The Churchill Barriers are a series of four causeways in the Orkney Islands with a total length of 1.5 miles (2.3 km). They link the Orkney Mainland in the north to the island of South Ronaldsay via Burray and the two smaller islands of Lamb Holm and Glimps Holm.
The barriers were built in the 1940s primarily as naval defences to protect the anchorage at Scapa Flow but now serve as road links between Kirkwall to Burwick.
Our weather forecast for Mainland in Orkney Islands
Today (Monday, Jan 25)
Expect a temperature in the range 4℃ to 4.4℃ with a wind speed 4.6 m/sec (NNE)
Tuesday, Jan 26
Expect a temperature in the range 2.7℃ to 3.5℃ with a wind speed 4.6 m/sec (NNW)
Wednesday, Jan 27
Expect a temperature in the range 2.5℃ to 3.5℃ with a wind speed 3 m/sec (N)
Thursday, Jan 28
Expect a temperature in the range 2.7℃ to 4.1℃ with a wind speed 2.5 m/sec (NNW)
Friday, Jan 29
Expect a temperature in the range 3.5℃ to 4.2℃ with a wind speed 5 m/sec (NE)
Saturday, Jan 30
Expect a temperature in the range 4℃ to 4.7℃ with a wind speed 8.6 m/sec (NNE)
Sunday, Jan 31
Expect a temperature in the range 3.4℃ to 4.6℃ with a wind speed 4 m/sec (NNW)
Weather forecast from Yr, delivered by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and NRK
We only list tides for our beach listings.
In this 'you may also like' section we attempt to answer what else can I do? Here you have a list by order of being the closest some more beaches, things to see and do, places to eat and upcoming events.
The Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic henge and stone circle and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Heart of Neolithic Orkney. The site is generally thought to have been erected between 2500 BC and 2000 BC. Most henges do not contain stone circles; Brodgar is a striking exception. The ring of stones stands on
Read more…The Sands of Evie is a sandy beach within Aikerness Bay, protected by the Point of Hellia headland. The beach is a sheltered, shallow shelving sandy beach, which is large at low tide. When the tide comes in provides excellent shallow water to play in. The beach overlooks the small island of Eynhallow and Rousay across Eynhallow Sound. Small car
Read more…St Magnus Cathedral is situated in the town of Kirkwall, the main town of the Orkney Islands. This magnificent cathedral, a fine example of Romanesque architecture, dominates the skyline of the town. Founded in 1137 by the Viking, Earl Rognvald, the cathedral was added to over the following 300 years and even has its own dungeon! It is known for
Read more…Waulkmill Bay is a remote beach within a tidal bay and Scottish Natural Heritage Site of Special Scientific Interest. The beach is located on the northern side of Scapa Flow. To the east of Waulkmill Bay is the RSPB Kirbister Preserve.
Read more…Skara Brae is a large Neolithic settlement, located on the Bay of Skaill. The settlement consists of ten clustered houses, dated from the late Neolithic and inhabited for around 600 years, between 3200BC and 2200BC. The settlement is one of Europe’s most complete Neolithic village and has been called the “Scottish Pompeii” because of its excellent preservation. Because of this
Read more…Marwick Head is a Nature Reserve run by the RSPB located 4 miles north of Skara Brae on the western side of the Orkney mainland. Facing the Atlantic Ocean, the Marwick Head sandstone cliffs are home to thousands of nesting seabirds including kittiwakes, puffins, guillemots, razorbills and fulmars. In Marwick Bay, you can also see many wading birds and ducks,
Read more…The Lady Kirk is one of two ruined churches on Westray, built in 1674, on the foundations of a 13th-century church. The church is mostly complete with the exception of the roof. The nave is rectangular, with a largely complete gable at its west end, topped off by a bellcote. A line of holes in the gable suggest there was
Read more…Dingieshowe Beach is a south facing sandy beach backed by sand dunes. The beach is located in the south eastern corner of mainland Orkney and is also known as Taracliff bay. You also have on the other side of the road Sandi Sand beach that looks out into the shallow bay of St Peter’s Pool.
Read more…The Brough of Birsay is a small 21-hectare uninhabited tidal island off the north-west coast of The Mainland of Orkney. The Island has Celtic and Norse remains and is well known for the breeding colony of Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) and Guillemot (Uria aalge) The island is accessible on foot at low tide via a 240 metre long causeway over the
Read more…The Broch of Gurness is an Iron Age broch village overlooking Eynhallow Sound. All that remains of the village is the 3.6 metres (11.8 ft) high central tower and the thick stone walls. The broch has the remains of a settlement surrounding and adjoining it.
Read more…Mine Howe is a prehistoric subterranean man-made chamber dug 20 feet deep inside a large mound. It is not sure when it was built, some believe it to have been built roughly 2000 years ago during the Iron Age. Some researchers think that it could be as old as 5000 years, which would place it in the Neolithic period. There
Read more…Warebeth beach is located on the western side of mainland Orkney with the beach being named after the large amount of seaweed or “ware” that can be found washed up, which during the 18th and 19th centuries harvesting this seaweed was big business for the locals. Warebeth beach is a large curving sandy beach with stone slabs and the beach
Read more…
