Mainland Island

Mainland is the largest island in the Orkney archipelago, off the north coast of Scotland, and contains the archipelago’s main towns and many of its best-known archaeological sites. It combines extensive Neolithic monuments with Norse and later Scottish settlement.

Mainland hosts several major Neolithic sites that attract international interest, including the exceptionally preserved settlement of Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar henge, and the Stones of Stenness. The island also offers coastal scenery, a deep natural harbour at Scapa Flow noted for its maritime history and shipwrecks, and the towns of Kirkwall and Stromness, which provide transport links and visitor services.

People have occupied parts of Mainland since the Neolithic; the island’s concentration of stone circles, tombs and settlements dates from about 3200-2200 BCE. Norse settlers arrived in the early medieval period and Orkney remained under Norse control for centuries before becoming part of the Kingdom of Scotland in the 15th century.

Mainland lies within the Orkney Islands off northern Scotland, separated from the Scottish mainland by the Pentland Firth; the island’s main towns are Kirkwall in the east and Stromness on the west coast.

• Cultural significance: The island is the largest in the Orkney archipelago and forms the cultural and administrative heart of Orkney, with a mix of Neolithic sites, Norse heritage and active coastal communities.

What to See#

• Skara Brae: Skara Brae is a well-preserved Neolithic village on the island’s west coast, occupied around 3200-2200 BCE and notable for its stone-built houses and furnishings.
• Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness: The Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness are large Neolithic stone circles and henge monuments forming part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site.
• Scapa Flow: Scapa Flow is a large natural harbour on the island’s south side that has historic naval significance and numerous wartime wrecks offshore.
• Kirkwall and Stromness: Kirkwall and Stromness are the island’s principal towns: Kirkwall is the administrative centre and site of the cathedral, while Stromness is a historic port with ferry and shipping links to mainland Scotland.