brown concrete building near green grass field during daytime

Kirkwall

Kirkwall is the largest town in Orkney, with a medieval cathedral, two historic palace ruins, and the ferry and flight links to the other islands.

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Kirkwall is the main town of Orkney, a group of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland. Most visitors arrive here first, by ferry from Aberdeen or Scrabster or by plane from mainland Scotland, and the town is the base for reaching the other islands. Its center is St Magnus Cathedral, built of red sandstone from the 12th century, with narrow streets around it. Nearby are the ruins of the Bishop's Palace and the Earl's Palace, both tied to the islands' Norse and Scottish past.

Kirkwall suits a short stay of one or two days in town, or a longer trip if you also plan to see the Neolithic sites and the Scapa Flow wartime history on Mainland. Summer has the longest days. Winter crossings can be disrupted by rough weather, so build in spare time. Book your ferry or flight before your hotel, since your arrival point decides which island you reach first.

Kirkwall in five

Go inside St Magnus CathedralEntrance is free. April to September it opens Monday to Saturday 9 to 5 and Sunday 1 to 5; October to March it opens Monday to Saturday with a lunch break. Services and weddings can close it.
Book the Upper Levels tour aheadThe cathedral's tour of the upper levels costs £15.60, lasts about 1 hour 15 minutes, needs advance booking and is for ages 12 and over. From October to March it runs Thursday and Saturday at 11am and 2pm.
See the palaces before OctoberHistoric Environment Scotland lists Bishop's and Earl's Palaces as open daily 10am to 4.30pm from 1 April to 30 September, and closed from 1 October to 31 March. Adult tickets are £7.50 online.
Start with the free Orkney MuseumThe Orkney Museum in Tankerness House on Broad Street is free, with donations welcome, and holds an archaeology collection of about 100,000 artefacts. It is a good wet-weather first stop.
Choose your crossing before your hotelScrabster, Gills Bay, the Aberdeen ship and the flight each land you in a different part of Orkney. The Orkney ferry guide compares them, so read it before you pick the hotel.How to get to Orkney

Things to do in Kirkwall

See all attractions in Kirkwall

Church · KirkwallSt Magnus Cathedral

Sight · KirkwallScapa

Landmark · KirkwallBishop's Palace

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to KirkwallPut the places you like in Kirkwall on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Kirkwall (KOI)
Getting there: NorthLink from Aberdeen or Scrabster; Pentland Ferries from Gills Bay; flights
Getting around: Walk the center; car, bus or bike for the rest of Orkney
Best base: Kirkwall for transport; a harbor town for a quieter stay
Time needed: 1 night for the town; 3 to 5 days for Orkney

Weather by month

Rainy days

Best
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryRain18 rainy daysHigh7°Low5°Wind, short days
FebruaryRain16 rainy daysHigh7°Low5°Cold, windy
MarchRain17 rainy daysHigh7°Low5°Cool, windy
AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh8°Low6°Cool, bright
MayRain14 rainy daysHigh10°Low8°Long days
JuneRain14 rainy daysHigh12°Low10°Longest days
JulyRain18 rainy daysHigh14°Low12°Mild, busy
AugustRain17 rainy daysHigh14°Low12°Mild, busy
SeptemberRain17 rainy daysHigh13°Low12°Mild, calmer
OctoberRain19 rainy daysHigh12°Low10°Autumn light
NovemberRain19 rainy daysHigh10°Low8°Gales, dark
DecemberRain19 rainy daysHigh9°Low6°Short days

Average daily high and low in Kirkwall, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Kirkwall

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 9°
Humidity: 96%
Wind: 7 km/h
Chance of rain: 82%

Kirkwall

08:47 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+0

Today11°8°82%Monday: Drizzle. High 11°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 82%.
Tue11°6°4%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 11°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 4%.
Wed10°6°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 0%.
Thu10°7°4%Thursday: Drizzle. High 10°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 4%.
Fri10°6°10%Friday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 10%.
Sat8°7°14%Saturday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 14%.
Sun9°4°10%Sunday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 10%.

Updated 06:13 PM local time · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.7469 GBP

Amount

Converted to

GBP · British Pound

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

Day trips by train

Day trips from Kirkwall, the full guide

Stromnessshort drive across the MainlandThe other main harbor town, where the Scrabster ferry docks.
Skara Brae and the Neolithic sitesby car or tourSkara Brae is on Historic Environment Scotland's Explorer Pass list; check each site's season.Read the guide
Aberdeenovernight NorthLink on certain daysThe mainland port for the evening ship, with the castle loops a day or two before you board.Read the guide

Before you go to Kirkwall

Hire car for OrkneySites sit across the MainlandCompare cars

Orkney day toursNeolithic sites and the coastCompare day trips

eSIM for OrkneyFerry bookings and tide-free planningRead the guide

Insurance for Orkney ferriesCover for gale-delayed sailingsRead the guide

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Rules for Kirkwall, checked

St Magnus Cathedral: entrance free; April to September Mon to Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1300-1700; October to March Mon to Sat 0900-1300 and 1400-1700.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Bishop's and Earl's Palaces: adult £7.50 online; open daily 10am to 4.30pm from 1 April to 30 September; closed 1 October to 31 March.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source

Plan around Kirkwall

Aberdeen

Where the NorthLink Orkney ferry starts

Read the guide Northern Highlands & Islands

Scrabster, Gills Bay and the far north coast

Read the guide Inverness

The A9 drive to Scrabster starts here

Read the guide Orkney

Skara Brae, Maeshowe and the Ring of Brodgar

Read the guide Trains, buses and cars

Hire cars, rural rail links and ferries

Read the guide All of Scotland

Cities, islands and the UK ETA

Read the guide Orkney & Shetland

Link the two island groups by ship or flight

Read the guide

Kirkwall FAQ

How do you get to Kirkwall?

By air to Kirkwall airport, or by NorthLink ferry from Aberdeen to Hatston (outside Kirkwall) on certain days, or from Scrabster to Stromness. Pentland Ferries sails from Gills Bay to St Margaret's Hope.

Is St Magnus Cathedral free?

Yes. The cathedral says entrance is free, though upper-level tours cost £15.60 and must be booked ahead. A guidebook is on sale for a small charge, and proceeds help maintain the building.

Is Kirkwall worth a stop or just a port?

It is worth one night. The cathedral, the free Orkney Museum and the palaces fill a day, and the town is the easiest base for Orkney's buses, car hire and ferries.

Can you visit the Bishop's and Earl's Palaces in winter?

No. Historic Environment Scotland lists them as closed from 1 October to 31 March and open daily 10am to 4.30pm from April to September, so winter visits should focus on the cathedral and museum.

How many days do you need in Orkney?

Three to five days cover Kirkwall, Stromness and the main heritage sites by car. A weather delay can disrupt ferry sailings, so keep a spare day at each end of a mainland connection.