South Ronaldsay

South Ronaldsay is an island within the Orkney archipelago, off the northeast coast of Scotland, notable for its archaeological sites and wartime causeways. It forms the southern part of the Orkney group and is linked to neighbouring islands and the Orkney Mainland by the Churchill Barriers.

Key attractions include prehistoric burial sites and coastal archaeology, most famously the Tomb of the Eagles, along with wartime heritage associated with the construction of the barriers. The nearby Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm, created by Italian prisoner-of-war labourers during World War II, is frequently visited as part of the barriers route.

The Churchill Barriers were built during the Second World War and remain in use as road links between islands. The island’s landscape mixes farmland, rocky coastline and sandy bays with scattered settlements and local services.

South Ronaldsay sits in the southern Orkney group, southeast of Kirkwall, and is reached by road via the causeways that form the Churchill Barriers from the Orkney Mainland.

• Access: The island is part of the Orkney archipelago and is connected to the Mainland of Orkney by the Churchill Barriers, making it accessible by road rather than ferry.
• Heritage highlights: Important archaeological sites from the Neolithic and Bronze Age are concentrated around the island's coastline and are the main draw for heritage visitors.

What to See #

• Tomb of the Eagles: A Neolithic chambered tomb on the island's east coast containing human remains and artefacts dating to around 3000-2000 BC, now presented to visitors in an on-site visitor centre.
• Churchill Barriers: A series of WWII-era causeways known as the Churchill Barriers link the island to neighbouring islands and the Orkney Mainland; these were constructed during the 1940s.
• Italian Chapel (nearby): The well-known Italian Chapel is located on nearby Lamb Holm, built by Italian prisoner-of-war labourers during World War II and now a listed visitor site accessible via the barriers.