As you can see from the red circle on the aerial view above, Kingston Self Catering is located
close to the
centre of Kirkwall. Kirkwall is the administrative capital of Orkney - a busy (by Orkney standards - where the pace of life is pretty slow) and historical town.
Dominating the town's skyline is the Viking Cathedral dedicated to St Magnus. This red sandstone building is quite beautiful. To the north is the harbour - a bustling port, where many of Orkney's inter-island ferries dock. We thoroughly recommend a day trip to another island to experience an entirely different side of Orkney.
To the west is an archaeologists dream - a short (15 miles) car drive or bus trip away is the Ring of Brodgar, a stone circle, Skara Brae, a neolithic village, Maes Howe, a burial chamber scrawled with Viking graffiti. To the east and south of Kirkwall the fascinating history of Orkney at wartime can be seen - the Churchill Barriers -
the barricade against enemy submarines that joined islands together - the
Italian Chapel - where Prisoners of War
constructed their own chapel made out of nissan huts, spare concrete and bully beef tins. These are all a short distance (less than 10 miles) away too. All around there are great walks to be had, stunning views to be seen and beautiful photographs to be taken.
Kirkwall itself is full of plenty of things to do. There are many superb restaurants dotted around Kingston Self Catering, serving meals made from beautiful Orkney produce. There are fantastic craft shops, nearby supermarkets, fantastic butcher shops and beautiful bakeries. There are takeaway establishments and sports centres,
cinemas and pubs, a
marina and a bowling green, and one of the best nightclubs in Scotland. With regard events,
there are the yearly festivals - the St Magnus Festival, a midsummer celebration
of the arts where most performances are almost at Kingston's doorstep, the
Orkney Folk Festival and in winter, the Ba' - a spectacular game of street rugby that
passes by Kingston Self Catering's door. Every weekend in the summer, traditional
music can be found in the local pubs.
We are certain that you will find plenty to do within a close range of
Kingston Self Catering, however, pulling yourself away from such comfort
may be quite difficult indeed!
