Reaching Orkney couldn’t be easier: with flight connections from four airports and ferry connections at three seaports, you are spoilt for choice!
BY FERRY
(with or without a car)
You have a choice of three ferry services:
. Gill’s Bay to St Margaret’s Hope
. Scrabster to Stromness
. John O’Groats to Burwick
(summer only/passenger only – no cars)
N.B.: please book the ferry for your journey in advance to avoid delay and disappointment.
BY PLANE
The nearest airport is Kirkwall.
Loganair operates flights from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports, all of which have excellent UK and international connections.
BY RAIL
Travelling by train is also possible: travel to Inverness station where there is a train service to Thurso (for the Scrabster and Gill’s Bay car ferries) and Wick (for the John O’Groats passenger ferry).
THE LAST LEG
However you arrive on the Orkney mainland you will need to reach Houton Ferry Terminal for the local ferry which takes about 35 mins to reach Lyness on the island of Hoy:
* From St Margaret’s Hope
. Drive to Houton Pier: A961 & A964 (25 miles)
. Take Bus 10 to Kirkwall Travel Centre
Take Bus 2 to Houton Ferry Terminal
* From Burwick
. Take Bus 10A to Kirkwall Travel Centre
Take Bus 2 to Houton Ferry Terminal
* From Stromness
. Drive to Houton Pier: A965 & A964 (8.5 miles)
. Take Bus X1 to Kirkwall Travel Centre
Then take Bus 2 to Houton Ferry Terminal
OR, if you are not travelling by car
. Take the passenger-only ferry to Moaness
Taxi to lighthouse: B9049 & B9047 (19 miles)
* From Kirkwall airport
. Drive to Houton Pier: A960 & A964 (13 miles)
. Take Bus X4 to Kirkwall Travel Centre
Take Bus 2 to Houton Ferry Terminal
On arrival at Lyness, drive from the pier to the main road where you should turn left at the T-junction to follow the A9047 road towards Longhope. Stay on that road.
After the viaduct, you have two options:
1. To go directly to the lighthouse:
Bear off the main road (which curves to the left) and go straight ahead on the road running directly up the hill ahead of you.
2 To go first to Hoy’s only shop:
Stay on the main road as it curves to the left. You will see the Royal Hotel on your right after a mile or so and the shop is located down the next road on the left (by the pier)… in order to reach the lighthouse, you would then carry on along that main road.
Both roads lead to the Osmundwall Cemetery (on your left). Go down the road which slopes past the cemetery and the lighthouse is just round the bay… in fact, you should be able to see it!
How long to Cantick Head from Lyness?
Driving: 15-20 mins (about 6 miles)
Well done, you’ve made it!
