Independent Hostelling in the Orkney Islands

The 70 islands and skerries which make up the Orkney Islands make it a magical place to visit.  The mainland towns of Stromness and Kirkwall have fabulous built heritage, culture and seashore settings  while the smaller isles offer an idyllic escape to a world of sandy shores, blue-green seas and amazing nature and wildlife. The whole of Orkney is an archeological wonder.
Scottish Independent Hostels have no fewer than 12 members throughout these islands.  For an affordable trip with lots of local knowledge provided, hostelling in Orkney is an excellent way to get a true flavour of the islands.  Our members are located in Stromness and Kirkwall on the mainland, in Birsay on the far North West coast of the mainland and on the islands of South Ronaldsay, North Ronaldsay, Hoy, Sanday, Rousay, Westray and Papa Westray.  Find out more about the individual Orkney Hostels here>

 

Top Tips from our Orkney Independent Hostels

Hamnavoe Hostel in Stromness is run by George Argo. The hostel is few minutes walk from the ferry terminal and travel centre and guests can watch the Northlink Ferry and the Hoy passenger ferry arrive in Stromness from the Hostel lounge window. From Stromness it is possible to stay overnight on the island of Hoy at the Hoy Centre Hostel or Rackwick Hostel, both run by Orkney Council, via the Hoy passenger ferry which leaves from Stromness, 7 days a week (on which you can take your bike). All of the Hostels on the Mainland of Orkney are accessible within one days travel from Hamnavoe Hostel; even the Outer North Isles can be reached within one days travel by public transport.  To do this you would take a bus to Kirkwall which departs hourly then a ferry to whichever island you wish to visit. Stromness is situated very close to the heart of Neolithic Orkney and the world heritage site which includes Scara Brae, Ring of Brodgar and Maes Howe. These can all be reached by bike or bus and some visitors on bikes may decide to continue north on the mainland to Birsay Outdoor Centre Hostel which is run by Orkney Council. Public transport is limited in Orkney especially in the off peak and shoulder months.  George recommends Orkney Transport Guide where you can see all ferry, bus and air transport timetables. Mainland Orkney is accessible by car from a base in Stromness and car ferries daily to most of the Islands.

Brown's Hostel, run by Sylvia Brown is also located in Stromness on he picturesque High Street, with storage for bikes.

St Margaret's Hope Backpackers is on the island of South Ronaldsay and run by Barbara and Fred Brown.  The Hostel is very handy for people arriving in Orkney either with Pentland Ferries which departs from Gills Bay & docks in St. Margarets Hope or Pentland Venture which departs from John O Groats & docks at Burwick. If you fancy a cycling trip to Orkney you can take your bike on both boats.  For onward travel, there is a regular bus service to Kirkwall where you can stay in the quaint Kirkwall Peedie Hostel formed from two fishermans cottages and run by Chris and Julia Wild.  Kirkwall is a transport hub for travelling to the rest of the Orkney mainland and islands.

Michael and Teenie Harcus run The Barn Hostel on the Island of Westray. The islands of Westray and Papa Westray have close links and work well together promoting each other's Hostels and visitor sites.

Papa Westray Hostel is community-run and with the shortest scheduled flight in the world connecting the two islands and therefore the two Hostels this makes a great trip for visitors.  There is also a passenger ferry which runs between the two islands. As you will gather, Papa Westray Hostel and The Barn Hostel are separated by a stretch of sea and the easiest way to get from one hostel to the other using public transport is an amazing journey in the 9-seater Loganair Islander plane which takes in the  'World's Shortest Scheduled Flight' (takes under 2 minutes!). From May to September it is also possible to get from one hostel to the other using the Orkney Ferries passenger boat 'MV Golden Mariana' and this summer our visitors have seen close ups of killer whale, porpoise, seals and seabirds from the 25 minute ferry journey between the isles! The ferry also takes bicycles.  Alternatively visitors staying in Kirkwall can island hop to Papa Westray Hostel on the subsidised Loganair Kirkwall to Papa Westray flight (currently only £21 return) which takes 12 minutes and gives visitors a great aerial view of the North Isles en-route to the hostel!  Papa Westray Hostel is open in October and for the rest of the winter. We offer discounts for stays of 3 nights or more and for groups booking at least 4 of our 6 en-suite rooms including over Christmas and New Year.

Ayre's Rock Hostel is run by Paul Allan and located on the Island of Sandy.  They offer free cycle use for all hostel guests and a car hire service with www.easycar.com. From Sanday there is a flight to North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory Hostel for just £19. Ayre's Rock Hostel is closed from the 11th Oct to 26th Oct 2014 but the best time to see Grey Seal pups is late autumn. The Grey Seal Breeding Watch will run in November 2014 with the Ranger, Roderick Thorne, who is also available to provide guided walks to visit the cam watch site.Wifi is set up in the Hostel so people can log on to watch seals and their pups, or you could choose to look out of the Hostel window to see the pups feeding.

Rousay Hostel is located on an organic farm on the Island of Rousay and is within easy walking distance from the pier, shop, restaurant, pub, bike hire and the bird reserve. It is easy to get to Rousay - once on mainland Orkney travel from Kirkwall to Tingwall Pier to cross by frequent ferry to Rousay.
Birsay Outdoor Centre and Rackwick Oudoor Centre are closed October - March
The Kirkwall Peedie Hostel is closed winter 2014/2015 only for family reasons from November 1 2014 - Mid March 2015.
All other Orkney Hostels are open all the year round apart from winter holidays - check with the individual Hostel.

Get Outdoors this Autumn

Autumn is a great time to get outdoors in Scotland, whatever your level of fitness and personal interest.  Low-lying mists and the smell of fallen leaves add to the autumnal atmosphere, whilst wild geese flying overhead herald the changing season.

Walking and Climbing

Crisp trails, dazzling colours and cosy bothies; walking in the Scottish countryside in autumn is a beautiful experience. Grab your boots and head for the hills! Our Independent Hostels not only offer comfortable and affordable accommodation but also a great choice of outdoor experiences to enjoy in autumn.

If you’re looking for adventure, then you can’t go wrong with a bit of “Munro-bagging”.  The Munros are the Scottish mountains over 3000 feet high and there are 283 in total throughout Scotland. Or you could head for one of our many long-distance routes; the West Highland Way is one of the most famous, but there are many others across the country. Try out our newest long distance paths; The John Muir Way which stretches from coast to coast across the central belt and the Ring's of Breadalbane walks in the ancient and undiscovered heart of Scotland. You will find our member Hostels dotted along these iconic trails, happy to provide a warm welcome and excellent local information.

SIH tips:

Cullen Harbour Hostel on the Moray Firth Coast recommends a challenging 6 harbour walk and the lovely stroll from Cullen to Findlater Castle along the coast.

Comrie Croft Hostel in the Highlands recommends The Clan Ring (part of the Ring’s of Breadalbane),  a 6 day circular walk. It goes right past their door and takes in some of the Southern Highlands very best scenery and history.

Fraoch Lodge runs mountain navigation weekends where you can learn all the skills for the hills!

Forest Trails for cycling and mountain biking

Many of our hostels hire out bikes or can recommend someone nearby; it’s a great way to see some of the remoter parts of Scotland as well as navigate the city streets. For the more adventurous cyclist, Scotland has more than 1150 miles of off-road routes marked by The Forestry Commission. From tracks suitable for adrenalin junkies to leisurely trails perfect for the whole family; there are a fantastic range of trails to suit all levels, complete with stunning scenery.

SIH Tips:

Galloway Activity Centre is situated right in the middle of 5 out of the 7 Stanes venues.  With a large boat shed providing secure storage on site, drying room, washing facilities and bike stands. Marthrown of Mabie Hostel is also located on the 7 Stanes Mountain Bike Trails, right in the centre of Mabie Forest.

Comrie Croft Mountain Bike Trails Centre is getting rave reviews, promising hostellers the very best of Scotland's mountain biking scene on their doorstep.

Portree Independent Hostel is an ideal centre when touring the Isle of Skye. If arriving on your own bike, store it on the hostel courtyard. Or you can hire a bike right next door.

Gulabin Lodge Outdoor Centre offers a wide range of outdoor activities in the autumn in Glenshee in Perthshire including a full range of mountain biking services.

Wildlife Watching

Wildlife is pretty active year round in Scotland, but autumn is a great time of year to spot iconic creatures such as red kites, red deer and red squirrels.  The vast wilderness of the Highlands means that you can see creatures living in their natural habitat without disturbing them too much.  The red deer become easier to spot in the autumn as they move to the lower ground for the colder months.  

 

SIH Tips:

Fraoch Lodge runs wildlife tours in the Cairngorms National Park, which is home to a quarter of the UK’s rarest species.

Watersports

Scotland is a popular playground for sailors and watersports enthusiasts with rivers, lochs, canals and 10,000km of beautiful coastline. From sailing and canoeing to white water rafting and canyoning, Scotland is the place to unleash your adventurous side. 

SIH Tips:

Lochaline Dive Centre has access to the clear waters of the Sound, which boasts some of Britain’s best-known wreck dives, in addition to an abundance of drift, shallow, scenic, and shore dive sites.

Uist Outdoor Centre near Lochmaddy offers instruction in kayaking on an idyllic Hebridean sea loch, surely the only way to learn!

Astronomical Adventures

We couldn’t finish without mentioning the dark skies experience.  It’s the perfect activity in some of the clearest night skies anywhere in Europe, just pop outside and stair upwards, you’ll be amazed at what you’ll see. 

 

SIH Tips:

Coll and the Cosmos: A stargazing break on the Isle of Coll which makes the most of the island’s incredible dark skies, using state of the art astronomical technology. The break has been specifically designed to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. Stay in the cosy Coll Bunkhouse.

Experience Dark Skies in the Galloway Forest Park. Stay at SIH’s Galloway Activity Centre.

Get out and enjoy those autumn colours before we start talking about the white fluffy stuff and the great winter sports Scotland has to offer!  

At the Hostel Door: September 6th 2014

Well, summer, and what a summer, came in and is now officially out again. The first of September is herald to autumn and on today's 'BBC Out of Doors Programme' we were not overly surprised to hear there might be a powdering of snow on the high tops up the strath from us. As usual the hostel team, or at least five of us, sat down to a Saturday working breakfast to look at the sharing out of tasks for the day and prepare for this afternoon's visitors.

We were interrupted by departing Graham, going a day early because of a work crisis way south. We presumed to tell him that he looked infinitely more relaxed and with more colour in his face than he had on arrival. Lone traveller Graham has been with us for six days in which time he has rubbed shoulders with, amongst others, a Spanish trio studying in Edinburgh, Sonja a returning team member, now teaching in Germany, Manuel an Edinburgh Uni. PhD candidate from Ecuador and Paul. Now Paul really was interesting. Arriving on foot, he knew his mushrooms as well as his wine, walked his socks off by day and was grossly entertaining or challenging, depending on your point of view, by night. On the evening of the day he left he rang to thank us effusively for his stay and to tell us that the rather yummy chocolate cake remains left in the fridge he solemnly bequeathed to all those in the hostel who remembered him.

Our team breakfast reminds me of the pattern of such things at Lake Wakatipu's Kinloch Lodge, Glen Orchy on South Island N.Z. http://www.kinlochlodge.co.nz/ There the staff team, led by the owners, Brits as it happens, shared the evening meal together most nights of the week. They would take it in turn cooking and looking after the other team members. This bonding, they told me, was a vital prerequisite for them being able to maintain the impressively high level of rapport, effectiveness and givers of rugged hospitality to their many guests.

Our team here let us off for a welcome mid August break. Temporarily demob happy we effectively lost ourselves in the Outer Hebrides for ten days and were more than pleased to drop in on other hostel keepers. Ruari Beaton at Am Bothan, Leverburgh, Isle of Harris www.ambothan.com/ has created a Gaeldom's Aladdin’s cave of a hostel on a slope overlooking the harbour there. A weathered rowing boat is slung from the rafters of the living area and I could not but admire the trusty and faithful Jotul No 1 woodburner which sends out just buckets of heat but which sadly Jotul have discontinued as a model. It can be burned closed or as an open fire. We have one here and it is sheer masterpiece.

Contented German motor cyclists were about to leave for the day. They come each year Ruari tells me and he is happy to share occasionally in their beers at dusk. Apart from his reaffirming of old friendships I like the way Ruari, who lives in an attached house of his own, tells me that he is not an 'in their face' host. Any tendency to 'over 'yarn' with guests who might just not be that interested, has long gone and I guess he values his own time with his four boats – well four at the last count, and his fishing. While he does just about everything himself from new building the hostel in the first place, to the everyday care of hostel and hostellers I see no resistance from him as his sister, on a rare visit from the south busies herself with the cleaning tasks which normally would fall to him.

In Tarbert, also on Harris, we note that the elegant town centre hostel, formerly Rockview Bunkhouse, now re named The Backpackers' Stop and revitalised after two years or so being empty has bright new primrose masonry paint and owners with an impressive track record in innovation. John and Harvey have spent five years in creating Lickisto Blackhouse Camping & Yurts. http://www.freewebs.com/vanvon/ Weathering all seasons in Harris is no picnic for the mainlander. When we visited we were all stoically managing the aftermath of Hurricane Bertha's legacy for the Western Isles yet here, in this string of islands, when the Gods are with you there can be little to compare. If what has brilliantly developed to welcome visitors at Lickisto can translate into the re invented Tarbert Hostel, The Backpackers Stop http://thebackpackersstop.yolasite.com/ then SIH has gained yet another thoughtful and committed member.

In all of this mild wandering thanks to skipper Derek Gordon and guide, Nicola Boulton one of us ploughed the fifty miles west to St Kilda. Now there's a place for Ruari or John and Harvey to contemplate! www.gotostkilda.co.uk/

Berneray Hostel is one three gorgeously rustic and windblown Blackhouse hostels renovated by the Gatliff Trust.  http://www.gatliff.org.uk/ Blasted by the ocean these more basic but thoroughly adequate and evocative shelters provide an unbelievable stillness inside their double drystone walls. Warden Jackie lives nearby and visits twice a day. Respect for the ancient building, for the volunteers and locals who make staying there possible and hosteller for hosteller imprinted on our awareness in our few hours of their company.

The route home had us impelled to drop in on old friend and true Highland gentleman, Gavin Scott- Moncrieff at Dun Flodigarry Hostel. www.hostelflodigarry.co.uk/ Characteristically Gavin and Annabelle were cleaning toilets as we drew up and yet, once settled in a corner of their warming tartan carpeted hostel dining room, we reminisced on the many years each of us has been involved with hostel guests and in this particular hostel owners' association, SIH. We were also, for the second time this year treated masterfully to the case for 'YES'. in the independence campaign. Like our earlier savvy 'persuader', Gavin has few if any doubts and puts copious supportive literature into my hand as we leave.

I blether with friend, Ian Bishop at Slochd Mor hostel, like Gavin, an icon in the hostel world http://www.slochd.co.uk/ We are in his bespoke bike building shed alongside the hostel and the odd drip from the rain shower outside keeps us on the move. A train from London to Inverness glides by just yards away on its way to Slochd summit. I was on that train yesterday I tell him, and waved, in vain. Ian, entrepreneur and engineer relocated his bike business from Inverness to the top of the pass here and then with his wife Liz and younger members of the family set about building his hostel stone by stone. Then came the inimitable hosting. A bike racer, skier, both cross country and downhill, Ian's renown as a past World Porridge Making Champion and Burns Night toastmaster gives an inkling as to his irascible humour and boldness.

For an appreciation of both Gavin and Annabelle and Ian and Liz's hostels just take a look at the website for The Forres Big Choir, http://www.forresbigchoir.info/site/trips.html They sing too the praises of John MacLean with his Iona Hostel. www.ionahostel.co.uk/ What these perceptive folk and others have to say about independent hostelling in Scotland is worth barrel loads more than that which we hostel owners might say about ourselves. Now let's spring into Autumn and continue to warrant these kind accolades.

Hostel Keeper