Unearth Orkney's unique history, wildlife, islands, activities and culture by taking time to browse our Orkney blogs.
For an easy sweet treat made from ingredients found in most cupboards we’d recommend this recipe for Porridge oat biscuits from the 1979 Birsay SWRI Recipe Book. These biscuits spread out to cookie size and become lovely and chewy when cool!
Iron Age brochs are massive round buildings from around 300 BC. The most well-known of these is the Broch of Gurness. However, there are over 100 other brochs in Orkney, many times hidden in plain view in the landscape. This list of some of them may surprise you!
Orkney offers an ideal habitat for many breeds of birds. The seas and cliffs support thousands of seabirds. The hills, moors and fields are teaming with small birds and raptors. Find out more about Orkney’s wetlands and the birds you’ll find there!
Fattie Cutties are a delicious traditional treat from Orkney that could be described as being halfway between a biscuit and a fruit bun. They are both sweet and salty and very moreish. Try our easy Fatty Cuttie recipe today!
The Stromness Yule Log pull is a ‘tug of war’ competition, pitting those living in the North end (Northenders) against those from the South End (Soothenders) in a battle of strength as a large log is dragged through the streets of the town to opposing goals.
This Ovaltine Loaf from the Deerness SWRI recipe book is easy to make and is an ideal treat with a cup of tea or coffee. It has a lovely malt taste, and is both moist and salty, and peppered with juicy raisins.
In the summer of 2019 Orcadian storyteller Tom Muir and his wife Rhonda launched the Orkney Folklore Trail App together. This is a brilliant resource for discovering Orkney’s places and its fascinating folklore. NorthLink asked them all about it and got a tale or two…
Egilsay is tied to one of the most well-known stories in Orkney’s history; the martyrdom of St Magnus. However it is also a fantastic place to visit for a day; and we loved exploring the island, seeing the cenotaph, St Magnus Chruch, the RSPB reserve and the brilliant beach.
Deerness Distillery create ‘Sea Glass’ gin and ‘Into the Wild’ vodka. Owner Stuart Brown told us about the importance of taking your time to get things just right!
