Tingwall

For a trip to Tingwall, ferry trips, the St Magnus Way and individual island excursions offer different starting points. When choosing your accommodation, you can first decide which of these types of travel you want to focus on: a bus and ferry connection, a longer pilgrimage route or an excursion involving walks. The specific references to places and landscapes can help you distinguish between these priorities and plan your trip around the routes you actually want to take.

Ferry Connections and Terminal

Bus Service 6 connects Tingwall Ferry Terminal with Evie. If you plan to use this connection, check the current timetable before travelling. Midhowe Broch can also be reached from Tingwall Terminal with Orkney Ferries; operating details may change, so you should check them before your trip. There is a toilet at Tingwall Ferry Terminal; facilities may change seasonally.

Scenery on the Ferry Trips

On the ferry trip from Tingwall, you can see the distinctive, humped silhouette of Gairsay. The crossing traverses Eynhallow Sound and offers views towards the Atlantic Ocean. The ferry trip to Wyre offers a different landscape: the route passes through Wyre Sound, between the high hills of Rousay and low-lying Wyre. Thus, on one trip, Gairsay’s distinctive profile and the view towards the Atlantic shape the scenery; on the other, the contrasting elevations of Rousay and Wyre form the characteristic backdrop. If you are also choosing your trip for its scenery, you can consider these two ferry descriptions as different perspectives on the islands.

Pilgrimage Route and Island Excursion

The St Magnus Way is a 58-mile pilgrimage route through Mainland Orkney. On Egilsay, it begins with a trip to three important historic sites associated with the martyrdom of Magnus around 1117; the ferry then takes pilgrims back to Tingwall. These three details answer different planning questions: 58 miles indicates the length of the route, the sites on Egilsay provide the historical connection, and the ferry journey explains how to return to Tingwall.

The Eynhallow excursion is different from the St Magnus Way: it involves walks across rough terrain. There are no facilities at all on Eynhallow. If you want to join a future trip, confirm the arrangements beforehand. For this excursion, the terrain and preparation for taking part are the main considerations.

The Harbour as a Separate Travel Experience

In Tingwall, you can walk along an active fishing harbour. This offers a different focus from the ferry trips and island excursions: the emphasis is on walking by the harbour, not on a crossing or a route over rough terrain. The harbour can be a separate item on your itinerary if you want to explore this part of Tingwall. If you are looking for a hotel in Tingwall, base your further choices on what you have chosen to visit the area for.

Discover more destinations: Burray Village, Hackness, Kirkwall, Stromness, Westray, Orkney, Orphir, Finstown

Return to the main travel overview: Orkney Islands.