Day 6 – June 25, 2024 – Kirkwall (Orkney Islands), Scotland
This morning was our mandatory immigration inspection and I have to say it was very well done. You lined up based on the time of your tour, you were handed your passport, the immigration guy looked at your passport and then you, and then you handed the Regent agent your passport back. Bing, bang, done. It took longer for us to wait for the tender to get us then the whole process.
It was about a 10-minute tender ride to the pier in Kirkwall. We disembarked and met our tour guide, Nora, who gave us the Kirkwall on Foot tour. It included about 2 hours of walking historic streets and a guided tour of St. Mangus Catherdral as well as the Earl’s and Bishop’s palaces. We ended with a visit to the Tankerness Gardens then we were on our own from there.
Once the tour was done, we asked Nora, since she is a local, the best place to grab a bite and she gave us a recommendation of a little place that is off the beaten path, Archive Coffee. We split a steak sandwich with chips (fries) and a bowl of their Thai Sweet Potato soup. That soup was amazing, and I plan to look up a recipe for it when we get back home. Nora also suggested we get some Orkney ice cream and recommended the lemon curd. They use fresh milk from the local cows on the islands and have created 17 flavors. The lemon curd was on point as it was tangy and not too sweet. We wandered on the main street and then made a stop at the Orkney Brewery and had their Dark Island Dark Ale, which was good. I wanted to try the Dragonhead Stout, but they did not have that on tap. We headed back to the pier to catch the next tender back to the ship.
Once back on, we cleaned up and met the parents for happy hour and then dinner. We went to one of the lounges after dinner and just sat and listening to music and then called it a night. Tomorrow, we will be in Stornoway (Hebrides), Scotland. We have not excursions planned so we will catch a ride into town and do exploring on our own. Nite all 😊
ABOUT KIRKWALL (ORKNEY ISLANDS), SCOTLAND – taken from the daily newsletter
Kirkwall is the largest town and administrative center of the Orkney Islands, an archipelago off the northern coast of Scotland. It is a historic and vibrant town with a rich cultural heritage rooted in its Norse past.
The name Kirkwall derives from the Old Norse “Kirkjuvagr”, meaning “church bay”. The town was first mentioned in the Orkneyinga Saga in 1046 as the residence of Earl Rognvald Brusason. In 1486, King James III of Scotland elevated Kirkwall to the status of a royal burgh.
Kirkwall’s origins can be traced back to around 1000 years ago when it was founded as a Norse town. The magnificent St. Mangus Cathedral, a striking red sandstone structure built in the 12th century, stands as a testament to the town’s Viking roots. Nearby are the ruins of the Earl’s Palace and Bishop’s Palace, further remnants of Orkney’s Norse past.
The Orkney Museum, housed in the well-preserved 16th century Tankerness House, offers a fascinating glimpse into the islands’ history with its internationally important prehistoric, Pictish, and Viking collections.
Kirkwall serves as a transportation hub for the Orkney Islands, with daily ferries to the northern isles and NorthLink Ferries connecting to Aberdeen. The town is also home to Kirkwall Airport, providing air links to the Scottish mainland.
