Orkney Islands

The Orkney Islands are 70 small islands, 20 of which are inhabited. They are located 16 km north of mainland Scotland, on one of the most dangerous sections of the UK with the strongest tidal currents, known as the Pentland Firth. The main island is known as the Mainland and has the town of Kirkwall to the east, as well as the small town of Stromness to the southwest.

Historical connection

After centuries of Norwegian rule, the Orkney Islands were annexed to Scotland by James III in 1468. The Norwegians have never officially recognized the Orkney Islands as part of Scotland. But although traces of Scandinavian history can be seen everywhere, the history of the Orkney Islands goes much deeper. The researchers suggest that if you study the Orkney Islands in more detail, they will show a lot of archaeological fossils. Parts of the Western Mainland have been declared a World Heritage Site.

Local industries

Actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio recently publicly hailed the renewable energy revolution taking place in Orkney. The European Marine Energy Center is located in Orkney and helps the islands generate more electricity than they need through the use of wind, wave and tidal energy. In addition, the world's first hydrogen-powered ferry for transporting passengers to and from the island was built in 2021. Other local industries in Orkney include tourism, a thriving agricultural sector, and a small but efficient fishing and aquaculture industry.

Wildlife

The Orkney Islands are home to a huge number of birds. The islands are also home to a large population of grey geese, which are very destructive to crops and cultivated land. Curlew geese, sandpipers, magpies and other small wading birds are found on the coastline throughout the island. Their cries can be heard echoing across the landscape in the morning hours, these sounds are often associated with islands. There are many otters on the islands, these mammals can be seen in the rivers, especially where they flow into the sea and lakes. Fur seals can be seen stretched out along the coast, along with the rather rare killer whales.