A quick guide to places in Neolithic Orkney

Orkney is located off the north coast of Scotland beyond John O’Groats. It is now a remote community exposed to all the elements that the North Atlantic can throw at it through the year. However, in 3000 BC it was totally different landscape. The reasons for its key role in the Neolithic world are not fully understood but slowly the land is giving up its secrets.

Orkney Mainland is a UNESCO World Heritage site known as the “Heart of Neolithic Orkney” and is made up of a number of key locations that can be easily explored in a day. Some sites are free while others Skara Brae is paid entry and Maeshowe can only be entered as part of the tour, however, if you have a Historic Scotland or English Heritage Membership then you can enter both for free.

Skara Brae

This has to be the first place you visit on Orkney when exploring the Neolithic sites. Its small museum sets the scene perfectly before taking you on a journey through time to the actual site.
Skara Brae is a neolithic village located on the shoreline which was discovered in 1850 after a winter storm. Within the small huts the hearths, dressers and bed boxes can still be seen as well as the compact layout of the village. The whole site gives an impression of how this windswept village must have felt thousands of years ago.

• Sandwick, Stromness KW16 3LR
• View on Google Maps
• Historic Environment Scotland Skara Brae Website

Ring of Brodgar

The Ring of Brodgar is a large stone circle and is the third largest in the UK with a diameter of 104 metres. It is made up of 21 standing stones around a large ditch and 13 nearby burial mounds. Over time the number of standing stones has increased and decreased as some have fallen and others have been put back into position. As with other henges, the true reason for its existence and its appearance during its use is not completely understood.

• B9055, Stromness KW16 3JZ
• View on Google Maps
• Historic Environment Scotland Ring of Brodgar Website

Ness of Brodgar

The Ness of Brodgar is one of the largest archaeological digs in Europe. Each year it is uncovered and for a short period through the summer months, a little more of the huge site is excavated. It is possible to see the dig in progress. The archaeologists run workshops for children to get involved as well as take volunteers and run guided tours. It is amazing to watch it develop each year and to see the buildings slowly emerge from the soil. Some of the finds including pottery, polished stone axes and a unique carved stone ball can be seen at the Skara Brae exhibition and the local museums in Stromness and Kirkwall.

The Watchstone

After the Ness of Brodgar there is a short causeway and at one end stands a large standing stone known as the Watchstone. Originally one of a pair it is a part of the landscape as much as the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar.

Stones of Stenness and Barnhouse Settlement

The Stones of Stenness sit just back from the road and are thought to be one of the earliest henge monuments in the UK. Erected possibly 500 years before the Ring of Brodgar between 3100 and 2900BC it consists of 4 standing stones from the original 12. Its significance isn’t really known but the hearth is still in place and there is evidence that it was used during the Neolithic period for cooking.

• Stromness KW16 3JZ
• View on Google Maps
• Historic Environment Scotland Stones of Stenness Website

The Barnhouse Settlement was only discovered in 1984 a short distance from the Stones of Stenness. Dating back to between 3200 and 2900BC it is a Neolithic village similar to Skara Brae. This village is however less intact and may have been dismantled at the end of its use. There are a number of building outlines and hearths, some of which may have had a ceremonial use.

Maeshowe

This has to be one of our favourite places on Orkney with a really unique atmosphere. It is a large burial mound that can be entered with a guide and was in use over 5,000 years ago. The entrance has a long passageway that leads into a large central chamber. From this central chamber, there are a number of smaller chambers. The entrance corridor is perfectly aligned to the sun during the winter solstice, something that really isn’t just a chance. Built of large 3-tonne sandstone slabs it is hard to figure out how it was actually built without our modern technology. Despite the effort put into building the cairn, it was only in use for a short period of time. 3000 years after it was sealed it was broken into by Vikings who left graffiti in the form of runic inscriptions on the walls some of which are less than polite. These inscriptions are the largest collection in one place found outside of Scandinavia.

• Maeshowe Visitor Centre, Ireland Rd, Stennes KW16 3LB
• View on Google Maps
• Historic Environment Scotland Maeshowe Website

Other Cairns

Dotted around the countryside in the west of Orkney Mainland are a number of smaller cairns that can be entered without needing to pay. Some are located in what seems like people’s gardens but they are open to explore. Some have torches to borrow at the entrance. The closest to the Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae are Cuween Chambered Cairn near Finstown and Unstan Chambered Cairn near to the Standing Stones Hotel in Stenness village.

As you drive around Orkney you will see random standing stones in fields like the Stane o’ Quoybune in a field on the roadside near Birsay. This one is believed to be a petrified giant who walks to the nearby loch for a drink on New Year’s Day….