [Bay of Cornquoy](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/bay-of-cornquoy/), [Bay of Crook](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/bay-of-crook/), [Bay of Furrowend](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/bay-of-furrowend/), [Bay of Sandsgarth](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/bay-of-sandgarth/), [Bay of Sandoyne](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/bay-of-sandoyne/), [Bay of Work](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/bay-of-work/), [Blotchnie Fiold](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/blotchnie-fiold/), [Echnaloch Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/echnaloch-bay/), [Keelylang Hill](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/keelylang-hill/), [Kierfea Hill](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/kierfea-hill/), [Manse Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/manse-bay/), [Mull Head Nature Reserve](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/mull-head-local-nature-reserve/), [Newark Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/newark-bay/), [Pool of Cletts](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/pool-of-cletts/), [Scapa Bay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/scapa-bay/), [Wideford Hill](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/wideford-hill/), [Wood Wick](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/wood-wick/), [Marwick Head](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/marwick-head/)
- **Museums and art**: [Orkney Wireless Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/orkney-wireless-museum/)
- **Beaches**: [Sands of Evie](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/sands-of-evie/)
- **Food and drink**: [Deerness Distillery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/deerness-distillery/), [J Gow Rum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/j-gow-rum/), [MACFOYS Bar](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/macfoys-bar/), [Orkney Gin Distillery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/orkney-gin-distillery/)
- **Diving**: [Juniata](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/juniata/)
- **Temples**: [St Ninian's Church, Skaill](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/saint-ninian-s/)

## When to go to Kirkwall

The best time to visit Kirkwall is **April to September**; also possible: February to March, October and December. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.

| Mes | Época | Hours of daylight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| January | Better not | 6 h 38 |
| February | Possible | 8 h 55 |
| March | Possible | 11 h 22 |
| April | Best time | 14 h 08 |
| May | Best time | 16 h 35 |
| June | Best time | 18 h 06 |
| July | Best time | 17 h 27 |
| August | Best time | 15 h 12 |
| September | Best time | 12 h 30 |
| October | Possible | 9 h 49 |
| November | Better not | 7 h 18 |
| December | Possible | 5 h 54 |

In June there are 18 h 06 of daylight, and in December, 5 h 54. In June, 61 of the 61 places are at their best.

When to go to United Kingdom in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/#cuando-ir).

## Getting to Kirkwall

The nearest main airport is Edinburgh Airport (EDI, Ingliston, Edinburgh), 337 km as the crow flies. How to get around United Kingdom (train, car, bus) is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/#moverse), and what to sort out before you leave is in [its checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/#antes-de-salir).

- [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=58.967%2C-2.95)
- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=58.967%2C-2.95)

## Other towns nearby

- [Hoy](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/hoy/): 35 places · 21 km
- [Sandwick](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/sandwick/): 34 places · 24 km
- [Stronsay](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/stronsay/): 20 places · 25 km
- [Caithness](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/caithness/): 17 places · 37 km
- [Westray](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/westray/): 13 places · 39 km
- [Thurso](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/thurso/): 21 places · 54 km

And all of United Kingdom, in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/).

## Frequently asked questions

### What is there to see in Kirkwall?

The best known: [HMS Royal Oak](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/hms-royal-oak/), [St Magnus Cathedral](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/saint-magnus-cathedral/), [Scapa distillery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/scapa-distillery/), [Highland Park distillery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/highland-park-distillery/), [Broch of Gurness](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/reino-unido/broch-of-gurness-settlement/). In all, 61 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.

### When is the best time to visit Kirkwall?

April to September; also possible: February to March, October and December. In June there are 18 h 06 of daylight, and in December, 5 h 54.

### How do you get to Kirkwall?

The nearest main airport is Edinburgh Airport (EDI), 337 km away. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=58.967%2C-2.95) opens the route on the map.

### How do I add it to my trip?

Create a trip with Kirkwall as the destination and these 61 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.

Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright), licensed under the ODbL, from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/), CC0, cities from [Natural Earth](https://www.naturalearthdata.com/) and airports from [OurAirports](https://ourairports.com/data/). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).