| Orkney and, above it, Shetland: the most Northern, isolated parts of the British Isles. OutUK's intrepid gay explorer Adrian Gillan nears this brink: secret Shetland sex sect and Orkney orgy shocker, or extreme non-scene, great gay get-away - perfect for that queer detox or remote romantic retreat? | |
ORKNEYOn landing in Kirkwall, wonder through its narrow, craft-filled streets and absorb the ancient, intimately vaulted St Magnus Cathedral, containing the remains of local skull-crushed Viking earls! Check into gay-welcoming Albert Hotel and sink a jar at adjoining Bothy Bar - full of friendly young locals, happy to chat or receive your gaze.Just along the waterfront, have another drink at Graham Norton's favourite, the Ayre Hotel. The Ayre Hotel is one of Orkney’s finest hotels and their entrance is on Ayre Road with a car park on Burnmouth Road. The hotel has been serving customers for hundreds of years and today this family managed hotel welcomes business or pleasure customers from near and far. |
Kirkwall on mainland Orkney.
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Next day, head to the south and east of the mainland, down across the Churchill
Barriers - drivable causeways between a string of islands, built by Italian POWs during WW2
in a bid by Allies to stop German U-boats attacking the British fleet moored within
Scapa Flow. Spend a few highly moving minutes reflecting on their labours inside the utterly
unique Italian Chapel by the northern-most causeway - a gloriously decorated Catholic
chapel, built by the same POWs out of little more than a tin hut and a can of paint.
Wander alone (or hand in hand) through the amazing nature reserve at Deerness - a headland
surrounded by sea, where gay lovers will startle little more than huge flocks of birds or the odd prize bull!
Then head north again on Orkney Mainland and brace yourself for one of the true treats of your trip: a stay at Woodwick House in Evie where your gay-beckoning hosts - lovely young James and Thorfinn, his snow white cat - will lavish you with attention in front of cosy fires and over delightful home-grown suppers. This warm, welcoming and comfortable historic country house overlooks the island of Gairsay and boasts its own private beach at the bottom of the garden. An extraordinary, peaceful location set in unique and beautiful surroundings, and only twenty minutes from either Kirkwall or Stromness! Gay weddings possible in the garden's dovecot chapel! THE MISTS OF TIMEWoodwick House is also within easy reach of Orkney's World Heritage Status Neolithic sites - tombs, stone henges, complete villages - some dating back to 3500 BC. | |
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If Shetland's
main treasures are natural, often linked to the sea, then Orkney's are definitely land-based
and all-too-human, stretching back into the dim shadows of time. The haunting stone henge rings at Stenness ("Temple of the Moon", 3500 BC) and nearby Brodgar ("Temple of the Sun", 3000 BC) will simultaneously set your pulse apace and soul at peace. Their neighbour, Maeshowe (9m W of Kirkwall on the A965), is the finest chambered tomb in north-west Europe and, yet again, more than 5000 years old - complete with boastful, raucous graffiti left by Viking thieves a mere 1000 years ago! |
 Two of the orginal neolithic stones at Stenness. |
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And anyone with even an ounce of humanity will be utterly blown away by Skara Brae
(19m NW of Kirkwall on the B9056): the best-preserved group of Stone Age houses
in Western Europe, dating to 3100 BC - that's 600 years before even the Pyramids in
Egypt. The houses contain stone furniture, hearths and drains and give a remarkable
picture of life for our brothers and sisters back in Neolithic times.
Before you jet back to civilisation and your 21st Century bustle, spend a night in at Orkney's second biggest town (population 2,000), Stromness - thrust into the limelight recently when local lad Cameron won Big Brother IV. The sizable and comfortable Stromness Hotel will happily accommodate all gay requirements. It has a fine dining room overlooking the harbour. Unfortunately the Stromness Hotel has been temporarily closed. Their website should have further details when available. Nearby venues include Julia's, a popular takeaway shed which offers freshly ground coffee, home bakes, rolls and Orkney ice cream or the lively Ferry Inn. It's situated on the harbourfront and provides a safe and comfortable base for business or leisure stays, great food and a relaxed welcoming bar. LGBT ORKNEYOrkney Island Council prides itself on being an inclusive organisation. They say they are committed to ensuring that anyone who identifies as LGBT is treated fairly and has the same opportunities as anyone else. Their website has a number of useful links to local organisations offering services and support.Orkney Pride promotes diversity and equality throughout the Orkney Isles. They organise the annual Pride Event and run a regularly updated facebook site. They hold their main Pride Funday and Pride March during the month of June and work closely with the local council, organising other events throughout the year. GETTING THEREBritish Airways fly from Aberdeen in cute little twin-propeller aeroplanes taking 50 minutes to Kirkwall (for Orkney) and 70 minutes to Sumburgh Airport (for Shetland). You used to be able to fly between the main islands that comprise Orkney and Shetland, in what was BA's and the world's shortest scheduled flight - under two minutes, but that opportunity no longer exists. You have to go back to mainland Scotland and then change, which takes hours!NorthLink Ferries operate regular services connecting Lerwick, Kirkwall and Aberdeen. Star Rent-a-Car Limited (22 Commercial Rd, Lerwick and Sumburgh Airport; T: 01595 692075) are the main hire car firm on Shetland while WR Tullock (Castle Street, Kirkwall and Kirkwall Airport; T: 01856 876262) are the main hire car firm on Orkney, founded by a man who personally knew Henry Ford and Marconi!
You can find more useful information at VisitScotland.com,
VisitShetland.com and
VisitOrkney.com. You can
also get a great-value pass for getting into most of the historical sites you are
likely to come across at Association of
Scottish Visitor Attractions.
Photography by Paul Tomkins courtesy VisitScotland and Scottish Viewpoint
Revised November 2024.
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