Information
Dates: April - September (now
closed for the season)
Tel: 0845 293 73 73
Prices:
Adult: £10.80
Junior: £9.45
Under 3’s: £3.40
Family: £28.30
Exclusive use 2-4 persons: £30.65
Local Attractions
The Old Man of Hoy
Arguable Orkneys most
famous landmark, a 137m high sandstone sea stack. The first
successful ascent was televised in 1966 and featured Sir Chris
Bonington, along with Tom Patey and Rusty Baillie
St John’s Head
Dramatic sea cliffs, which
at 384m are amongst the highest vertical cliffs in the UK
The Dwarfie Stane
The only Neolithic
rock-cut tomb in Britain
Rackwick
A former crofting township. Set
amongst towering sea cliffs and steep heathery hills and boasting a
fine sandy beach. Many pleasant walks start from Rackwick,
including the main path to the Old Man of Hoy
Berridale
Tucked away in the Rackwick
Valley is one of the best remaining examples, and the most
northerly, of woodland in Great Britain
Rackwick Folk Museum
A short walk from
Rackwick Hostel. Converted from a school founded in 1718
Crows Nest Museum
A short walk from
Rackwick Hostel, the oldest house in Rackwick showing rural life in
a bygone age
Betty Corrigall’s Grave
One of Britain’s
loneliest graves. Betty, a young girl from Lyness, fell pregnant by
a visiting sailor last century. She took her own life and was
buried away from hallowed ground on the boundary of the parishes of
Hoy and Walls
Scad Head and Lyrawa viewpoint
The site of
a wartime anti aircraft battery. From both of these viewpoints you
experience the wonderful panorama of Scapa Flow, Orkney mainland
and the North Orkney islands, beyond
Lyness
An important naval base during both
World Wars. One of the temporary buildings constructed in the
Second World War still remain and these have been converted into a
museum and interpretative centre. Nearby is the Naval Cemetery, the
final resting place of many heros of the Battle of Jutland (1916)
as well as victims of the several attacks and disasters in Scapa
Flow during both World Wars indlucding HMS Vanguard, HMS Hampshire
and HMS Royal Oak
Wee Fea viewpoint
An important strategic
communications centre during World War 2. Several of the original
buildings remain. From this point there are more panoramic views of
Scapa Flow and distant views of the north coast of Scotland and the
mountains of the Western Islands
The Martello Towers at Hackness and
Crockness
Both ten metres high, built between 1813
and 1815 out of stone from Bring Head at the north of the island.
The Battery at Hackness provided a further eight 24-pounder guns
together with barracks and stores. Hackness Tower is owned by
Historic Scotland and is open to the public at certain times
Visit Website
Melsetter House
Constructed in 1898 by the
architect WR Lethaby and part of the Arts and Crafts movement. A
private house with visits by appointment on Thurs, Sat and
Sun
Tel: 01856 791352
Longhope Lifeboat Station
Established in
1874. Alongside the pier you will find the lifeboat “The Helen
Comrie” a Tamar class lifeboat. During the summer months a shop run
by the Longhope Lifeboat Guild is open on Sundays 11am-3pm
Visit Website
The Longhope Lifeboat Museum
This Lifeboat
Station and Slipway was built in 1906. The shed now houses the old
Longhope Lifeboat ‘Thomas McCunn’ and is being run as a museum by
the Longhope Lifeboat Museum Trust. It can be visited by prior
arrangement
Tel: 01856 701332
Visit
Website
Longhope Lifeboat memorial
The Kirkhope
burial ground is dominated by the bronze figure of a lifeboat man.
Erected in honour of the eight-man crew of the T.G.B, which was
lost with all hands on 17 March 1969, en route to a rescue
Hill of White Hamars
A Scottish Wildlife
Trust reserve which comprises spectacular coastal walks,
overlooking the Pentland Firth. The reserve is one of the few
places where you will find the rare Scottish Primrose
Visit
Website
Eating and Drinking
Benethill Café
Open daily throughout the
summer season, licensed and specialising in local food with evening
meals on Fridays
Approx 4 miles from Hostel
Tel: 01856 791119 or 01856 851116
Hoy Hotel
Lunch time and evening meals
available
Lyness, approx 14 miles from Hostel
Tel: 01856 791377
Scapa Flow Visitors Centre Cafe
Open
daily throughout the summer season
Lyness, approx 14 miles from Hostel
Tel: 01856 791300
Royal Hotel
Bar snacks and evening meals
on request
Longhope, approx 24 miles from Hostel
Tel: 01856 701276
Stromabank Hotel
Evening meals on
request
Longhope, approx 24 miles from Hostel
Tel: 01856 701494
Active & Adventure
Climbing
Much of the west coast of Hoy are
sheer, towering cliffs of great beauty. Rising to a sheer drop of
351m St John head is amongst the highest vertical sea cliffs in the
UK. Close to St John Head is the famous landmark of Orkney, The Old
Man of Hoy.
For details of other climbing opportunities: Link
Cycling
A great way to see more of the
island. The roads are quiet and in spring/summer the road verges
are bursting with wild flowers, including Northern marsh orchid,
Birds foot trefoil, Eyebright, Angelica and Devil's-bits
scabious
Sea Kayaking
Popular in the sheltered
shorelines around Scapa Flow or within the many deep bays and
inlets, which have access to the shore
Visit Website