Walking to the Old Man of Hoy

Of all the things to see and do in Orkney, hiking to the Old Man of Hoy stands out as one of those experiences that stays with you long after you return home.

As the path curves around the hillside, it reveals the tip of the Old Man peeking above the cliffs in the distance. And when you finally reach the cliff edge opposite him, the view is nothing short of spectacular.

The Old Man of Hoy is probably Orkney’s most famous natural landmark, and with good reason – this is one of the tallest sea stacks in Britain. Rising 137-metres (449 feet) from the sea, this slim, red-sandstone pillar stands about 60-metres away from the rest of the cliffs.

Despite its name, the ‘Old Man’ is surprisingly young, its age being estimated at around 200 years old. It was named back at a time when he stood on two ‘legs’. A sketch of the Old Man in 1819 depicts a much wider stack with an arch at its base, resembling a weather-beaten figure standing guard over Hoy’s west coast. A storm later washed one leg away, leaving the lone pillar seen today.

During my most recent visit to Orkney, we decided to take on this walk to the Old Man of Hoy and see this impressive sea stack up close.

Getting to Hoy

To reach the Old Man, you’ll first need to sail across to an island called Hoy.

Hoy is the second‑largest of the Orkney Islands, and while much of Orkney is green and relatively flat, Hoy rises in steep dark hills. Ward Hill, the island’s highest point at 481 metres, looms over the landscape.

There are two ferry services that connect Hoy with the Orkney Mainland, both operated by Orkney Ferries. A foot-passenger ferry sails between Stromness and Moaness on the northeast coast of Hoy, and a second foot-passenger and vehicle ferry departs from Houton, near Orphir, arriving at Lyness on the southeast coast of Hoy.

We opted to take the foot-passenger ferry, which is conveniently located right beside our Stromness Ferry Terminal. The ferry sits almost directly opposite the RNLI Stromness Lifeboat Station on Ferry Road. After a quick 25-minute crossing – watching the MV Hamnavoe glide past as it arrived into Stromness just as we departed – we reached Hoy under the shadow of Ward Hill, ready to begin our adventure.

Getting to Rackwick

From Moaness Pier, you can either walk five miles to Rackwick or hop on a pre‑booked minibus. We chose the latter (as we’d be doing plenty walking later!) and bundled along the single‑track road towards Rackwick.

What began as an overcast morning in Stromness quickly brightened as the sun burned away the haar, bringing the island to life. Sunlight shimmered across the sea as we passed the Bay of Quoys, before the road curved inland weaving between dark heather-clad hills.

Before long, we arrived in Rackwick which itself is a delight. This small crofting settlement on Hoy’s northwest coast sits in a lovely green valley framed by steep hillsides, with a sweeping bay of fine pink sand and sea-smoothed boulders. You could happily linger here for hours – and many do, camping at the newly refurbished Rackwick Bothy and Campsite.

The bus dropped us off at the Rackwick Public Car Park, where a small toilet block sits just a short stroll away.

The journey to the Old Man of Hoy

As mentioned, two hills cradle Rackwick valley: Mel Fea to the south, rising almost like a sheer cliff, and Moor Fea to the north, a gentler green slope dotted with crofts and home to the path that leads to the Old Man of Hoy.

There are a couple of ways to climb Moor Fea – you can start near Rackwick Beach for a steeper, shorter ascent, or approach from the direction of the Rackwick Hostel for a slightly longer but gentler climb. We took the longer route, following the road inland from the car park for half a mile before turning left at a (now very faded) sign for the Old Man of Hoy walk.

The hostel sits a short distance along this road (please be aware that parking here is for residents only.) Beside it, a grassy path leads through a gate to a cluster of old buildings that now serve as small museums.

Continuing uphill along the grassy track, we wandered through an area of grazing sheep and sprightly little lambs, their bleats carrying softly through the air. We soon reached a wooden kissing gate that opens into the RSPB Hoy Nature Reserve – a wild stretch of moorland and clifftops where fulmars, puffins, red-throated divers, great skuas and hen harriers wheel overhead.

Beyond this point, the path becomes sandier and more gravelly. You’ll need to watch your step from here on out, as larger loose stones underfoot make the path quite uneven in places.

This initial section of the walk is the most strenuous part, climbing around 130 metres as you scale the hillside. But almost immediately, we were treated to lovely views that opened up over Rackwick, stretching out towards the open Atlantic. On the day we visited, there was hardly a cloud in the sky, and the sun reflected off the water in Rackwick Bay turning it into a brilliant turquoise – the kind of colour you’d expect to see somewhere far hotter than Orkney. We paused a few times along the way to take photos and soak up the scenery (and, truthfully, to catch my breath!)

The incline gradually eases off as the path curves around the hillside, revealing the tip of the Old Man peeking above the cliffs in the distance. He’s still about a mile away yet – but after clambering up the steepest part of the hill, that first glimpse felt like a well-earned reward. The route thankfully then levels out as you cross a wide sweep of moorland before beginning a gentle descent towards the Old Man. And when you finally reach the cliff edge opposite him, the view is nothing short of spectacular.

Arriving at the Old Man of Hoy

Coming face to face with the Old Man of Hoy is an unforgettable moment. Seeing the true scale of his height is awe-inspiring, made even more dramatic by the sheer drop at your feet as you stand along the cliff edge. I felt very fortunate to have visited on such a calm, fine day, as I can imagine how different, and how dramatic, this exposed headland would feel should the wind begin to roar.

A small section of headland juts out from the coastline directly opposite the Old Man, and it makes an excellent spot to view the sea stack up close. From here, you can closely view all the weathered nooks and ledges of sandstone where many seabirds nest and perch. You may – as we did – also spot tiny climbers inching their way up the Old Man, a fascinating and slightly nerve-wracking sight to see. Learn the story of the first ascent of the Old Man of Hoy here.

The cliffs surrounding the Old Man are equally striking. To the north rises St John’s Head – the highest vertical sea cliff in the UK – soaring 335 metres (1,100 feet) above the waves. This vast wall of sandstone rises sharply from the sea, glowing with warm orangey-red hues when the light catches it, forming a magnificent backdrop to this wild corner of Hoy.

We spent a while exploring different vantage points of the sea stack, before enjoying a well-earned picnic and resting our legs before setting off on the return journey back to Rackwick.

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The walk from Rackwick to the Old Man of Hoy is a 5.75-mile (9km) loop, with most walkers taking between two and three hours to complete it. The path is clearly marked throughout, making it an easy route to follow. View a route map of the walk here.

Of course, if you’re sailing on the MV Hamnavoe between Scrabster on the Scottish Mainland and Stromness in Orkney, you’ll pass the Old Man of Hoy – and this is one of the only ways to see this impressive sea stack without walking to it.

However, having now done the walk myself, I can safely say that nothing compares to standing on the cliffs opposite the Old Man of hoy, feeling the wind in your hair and watching the waves crash below. It’s one of Orkney’s standout hikes, and one I’d recommend wholeheartedly.

By Amy Leith
Born and raised in Aberdeen with an admiration for Orkney and Shetland, loves to travel and visit new places, enjoys cooking, always listening to music, spends a little too much time on TikTok.

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