Great Orkney Tours

27/08/2024

Lots of colours in the sky today in Orkney.

19/07/2024

Finally our weather has warmed up and we are getting brighter weather the last few days. I hope it stays nice now for the rest of the summer.

16/07/2024

Sadly none of the whales could be saved, they had to euthanise the last 12 to save them suffering. It's so sad when these things happen and no one really knows why.

11/07/2024

This is very sad to see, I hope they can save some of the whales.

UPDATE: Sadly the remaining 12 pilot whales have been euthanased. Please click the link below to find out more.

🚨🚨🚨 MASS STRANDING ONGOING

BDMLR medics in Sanday, Orkney are currently dealing with a mass stranding of 77 pilot whales and are working hard to manage this incredibly difficult situation.

Please click the link here: https://bdmlr.org.uk/pilot-whale-mass-stranding-orkney to find out more - further updates will be added as the incident progresses.

11/07/2024

UPDATE: Sadly the remaining 12 pilot whales have been euthanased. Please click the link below to find out more.

🚨🚨🚨 MASS STRANDING ONGOING

BDMLR medics in Sanday, Orkney are currently dealing with a mass stranding of 77 pilot whales and are working hard to manage this incredibly difficult situation.

Please click the link here: https://bdmlr.org.uk/pilot-whale-mass-stranding-orkney to find out more - further updates will be added as the incident progresses.

26/04/2024

This is an amazing story. Best wishes to the family.

A fundraiser inspired by the plight of an Orkney newborn, who was flown to Glasgow for lifesaving surgery, has raised over £22,0000. In February, Deerness couple Kevin Foulis and Jacqui Smith found themselves hundreds of miles from home when their baby boy Ronnie was diagnosed with a heart conditio...

07/04/2024

I'm working in my craft room today, when I looked out of the window two otters walked across the road into the field and made their way down the field. I was amazed, I thought otters had been in my pond but wasn't sure, now I am. What an amazing site, beautiful animals.

04/04/2024

Last week I spent 4 days with two lovely guys on tour. I was so lucky they booked with me, we had lots of fun and saw lots of sites. That's what guiding is all about. I can't believe I am so lucky to have such a great job and meet so many really nice people.

19/03/2024

Halichoerus grypus, Phoca vitulina, Phocoena phocoena, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, Grampus griseus, Orcinus orca, Lagenorhynchus acutus

19/03/2024

The first cruise ship to visit Orkney this season was in yesterday. Really marks the start of the tourist season. It was a fabulous sunny day which I spent in my garden and greenhouse.

25/02/2024

Congratulations to Nick on his award

News from Nick Card. Double success for the Ness!!! Great news from London this evening where it was announced at the Current Archaeology Live Conference that we had won not only the Research Proje…

25/02/2024

Brendan and Hannah came out yesterday to visit with their Cocker Spaniels Luis and Jack. Lovely visit.

11/10/2023

I had a peedie flock of Redwing in the garden today. The photos are a bit dull as I took them through the window.

20/05/2023

This is a first but what a brilliant donation which will boost the charity.

Inspired by his own family’s experience, a Firth farmer has stunned those behind a new awareness charity with a very special donation of a different kind. Al Watson, who farms 520 acres at Rennibister, has thrown his support behind the important men’s health message promoted by Orkney Prostate A...

27/04/2023

Really heavy crime load for local police.

A guinea pig which was unexpectedly posted through the window of a Kirkwall property has been safely returned to its owner. This is according to police, who are appealing for information regarding the incident. A Police Scotland spokesman said:“We were made aware of a guinea pig which had been put...

23/03/2023

A St Ola farmer is preparing to break new ground in the pursuit of ploughing success. Keith Marshall, from Cotland, will plough for Scotland in the conventional class at the Five Nations Ploughing Challenge, going up against ploughmen and women from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland. The....

10/03/2023

Another charity to be set up in Orkney

Inspired by his own traumatic cancer experience and an outpouring of support from the community, Ken Amer is spearheading the formation of a new charity aiming to raise awareness of prostate problems. And, despite its early days, Orkney Prostate Awareness has already received its first donations, in...

07/02/2023

Another great effort made in the name of preservation in Orkney

The John Rae Society is now developing the vital access road from The Orphir Road, down The Hall of Clestrain, John Rae’s family home. Creating this road is absolutely vital to the restoration of John Rae’s family home. It will allow complete access to the Hall. Andrew Appleby, President of The ...

28/01/2023

13/01/2023

Congratulations this is amazing.

An Orkney-born adventurer has reached the South Pole after an epic 58-day, 700-mile solo trek across the Antarctic ice and snow. During his mammoth challenge, Ben Weber encountered -40C wind chill, white-out conditions, driving snowstorms and miles of strength sapping ragged ice fields and crevasses...

27/12/2022

And the winner of the men’s Ba is

A hard-fought Men’s Ba’ game lasting almost five hours saw Doonie David Johnstone claim victory this Boxing Day. This was a doubly special moment for Mr Johnstone, from Finstown, as this will be the second ba’ he has taken home. Previously he claimed the New Year’s Day boys’ ba’ in 1992....

27/12/2022

And the winner of the boys Ba is

Doonie Callum Leslie has won the first ba’ of the season. A quick an exciting game saw the ba’ move quickly with several breaks. Played on a bitterly cold morning with occasional hail showers the pack stayed on Broadstreet for the first ten minutes, neither side able to get an upper-hand. Then a...

27/12/2022

Very exciting today as the Ba is back in the heart of Kirkwall.

Ba’ day is finally here! Almost three years on from the last time the ancient game was plates, players and spectators will return to Kirkwall’s street this Boxing Day morning. Four games in total will be contested over the course of the season between the Uppies and Doonies. This Monday morning ...

03/08/2022

Another fascinating archaeological excavation in Orkney

Staff and students are battling against erosion to uncover the secrets of an Iron Age settlement and its surrounding area on Rousay. The excavation is part of a number of archaeological projects forming Scotland Digs 2022. The site, at the Knowe of Swandro, was once a large settlement occupied from....