Port Description

Kirkwall (Orkney Islands), Scotland

The Royal Burgh of Kirkwall is the capital of the Orkney Islands (70 strong), located at the northern tip of Scotland where the Atlantic Ocean and North Sea converge. First mentioned in the Orkneyinga Saga, the flagstone buildings and streets of Kirkwall lie under the shadow of St. Magnus Cathedral, dating back to the 12th century. A doorway on a tucked-away side street is the only remnant of the Church of St. Olaf, around which the town was initially built. At the southern end of the main street is "The Big Tree"-–a solitary tree said to be the largest in Orkney.