Stenness

Stenness is a small, scattered village in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, on the A965 main road between Kirkwall and Stromness. It has several UNESCO World Heritage Listed neolithic sights: the Stones, Maeshowe and Ring of Brodgar, with Skara Brae a few miles further north.

Get in
Stenness is on A965 between Kirkwall and Stromness.

Bus X1 runs daily, hourly along this road and April-Oct is extended, doubling back from Stromness to Stenness, Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae.

Bus 5 runs twice M-F from Stromness to Stenness, Ophir and Houton (for south Hoy ferry). Houton can also be reached by Bus 2 from Kirkwall, with six M-Sa, four on Sunday April-Sep and two Nov-March.

Get around
You can walk between Maeshowe Visitor Centre, Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar, although there's no footpath in places.

For Skara Brae cycling is ideal, or in summer take Bus X1 as above.

See

 * Barnhouse Stone is an outlier, near the main road 200 yards west of B9055 turnoff.
 * Barnhouse Stone is an outlier, near the main road 200 yards west of B9055 turnoff.
 * Barnhouse Stone is an outlier, near the main road 200 yards west of B9055 turnoff.
 * Barnhouse Stone is an outlier, near the main road 200 yards west of B9055 turnoff.
 * Lochview Stones are a pair of lichen-clad outliers just north of the causeway between the two lochs. They seem to mark the entrance to the settlement now buried here.
 * Ring of Bookan is a smaller ring a mile northwest of Ring of Brodgar. It's on private farmland, no public access.
 * Skaill House is 100 yards south of Skara Brae visitor centre, same hours and ticket. It's a 17th-century mansion house, built by Bishop George Graham and added to by later Lairds. The present building is two storeys set around a central courtyard.
 * Orkneyinga Saga Centre next to Ophir Church recounts the story of the Norse Earls of Orkney. It's open Apr-Oct daily 9AM-6PM.
 * Skaill House is 100 yards south of Skara Brae visitor centre, same hours and ticket. It's a 17th-century mansion house, built by Bishop George Graham and added to by later Lairds. The present building is two storeys set around a central courtyard.
 * Orkneyinga Saga Centre next to Ophir Church recounts the story of the Norse Earls of Orkney. It's open Apr-Oct daily 9AM-6PM.
 * Orkneyinga Saga Centre next to Ophir Church recounts the story of the Norse Earls of Orkney. It's open Apr-Oct daily 9AM-6PM.

Do

 * Hike: a rough trail leads south along the rugged coast to Stromness.
 * Orkney Storytelling is a cultural centre on A967 at Sandwick, with performances several times a week in summer.

Eat and drink

 * Merkister Hotel serves non-residents, booking essential.
 * Gerri's ice cream parlour is 100 yards east of Standing Stones Hotel, open daily 11AM-6PM.
 * Orkney Brewery is at Quoyloo, 2 miles north of Skaill off the road towards Birsay. It's open M-Sa 10AM-5PM, with tours and tasting flights in the cafe.

Connect
As of July 2024, there is a patchy mobile signal from EE, O2 and Three, but nothing from Vodafone.

Go next

 * North to Birsay for the medieval wicked Earl's palace and "brough" on a tidal islet.
 * West is Stromness, a delightful small fishing village, with ferries to Scrabster on the Scottish mainland.
 * East is Kirkwall, the Orkney capital with a wealth of heritage.