Return from JOG via Orkney

[mikeonabike]

Hi everyone. I am starting to plan a LEJOG for 2017 and thinking of going on to Orkney from JOG for a few days, and then the ferry to Aberdeen and back home by train.

I'd welcome any tips from you re Orkney itself (hint, we'll be happy to use the bikes for a bit of sightseeing but may not be up for a hectic Orkney E2E), or for the Orkney-Aberdeen ferry.

[bogmyrtle]

Italian Chapel. Scapa Flow museum at Lyness.
Neolithic sites near Stromness, the Ring of Brodgar, Stones of Stennes, Maes How,
Skara Brae.

When will you be there? Can recommend the traditional music festival on May Bank holiday.

[JamesE]

All of bogmyrtle’s suggestions are good, and I’d add the spectacular Yesnaby cliffs. Orkney’s generally excellent for cycling – very quiet roads, very polite and patient drivers – although it can be extremely windy. Be warned that if you go during the Orkney Folk Festival in late May then all the accommodation on Orkney Mainland, including the campsite, will book up months in advance.

Any specific concerns about the Orkney-Aberdeen ferry? I took it last year and it was fine with a bike…

[mikeonabike]

Thanks both of you. I don't have any particular concerns about the ferry but just never used that operator - good to hear you found it fine.

Plan is to get up there in mid-June, before winter sets in.

[LollyKat]

Watch out for the St Magnus International Festival which is also busy with accommodation getting booked up. Next year's core dates are Friday 16 June to Wednesday 21 June and it will probably go on to the end of the week (this year's was 16-26 June).

[ambodach]

Unless you have an (expensive ) cabin on the ferry you may find sleeping difficult. You can get a shared cabin reasonably but the same problems as hostels with potential snorers. The sleeping pods are just reclining seats really and no better than the cheaper reclining seats. If on a budget the floor is your only reasonable option.

[toontra]

I did exactly this after my 2014 LEJoG (see blog below).

Just one thing - I got rather cold waiting for the ferry. The terminal waiting room didn't open until shortly before departure so I was sitting on a bench on the dockside for ages and it was a fairly miserable evening (I'm always too early for things like ferries, planes, etc!).

[hilloverthehill]

If you arrive on South Ronaldsay from JOG I'd visit the Tomb of the Eagles and the nearby Tomb of the Otters. Really good.

[mikeonabike]

Thanks for all the tips. I'll be with mrs MOAB so it will be a cabin on the overnight ferry to Aberdeen

Definitely sounds worthwhile going to Orkney while we are in the neighbourhood - may not be back for a while! Just need to sort out the logistics, ferries, festivals etc. All part of the fun planning the LEJOG.