Like so many others, I visited Orkney in the hopes of seeing the Old Man of Hoy. At 449ft (137m), this is the tallest sea stack in Europe. It’s located just off the island of Hoy, which is just south of Mainland Orkney. So when I was planning my trip to Orkney, I knew I had to make this happen! Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Hoy, Rackwick Bay, and seeing the Old Man of Hoy.

Getting to Hoy from Mainland Orkney

There are two options to travel from Mainland Orkney to Hoy, which will depend on whether you’re a foot passenger or a bringing a car. The foot passenger ferry runs from Stromness to Moaness, which takes about half an hour. It costs £2.82 one-way for an adult. If you’re leaving your car in Stromness, there is long-stay/overnight parking available in the Ferry Road car parks. If you’re bringing your car to Hoy, you’ll take the ferry from Houton (near Orphir) to Lyness, on the south of Hoy. This costs about £12 one-way for an adult and car. Check timetables and fares on the Orkney Ferries website. (And read my budget guide to Orkney, too!)

How to Get to Rackwick Bay

The walk to the Old Man of Hoy starts from Rackwick Bay. If you’re traveling by car, it’s easy to follow the B9047 road up Hoy and to Rackwick. The single-track road to Rackwick Bay is in good condition, with regular passing places, and there is a large car park at Rackwick Bay. You can park there for up to 7 days.

If you’re traveling to Hoy on foot and don’t want to walk (one or both ways), be aware there is no public transport to Rackwick Bay. You’ll need to call the local taxi service (Mr. Clark) and book a ride with him – find more details here.

Walking Through Rackwick Glen from Moaness to Rackwick Bay

The walk from Moaness to Rackwick Bay is about 4 miles. From the ferry pier, follow the road up out of Moaness – there are a few signs to Rackwick Bay, so you know you’re going the right way. It took me about 1.5 hours from the ferry terminal to get to Rackwick Bay.

Rackwick Bay to the Old Man of Hoy

The walk from Rackwick Bay to the Old Man of Hoy is steep to start, but levels out a bit as you turn around the cliffs. The path is easy to follow once you’re on it, but there are several different paths as you descend into Rackwick Bay on the return, so I do recommend having a map. It took me about 1 hour of hiking to get to the Old Man of Hoy.

Seeing the Old Man of Hoy

This was, by far, one of the most spectacular parts of my trip to Orkney. While the scenery is stunning to get here, it’s the Old Man himself that steals the show. It’s a dramatic sea stack, rising sharply out of the sea. This is an RSPB reserve, so you will see seabirds here – I spotted a few puffins here, plus an eagle! You might occasionally see climbers climbing up the Old Man of Hoy. They are far braver than me, it looks terrifying!!

I snapped photos to my heart’s content and stayed here for ages. I was so happy to finally get here.

For an alternate route to what I took, you can walk from Moaness to the beginning of Rackwick Glen, and then hike up Ward Hill. This is an extremely steep route (the path goes straight up the fell), but you’ll be rewarded with unbelievable cliffside views as you walk south to see the Old Man of Hoy. You can then walk back to Rackwick Bay and through Rackwick Glen back to Moaness. This would be a really nice circular loop!

I was staying at Rackwick Bay, so I hiked back the way I came. It took me about 1 hour total to get from the Old Man of Hoy back to Rackwick Bay.

How to See the Old Man of Hoy

There are a few different ways to see the Old Man of Hoy, which I’ve summarized here.

• You pass the Old Man of Hoy on the Northlink Ferries service from Scrabster to Stromness – this is the only way to see the Old Man of Hoy without any walking (or getting your own boat)!
• Travel to Hoy by car, drive to Rackwick Bay, walk to the Old Man of Hoy and walk back to Rackwick Bay
• Travel to Hoy by foot, walk to Rackwick Bay via Rackwick Glen, walk to the Old Man of Hoy, walk back to Moaness (via Rackwick Glen again)
• The above option, but taking a taxi service one or both ways between Moaness and Rackwick Bay
• Travel to Hoy by foot, walk to the Old Man of Hoy via Ward Hill, walk to Rackwick Bay, walk back to Moaness via Rackwick Glen

If you’re planning on visiting as a daytrip from Stromness, you will want to take the first ferry out – especially if you’re planning on walking from Moaness to Rackwick Bay and back! This will be a tiring day, about 6 hours of hiking, so if you’re planning a daytrip be prepared and bring everything you’ll need with you for the day.

Staying in Burnmouth Bothy at Rackwick Bay

While many people visit Hoy and see the Old Man of Hoy as a long daytrip from Stromness, I was determined to spend the night. I wanted to stay in the bothy (Burnmouth) at Rackwick Bay! This has been a dream of mine for years, and I was absolutely thrilled to get to spend the night here.

Bothies are basic shelters found in remote, mountainous parts of Scotland, northern England, Wales, and Ulster. They’re free for anyone to use, but you will need to bring your own gear. You can read my ultimate bothy guide here. The bothy at Rackwick Bay was like a dream come true!

Burnmouth bothy has one large room, with raised stone platforms for sleeping, a stove, and a table for cooking. They also had camp beds so I was thrilled to get to use one! In a separate outbuilding, they have a bathroom – complete with a flush toilet and a sink with running water!!! Talk about luxury, I couldn’t believe it! While the water isn’t drinkable (it’s strongly advised to boil your water beforehand, or bring your own drinking water), this was a real treat. A bothy with a flush toilet?!

The bothy has a field outside, fenced in, for camping. If you’d prefer to pitch up your tent instead of sleep in the bothy, you can do this. There is also a bench outside the bothy, perfect for sitting out and enjoying the view of the bay. I saw seals here, and could even make out the cliffs of Dunnet Head (mainland Scotland), across the water!

Other Things to See on Hoy

There are plenty of other things to see on Hoy. But there’s no doubt that the Old Man of Hoy is the most popular. As I didn’t bring a car, I was quite limited and didn’t have a time to visit Lyness or Longhope. I did walk along the road to see the Dwarfie Stane – I was planning to hitch and saw no one, so I don’t recommend this.

The Dwarfie Stane is a prehistoric tomb, which you can crawl into! There is some historic graffiti you can see, too. There is space for a few cars to park at the road, and it’s then a 500 meter-walk (across boardwalk) to the stone. I was a little underwhelmed by it, but maybe that’s due to the extra miles I put on walking on pavement to see it.

The Scapa Flow Museum in Lyness is by far the top attraction on Hoy. This is meant to be a superb museum, and was recently reopened following an extensive renovation. I really wish I had had time to get here! The museum covers both Hoy and Orkney’s expansive history during World War II, and the history of Scapa Flow itself. It is a must if you are visiting this part of Hoy! Other attractions are the RNLI Longhope Lifeboat Museum, Hoy Kirk Heritage Center (near Moaness), and the grave of Betty Corrigall. Betty Corrigall’s grave is a lonely one – pregnant and unmarried, she committed suicide and was buried outside the church borders.

Where to Stay on Hoy

Rackwick Bay is the most convenient place to stay if you want to see the Old Man of Hoy. Besides the bothy where I stayed, there is the Rackwick Hostel, too. If you’re living van life, you can park in the car park overnight – there are public toilets here. You can also stay at the Hoy Outdoor Center hostel, near Moaness.

There are more accommodation options around Lyness and the southern part of Hoy.

Booking.com

 

If you’re visiting Orkney, I really recommend this Orkney guidebook! I also recommend bringing a pair of binoculars, since there are so many opportunities to spot wildlife. You can read my full Orkney packing guide here!
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Hoy was a bucket-list destination for me on my Orkney trip. Seeing the Old Man of Hoy and staying at Rackwick Bay bothy were both experiences I’ve waited years for – and they were well worth the wait! I definitely hope you make time to visit this island on your Orkney trip. If you’re planning a visit to Hoy, I hope this blog post helps!

Have you seen the Old Man of Hoy? How did you get there?

You might also like my posts:

The Complete Orkney Guide: An 8-Day Itinerary for the Orkney Islands

Orkney: What You Need to Know Before You Go

How Much Does it Cost to Visit Orkney on a Budget?

What to Pack for a Trip to Orkney, Scotland

Where to See Puffins on Orkney

The World’s Shortest Commercial Flight: Papa Westray to Westray With Loganair

A Travel Guide for Papa Westray, Orkney

What to See and Do on Westray, Orkney

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