Orkney and Shetland

[mercalia]

ah so thats where they are.I was looking on my UK map and by accident zoomed up north and saw those large clusters of islands, what are they, SO thats where Orkney and Shetland are. Looks an interesting ride around. SO what is it like to ride around and where to stay etc? flat? hilly?

[LollyKat]

Windy!

[Si]

C'mon, its not always windy, sometimes they have gales instead

ive only done orkney, lovely place...mostly little traffic, apart from 1/2 an hour after the ferry comes in. There are certainly hills if you want them, but main roads mostly flat/rolling.

If you go off road it can be a bit damp.

You need to get to grips with the ferry timetables to explore properly.

[gloomyandy]

The central group of Orkney can all be explored in one go as they are linked by bridges and causeways. Loads of archaeology to look at, roads are pretty good, some of the popular sites can get very busy in the summer, with coaches bringing visitors from tour ships to see them. The outer islands need a ferry trip and for many you will not be able to get there and back in a day so you will need some careful planning. They are typically much quieter than the main islands and may not have that much tarmac! It can be very windy and the midges were horrific on Hoy when I was there.

Shetland has very good roads and a free ferry service to some of the islands. This means that there is a surprising amount of commuting which can make some bits of road very busy at peak times and when ferries arrive and depart. Lots to see and do. If you want to visit some of the more remote islands this may take careful planning. Not unusual for the ferry not to run, and for some a very good set of sea legs may be needed!

I think in both cases it is worth being prepared to leave the bike behind and explore on foot. Some fantastic things to see, but they may require a bit of a walk. Not sure about accommodation, you may want to book. I was on Orkney a few years ago at a time to coincided with some sort of "farming week" and pretty much everywhere was booked up. There are some hostels, the ones on Westray and Papa Westray were particularly good, the one on Hoy was OK but a little damp/basic (but it got us away from the midges!). On Shetland there are the Bods which provide basic hostel beds in some interesting locations (check though as I know some of the more interesting ones were closed this year), I think you need to book them in advance. Not sure about camping, I've wild camped on Hoy and I'm sure you can do the same on any of the islands, but you may have to ask around for good spots, did I mention it can be very windy?

To do either group of islands justice may take longer than you think (especially if you want to explore the far flung islands), you may need to wait around for ferries that don't run and be prepared to change plans due to the weather. I've been up there four times and still have lots more places I'd like to explore!

Have fun

[jgurney]

Shetlands are hillier than the Orkneys. I have loved visiting both.

It does need some planning, esp for visiting the smaller islands. Some of the smaller islands have only a few ferries per week.
Some have only one shop on an island 10-15 miles long, so you may need to plan the shopping with some care. E.g. on Unst the main hostel is in Uyeasound, near the ferry landing and the only shop is in Baltasound approx 6 miles away, so if arriving on a latish ferry and planning to go no further than the hostel that day, you need to have done the shopping elsewhere first - in Mid Yell which is 8 miles before reaching the ferry.

Wind and rain may set in for days.

[jgurney]

Not unusual for the ferry not to run, and for some a very good set of sea legs may be needed!

Yes - I noticed that on the ferry to Out Skerries, cars are usually chained to the deck to avoid their being flung about and damaged in rough seas.

[ambodach]

The inter island ferries do not seem to be too much affected by weather but the wind as others have said is a significant factor particularly on Shetland. Shetland is populated by fishermen who have farms and Orkney is farmers who have boats. I prefer Shetland and never had any traffic problems unless the bit between Scalloway and Lerwick is foggy which can be frightening as cars do not expect to see bikes. There are small shops in the villages so basic food at least should not be a problem. The bods are really camping with solid walls and a roof. You have I think to book in advance but they seem more geared to groups. Remember also you are much further north than usual. In June I have used my winter clothing sometimes but if the sun shines sunburn is to be guarded against so be prepared for anything.

[ambodach]

I think Gloomyandy meant good sea legs for the main ferry from Aberdeen. It can be an exciting journey!

[matt2matt2002]

Just back from a week on Shetland
Stayed at the Bods in Skeld, Voe and Mid Yell.
My third time there and I'll be back next year
Great place and folk.
I go geocashing so had fun.
Wind, as had been mentioned, can be a killer. Since the coastal roads often double back on themselves, it doesn't matter which way the prevailing wind is from. It will get you.
Orkney is a great place as well but the ferry from Aberdeen docks at midnight, so can be errr... interesting.
The one time I arrived at Kirkwall it was the longest day of the year, so didn't really get dark and I bivid easily behind the loos, mid island.

Crossing can be errr.,. interesting as well.
Do you have good sea legs?

[gloomyandy]

I think Gloomyandy meant good sea legs for the main ferry from Aberdeen. It can be an exciting journey!

It certainly can!

But actually I was thinking about any trips to places like Fair Isle or Foula, the ferry to both can be very weather dependant and the trip interesting!