Stromness brings together art and maritime history in a harbour setting full of character. For planning your trip, there are practical points to keep in mind: visiting hours, a walk of about half an hour, and bus and ferry connections. This makes it easy to fit culture, the townscape and activities into your stay.
Harbour views and walks in Stromness
Old stone houses line a sheltered harbour. A network of cobbled streets, lanes, piers and slipways completes the townscape. The combination of houses, streets and harbour facilities shapes the character of the town. The walk from the Pierhead to the Point of Ness at the southern end of the road takes about half an hour.
Warebeth Beach is near Stromness. From there, you can enjoy views of the Hoy Hills and spot birds and other wildlife, including oystercatchers, ringed plovers, eider ducks and seals. This offers a choice between the built-up harbour setting and wildlife watching on the beach.
Art and maritime history
The Pier Arts Centre houses a permanent collection and presents exhibitions and events throughout the year; the specific programme changes. Admission is free. The Centre is open year-round, Tuesday to Saturday, from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. Check the latest visitor information before your trip.
Stromness Museum was founded in 1837. Another historical point of interest is Login’s Well: for more than 200 years, the well supplied ships of the Hudson’s Bay Company with their last water supplies. Stromness itself was also a final port of call for ships belonging to the company. These are two distinct aspects of maritime journeys: taking on water and calling at Stromness.
Cycling route, diving and Ness Battery
For cyclists, the Burwick–Kirkwall–Stromness route is a useful reference point: it is part of the North Sea Cycle Route. On the water, a different kind of excursion takes centre stage. The M.V. Invincible takes divers from Stromness Harbour to the wrecks in Scapa Flow.
On a guided tour of Ness Battery, visitors enter a gun emplacement; the tour ends in the mess hall, with its painted mural. Check the latest tour times before your visit.
The calendar also offers a special highlight: Stromness Shopping Week is a week-long festival held every year in the third week of July. The exact dates may vary. While the Pier Arts Centre presents exhibitions and events throughout the year, Shopping Week takes place during this festival week. This can help you decide whether to plan your visit around the festival.
Buses, ferries and planning your time
Bus route X1 connects Stromness with Kirkwall and St Margaret’s Hope. As bus routes may change, check the latest timetable information before your trip. The ferry from Stromness takes 90 minutes and passes the distinctive Old Man of Hoy; check the latest ferry times before departure.
The time estimates serve different planning purposes: the walk from the Pierhead to the Point of Ness takes about half an hour, while the ferry journey is listed as taking 90 minutes. If you are considering Stromness as a place to stay overnight, you can plan your day around the cultural activities you want to enjoy, a tour or excursion, and the connections that suit you.
Discover more destinations: Burray Village, Orkney, Finstown, Hackness, Orphir, Westray, Kirkwall, Tingwall
Return to the main travel overview: Orkney Islands.
