THERE’S nothing to do in Orkney is there? That was the reaction of a colleague on hearing that myself and my partner, Frances, were to spend a week’s holiday in the northern Scottish outpost.

I already knew he was mistaken. But, as we were to find out, his delusion was as spectacular as Orkney itself. The islands – there are 70 of them – are overflowing with breathtaking scenery, crammed full of ancient and mysterious sites and teeming with wildlife.

The first thing to say about Orkney is that it is beautiful. From towering coastal bluffs to idyllic sandy beaches and gently rolling countryside, the variety of landscape changes at a dizzying pace.

For drama, it is hard to beat the awe-inspiring cliffs at Yesnaby, on the west edge of Mainland, Orkney’s largest island. Yesnaby is a vision in red sandstone. The power and beauty of this rocky marvel is astonishing, with fresh wonders round every corner. These include a glorious sea stack named Yesnaby Castle, which remains improbably vertical, despite the battering from the boiling sea.

In contrast, the sweeping white sandy beaches lapped by the turquoise blue waters of Sanday, the largest of Orkney’s northern isles, are almost tropical in nature. Calm is too small a word for the atmosphere around these shores, perhaps the finest of which is at Whitemill Bay, on the northern tip of the island.

Darlington and Stockton Times:
The Standing Stones of Stenness

Orkney is renowned for its Neolithic heritage, which is unrivalled in Europe. Ancient monuments abound, with cairns, standing stones and stone-age dwellings in every direction.

Maeshowe, a 5,000-year-old cairn – probably used as a tomb – is a superb example of Neolithic architecture and ingenuity.

A surprising revelation is that the stone walls are covered in runic inscriptions, skilfully carved by Norsemen who sheltered there about 1,000 years ago.

Amusingly, the largest collection of such carvings in the world is largely composed of little more than ancient graffiti such as: “Ottarfila carved these runes” – although others hint tantalisingly of hidden treasure.

A relative youngster in comparison, the charming Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm was constructed by Italian prisoners of war who were engaged in building what became known as the Churchill Barriers during the Second World War, to block access to the important naval base in Scapa Flow. In need of spiritual nourishment, the prisoners were granted permission to convert two Nissen huts into a chapel with ornate interior decorations.

I’ve hardly space to mention the magnificent St Magnus Cathedral in the bustling capital Kirkwall, or our satisfying tour round Orkney’s spiritual centre, the Highland Park distillery.

Other treasures of the islands are too numerous to mention.

Nothing to do in Orkney? We barely scratched the surface.