Visit Orkney if you can. Our neighbours across the firth are lovely with a distinctive accent quite different from our own. We share a very long colourful history as trading partners and friends.
If you only have time for a short visit then the organised day trips are best.
If you want to take your car, to get the most out of a day trip I would take the Gills Bay/St Margaret’s Hope ferry over to Orkney, follow the route Kirkwall, Maes Howe, Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae, Stromness and take the Stromness/Scrabster ferry back.
This maximises your time on Orkney allowing you to see more of each site and more than you would see if you only took one ferry.
For timetables and further information.
Scrabster to Stromness – For cars and foot passengers. The Hamnavoe is the biggest ferry. It is the easiest to get to by public transport.
Good for views of the “Old Man of Hoy”.
Gills Bay to St. Margaret’s Hope – For cars and foot passengers. This is the quickest route.
About 20-30mins drive from Thurso.
John O’Groats to Burwick – Foot passengers only. Provide bus tours of Orkney