The Ultimate Orkney Scavenger Hunt

As my time at home extended into months and eventually over a year, I’ve found myself discovering more and more activities, sights, walks and attractions in Orkney than I ever knew about before. So I made a mission to start compiling a list of all the ones I still haven’t done – and it got me thinking, maybe this could be something I could make for everybody to enjoy.

So here it is – along with a downloadable PDF file of my ULTIMATE Orkney scavenger hunt!

This list isn’t totally exhaustive (I haven’t listed individual cairns, and there are some lovely hidden gems like Betty’s Reading Room that I recommend), but it is a pretty comprehensive list of almost everything you can do in Orkney, plus a few fun challenges too!

(please note: it doesn’t include any islands apart from a couple on Hoy, but I’m tempted to make a “bonus” list full of them because I know I’m missing out a lot!)

Read more: Why You Should Visit Orkney

Be a tourist

1. Visit Skara Brae
2. Take a walk around the Ring Of Brodgar
3. Feel small next to the Stones of Stenness
4. Check out the Viking runes at Maeshowe
5. Take in the beautiful Italian chapel
6. Drive across the Churchill barriers
7. Visit 3 islands (excluding the south isles)
8. Find 3 shipwrecks
9. Visit a distillery
10. Discover alleyways in Stromness

Take some cliff walks

11. Spot birds at Marwick Head
12. Walk to the lighthouse on the Brough Of Birsay
13. Find the “castle” at Yesnaby
14. Walk from the Gloup to the Brough Of Deerness
15. Check out the stacks and cliff faces of Windwick Bay, South Ronaldsay
16. Find the fishermen’s huts at Marwick Bay
17. Find the whalebone at Birsay
18. Hike from Rackwick to the Old Man Of Hoy

Read more: 7 Coastal Walks In Orkney You Need To Take

In Kirkwall

19. Take an upstairs tour of St Magnus Cathedral
20. Visit Earl’s Palace & Bishop’s Palace
21. Learn some new things at the Orkney museum
22. Go inside the Grainshore Earth House
23. Walk up Wideford Hill and find the cairn
24. Walk the Crantit Trail to Scapa Beach
25. Find the waterfall at Scapa Beach
26. Visit the Wireless Museum
27. Watch some live music
28. Find a street named after a Viking

On the mainland

29. Go inside 3 cairns or tombs
30. Visit Happy Valley
31. Play hide & seek at Earl’s Palace in Birsay
32. Go to the Broch Of Gurness
33. Find the house with a grass roof
34. Find 5 red phone boxes
35. Go to Ness Battery by Stromness

Learn something

36. Visit the Stromness Museum
37. Go over to Lyness, Hoy, for the Naval Museum
38. Visit a craft or jewellery workshop
39. Read a local book
40. Try a dive

Eat & drink

41. Try a pattie supper
42. Buy some Orkney fudge
43. Eat some local beef, lamb or seafood
44. Try a buffalo pie or sausage roll
45. Find your favourite Orkney beer
46. Indulge in some Orkney fudge cheesecake
47. Try bannock bread
48. Have a cocktail at Helgi’s
49. Conquer the Stenness Monster ice cream cone
50. Visit a brewery

Find some of Orkney’s best beaches

51. Waulkmill Bay (when the tide’s out!)
52. Scapa Beach
53. Inganess Beach
54. Dingieshowe Beach
55. Bay Of Skaill
56. Warbeth Beach
57. Between the 2^nd and 3^rd barriers
58. 4^th barrier beach
59. Sands O’ Wright
60. Find some groatie buckie shells

Burray & South Ronaldsay

61. Visit the Fossil & Heritage Museum
62. Roll yourself into the Tomb Of The Eagles
63. Explore Hoxa Head’s WW2 batteries
64. Find the abandoned hiker’s hostel in Herston
65. Stop for a view of Orkney from Ward Hill
66. Take a walk around St Olav’s Wood

Wildlife & animal spotting

67. Spot a seal
68. Spot 5 types of bird
69. Spot a puffin
70. Find some highland cows
71. Find the hairy pigs
72. Spot the local deer

DOWNLOAD THE ULTIMATE ORKNEY SCAVENGER HUNT HERE!

& most importantly, ENJOY! I know I have!