These hills are not high as Scottish hills - Ward Hill, the highest, only reaches 1,570ft

The wildlife is superb,we were dive - bombed by great skuas as we walked to the old man
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the Hoy Trust have renovated the bothy at Burnmouth, and put in toilets and drinking water

close to the pebble and sand beach below Rackwick's guardian cliffs

curiously named The Sneuk and The Too

the island of Hoy in the  Orkney Islands > is where you will find the  Old Man of Hoy  >

at 450 ft / 137m the largest sea stack in the British Isles
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From Mainland Orkney the main link is the  Car Ferry >  which can carry up to 125 passengers and 18 cars

and runs from Houton in Orphir, some miles south east of  Stromness  >  to  Lyness  >  on Hoy

get an early ferry if possible to give yourself plenty of time to explore the island

THE 2 WALKS

Dont Get Lost Take A Copy With You

Print - Version - Here  >
 

UK Weather  >

Bring your car or bicycle on the Ferry that way you will be able to visit places of interest

and do the Walks all in one day

At the lyness pier is the   Lyness War Museum >  although we personally dont condone war

a visit here really bring home the grim realities of war

the museum is on the shores of  Scapa Flow >

you can see and touch bits of German & British Warships that sank here
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the Dwarfie Stane

The 5,000 - year - old monument known as the  Dwarfie Stane >  lies in a steep sided valley between

Quoys and Rackwick

A huge block of hollowed - out red sandstone measuring about 8.5 metres ( 28 feet ) long

the Dwarfie Stane is thought to be Britain’s only example of a rock-cut tomb

we crawled inside and lay down that was one creepy experience

especially knowing that a neolithic corpse had lain here for thousands of years
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 This is the grave of Betty Corrigall, whose suicide prevented her from being buried in the graveyard

we beleive this young lady got herself pregnant and was hounded out of the village almost drowned

and beaten eventually taking her own life by hanging to escape the disgrace and wrougth of

the Churchand Family ( 1770's )
 

You will eventually come to  Rackwick  >  a small scattered hamlet perched on a hill there are toilets

at the car park from here the walk splits into 2, take food & drink with you, it's not a long difficult walk

its just a special experience to sit on or near the edge of shear 450 foot ( 137m ) high cliffs to have a picnic

The walk is signposted from the car park climb up the hill stopping to look back to the beach of Rackwick Bay

that is the 2nd walk, continue along the cliff tops with spectacular views
 

when you arrive at the Old Man you will stand and gaze in amazment at this 450 ft high

column of rock coming out of the sea if you are lucky as we were you may see climbers on it

allow 2 hours there and back with time for a picnic

dont forget your camera
 

depending on the time of year you may be dive bombed by one of our more agressive

feathered friends the  Great Skua  >  we were they didnt actually touch us but scarey

if you are not expecting it

Back at the car park continue out to Rackwick Bay beach there is a Bothy here you can stay for free

Remember Always Leave It Cleaner Than It Was When You Arrived

there is also space for 6 tents in the compound
 

The beginning of the beach is pebbles changing to white sand at the far end,this used

to be a thriving fishing community, but no harbour, in rough weather the womenfolk had to wade

out into the sea to pull the boats in
 

For Disabled Or Less Adgile Ramblers

The War Museum, The Dwarfie Stane &  Betty Corrigalls Grave & Rackwick are all accessable

The walk to the Old Man is over steep rough ground and may not be accessable to all

access to the beach is reasonably flat

you wont want to leave here

but dont forget the time for the last ferry
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