Explore Orkney

Explore

In heart of Neolithic Orkney, the Standing Stones Hotel is the perfect starting point for exploring Orkney with easy access to all of the UNESCO sites as well as bus links to Stromness, Kirkwall and St. Margarets Hope.

The Hotel is located only 450m away from the Maeshowe Visitor Centre , 1.7km from the Standing Stones of Stenness and 3.2 km from the Ring of Brodgar. In addition, Skara Brae and Skaill House are only a short 15-minute drive away. Using the frequent bus links that pass the hotel, you are only 10 minutes away from the heart of Stromness, or in the other direction, 15 minutes from Kirkwall town centre.

Within Walking Distance

Maeshowe
Stand in awe of one of Europe's finest chambered tombs, built some 5,000 years ago. Incredibly, the entrance passage to Maeshowe is aligned with the setting of the midwinter sun, so that the light illuminates the tomb's interior. Find out more here.

The Standing Stones of Stenness
The namesake of this hotel and just 1.7km away, the Standing Stones of Stenness make up a small circle dating from the third millennium BC. Find out more here.

The Ring of Brodgar
A short walk along from the Standing Stones of Stenness, the Ring of Brodgar also dates back to the third millennium BC and was built in a true circle - 104 metres wide. Originally consisting of sixty megaliths, today twenty-seven remain. Find out more here.

Barnhouse Neolithic Village
Situated on the shore of Harry Loch and accessed from the Standing Stones of Stenness, Barnhouse is a stone age village, smaller, but similar to Skara Brae. Find out more here.

If you are planning to cycle whilst in Orkney, bikes are available from The Bike Hub which is located in Stromness next to the ferry terminal. We have storage space for bikes at the hotel. Please ask at the hotel for more information.

Within 5 miles

Unstan Chambered Cairn
Built approximately 5,000 years ago as a communal burial place, when excavated in the 1800's, the Unstan Chambered Cairn was found to house human bones, two entire skeletons along with arrowheads, flint tools and a remarkable collection of pottery. Find out more here.

Corrigall Farm Museum
The Corrigall Farm Museum is a traditional 'but and ben' house that portrays a typical Orkney farmhouse and steading in the late 19th Century. The museum features a working barn and grain kiln, horse-drawn machinery and livestock, making it an interesting visit for children and adults. Find out more here.

Skara Brae
The Neolithic settlement of Skara Brae is one of the best preserved groups of prehistoric houses in Western Europe. Uncovered by a storm in 1850, Skara Brae gives a remarkable picture of life 5,000 years ago, before Stonehenge was built. Find out more here.

Skaill House
Orkney finest 17th Century mansion, and home of the man who discovered Skara Brae. Covering thousands of years of Orkney history, a visit to Skaill House gives a valuable insight into Orkney's diverse and exciting past. Find out more here.

Pier Arts Centre
A Visit Scotland 5 Star Art Gallery and Museum located in the heart of Stromness, the Pier Arts Centre houses a mixture of permanent and visiting collections. Find out more here.

Stromness Golf Club
This is one of the best courses on offer on Scotland's islands. It is a seaside parkland course that is moderately tight in parts, so anything less than a decent shot might find trouble. Find out more here.

Within 10 miles

St Magnus Cathedral
Britain's most northerly Cathedral. St Magnus Cathedral known as the 'Light in the North' was founded in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald, in order of his uncle St Magnus. The Cathedral belongs to the people of Orkney and its doors are open to all. The Cathedral, set in the heart of Kirkwall, the capital city of the Orkney Islands, off the north coast of Scotland, is a place of stillness, of serenity, of warmth, of the presence of God. Find out more here.

Kirkwall Golf Course
Orkney Golf Club, also known as Kirkwall, is the archetypal friendly Scottish golf club - very welcoming, not too expensive and boasting a course that you wish you could play every day for the rest of your life. Indeed, if ever a golf course were designed for visitors then this is surely it. There are wonderful views of the North Isles and the village of Kirkwall can be seen from all parts of the course. Find out more here.

Highland Park Distillery
Standing proudly in Orkney's remote and remarkable landscape. Visit the Highland Park Distillery to meet the modern-day Viking descendants who make the whisky and experience the effort and pride that goes into every cask. Find out more here

Pickaquoy Centre
Orkney's main leisure facility hosting a 6-lane 25m pool and leisure pool with fun water features and slides. They also have a health suite, gym and a 3D Cinema. Find out more here.