A VISIT to Orkney will quickly have you engrossed in a land of mystery, history, spectacular scenery - and excellent hospitality.
Our base for the weekend was the delightful three-star Kirkwall Hotel which overlooks the harbour and is only a couple of minutes walk from the town centre with its selection of local shops and magnificent St Magnus Cathedral.
The family-run hotel was built in 1890 and still contains many traditional features despite undergoing a major phased renovation over the past decade. It now offers 36 en-suite rooms, a large and very popular restaurant as well as a busy public bar.
The hotel's superior and superior-plus rooms all overlook Kirkwall Harbour. We stayed in a superior plus room which had a window alcove area with armchairs and table and it was relaxing to sit with a drink and watch fishing boats, leisure crafts and ferries come and go.
The room was spacious and bright with a comfortable double bed and plenty of storage space along with a writing desk and free wireless internet access. A large wall-mounted flat-screen TV faced the bed and a nice touch was daily replenished tea and coffee and snacks. Bathrobes were provided for lounging around the room.
Some might be a little wary of a centrally located hotel on a busy road with a taxi rank directly opposite. But the Kirkwall Hotel's double-glazing is impressive and dulled the street noise effectively - even on a lively weekend for revellers after a major rugby tournament.
The ensuite bathroom was also cosy with a very large shower cubicle. Initially, we encountered a problem with excessively loud plumbing but this was quickly sorted after we reported it.
Run under the personal supervision of owner Debbie Low, her staff are friendly, helpful and efficient and any minor issues were quickly resolved.
Another jewel in the crown of the hotel is its very popular restaurant which locals we spoke to confirmed it had an excellent reputation.
Three courses start from £13 - but beware, the portions are substantial and pudding might be a challenge if you've had a starter, especially the filling and tasty home-made soup. Room should always be left at least for a little of the famous, creamy Orkney ice cream.
The size of the dishes certainly doesn't diminish the quality with the chefs using local Orkney produce where possible.
My rib-eye steak was cooked to perfection and the home-made steak pie was delicious comfort food. But pride of place must go to the seared scallops dish accompanied by creamy mash potato and white wine cream sauce which was magnificent.
The ample portions continue at breakfast which can also be a challenge to finish. There's a wide choice of items to make up the traditional cooked starter for the day, but my tip is to go for the locally-sourced smoked haddock which was, to say the least, substantial but delicately flavoured. It is a good alternative to the equally large and tasty kipper, but without having to fight with the bones.
Kirkwall Hotel - the facts
The 3-star Kirkwall Hotel, Harbour Street, Kirkwall, has 36 ensuite bedrooms and is situated opposite the harbour and a short walk from the town centre.
A Superior-plus room costs £100-£135 per night per room (including breakfast). Superior rooms, also with harbour views, are available for £90-£115 (with breakfast). Standard double/twin rooms are £80-£105 (with breakfast).
An extensive dinner menu has prices for three courses from £13.
For more information tel 01856 872 232 or log onto www.kirkwallhotel.com
Ferry ride is a visual feast
RATHER than a chore, the journey to Orkney by ferry can be a fine start to a holiday break with great views of the scenery and wildlife.
We made the crossing with Pentland Ferries aboard the company's comfortable, modern catamaran Pentalina. The crossing takes an hour - just enough time to whet your appetite for what lies ahead when you disembark.
The Pentalina's route runs between the Gill's Bay terminal near John O'Groats - a two-and-a-half hour drive from Inverness - to St Margaret's Hope on South Ronaldsay. From there it is about a 20-minute scenic drive to Kirkwall across the famous Churchill Barriers causeways.
From Gill's Bay, the islands of Stroma and Swona are passed in the distance where both common seals and grey seals can be seen basking on the shores.
Passing Swona, on a clear day passengers will see the island of Hoy, famous for the rock stack the Old Man of Hoy and also the Martello Tower. Further along is the island of Flotta and the flaming chimney of the oil terminal.
Heading along the coastline of South Ronaldsay the Pentalina passes the abandoned gun towers and lookout posts at Hoxa Head, a reminder of the importance of the Orkney Islands during the Second World War.
Throughout the voyage colonies of different seabirds can be seen and if you are very lucky at different times of year porpoises, orca, dolphins and minke whales may be spotted.
The Petalina is a clean, efficient, no-frills vessel which gives a fast crossing in comfort - with the bonus that it is cheaper than its rival Northlink.
There is a comfortable lounge with picture windows and also a separate cafeteria lounge with tables for those who want to eat aboard. The galley serves a variety of hot and cold snacks and drinks.
Pentland Ferries offer up to four return crossings per day and if the weather's good the sundeck is definitely the place to take in the splendours of the journey.
Pentland Ferries - the facts
Up to four departures per day from Gill's Bay in Caithness - two-and-a-half hours drive from Inverness.
MV Pentalina catamaran came into service in 2009 with a journey time to approximately one hour to South Ronaldsay - the fastest car and passenger ferry to Orkney.
MV Pentalina can accommodate nine articulated lorries, more than 30 cars and 250 passengers. Travellers should be at terminal 30 minutes before departure.
A return journey for a car with two adults costs £112.
For more information contact www.pentlandferries.co.uk or tel 01856 831 226 (9am-6.30pm every day of the week) or Booking Line 0800 688 8998.
Discover ancient sites as you travel the island
THE Kirkwall Hotel is an excellent base for exploring the historic town - the superb cathedral in the centre is a must - or heading off into the flat rolling countryside or to the rugged cliffs of the coast via quiet roads.
The weather was magnificent on our weekend break so we decided to mix our days visiting some of the many ancient historical sites dotted around the "mainland" as well as hiking along the cliffs with their clearly marked trails.
Historic Scotland has the custodianship of a number of fascinating sites on the Orkney Isles with Skara Brae on the west coast of the mainland one of the most famous and of worldwide importance.
The Stone Age village has been preserved and is accessible to visitors via a fascinating visitor centre which houses numerous artefacts and gives an insight into the lives of the Neolithic people who inhabited the settlement.
Another well-preserved ancient monument is Maeshowe, one of the finest chambered tombs in Europe which can be entered during the entertaining and informative hourly guided tours from the visitor centre. The chamber contains Viking graffiti and carvings.
Near by are the eerie stone circles of the Ring of Brodgar and Standing Stones of Stenness. Another impressive dwelling is the Broch of Gurness which is an outstanding example of an Iron Age settlement.
But while Orkney is rich in ancient history, there are constant reminders around the islands of its strategic importance during the first and second world wars from shipwrecks, now abandoned military fortifications, the Churchhill Barriers causeways and the beautiful Italian Chapel built by prisoners of war.
In contrast to the past, a trip to any part of the coast will be rewarded with stunning scenery - particularly on the west at Yesnaby with its famous stack and also the rugged area around Birsay with its colony of seals. On the east coast, the reserve and cliff walk at Deerness is well worth a visit with its Gloop sea cave and trail to the Covenanters shipwreck monument.
Over the weekend we caught just a glimpse of what's on offer in Orkney and will certainly be back to stay longer for an exploration of the other islands.
