My trip to Orkney in June was one of the top highlights of my year, my (nearly) 6 years living in the UK, and possibly my life in general. I chose to visit in June specifically for wildlife, and really – to be honest – because I wanted to see puffins. I love puffins! They’re just so adorable and there are so many amazing places to spot puffins around Orkney.

In Orkney, puffins are referred to as “tammie norries” – they come to Orkney to breed in April, and fly off in August. In general, the best time to see puffins is in May and June – you’ll have the highest chance of seeing them then. Come later in the season in July, and you might see pufflings – baby puffins! Here’s my guide on where to see puffins around Orkney.

West Mainland

This is the most popular area for visitors to Orkney, so you’ll almost certainly be visiting here.

Marwick Head

This is an RSPB reserve, most noticeable by the large memorial to Lord Kitchener (who died when his ship was wrecked off the coast here). You can do a short, 2.5-mile loop from one of the two small car parks here. The puffins are best spotted along the cliffs – just west of the memorial, there is a good viewing area (behind a fence for safety). You’ll see loads of different sea birds here, but there will almost certainly be some puffins. You’ll need binoculars. You can check out my full Orkney packing guide here.

Brough of Birsay

The Brough of Birsay is an island off the very tip of the Mainland, connected by a tidal causeway. In general, it’s safe to cross approximately 2 hours either side of low tide – check the tide times in advance. At the far side of the island, past the lighthouse, you’ll have your best chance for spotting puffins on the cliffs.

East Mainland

A lot of people skip over the East Mainland, either on their way up/down the Barrier Islands, or they just run out of time after visiting Kirkwall and the western part. Definitely make time to visit this area!

Mull Head

Another RSPB reserve, Mull Head is home to so many different seabirds – but puffins are certainly one of those species. The cliffs on the northwestern part of Mull Head was where I saw the most puffins. I did a 6.75-mile hike from the visitor center to the Gloup, the Broch of Deerness, and to the Covenanter’s Memorial and back.

Hoy

Hoy is a popular choice for visitors to Orkney, as the foot passenger ferry from Stromness to Moaness only takes 45 minutes. Most people visit Hoy do so to see the Old Man of Hoy, the highest sea stack in Europe.

Old Man of Hoy

The Old Man of Hoy was the main reason why I visited Hoy. But while you’re trekking out to see the Old Man, keep in mind that this is also part of an RSPB reserve. The cliffs around the sea stack, and the Old Man itself, are home to numerous seabirds. I had a bit of a tricky time spotting and photographing puffins here – the ones I did see seemed to be nesting on the far side of the sea stack (which would be best visible from the water, not the land).

Westray

To get a real feel for Orkney, head out to one of the northern islands. I loved visiting Westray, and had some great puffin adventures here!

Castle o’Burrian

This is the largest colony of nesting puffins in Britain – so it should be top of your list to visit on Westray. I booked a sunset puffin tour with Andy and Karen from Westraak Tours. They picked me up from my hostel in Pierowall, drove me down, and we walked along the cliffs to see the puffins in all their glory – coming back at the end of the day for feeding and to rest.

The puffins here weren’t very scared of us humans, and we could get very close to them. A photographer’s dream! If you are wanting to see puffins on Orkney, this should be your number one spot.

Noup Head

Another RSPB reserve, Noup Head offers ample opportunities for birdwatching. I did a 4.5-mile hike around the coast of Noup Head and back on the road, but the best places to see puffins will be around the lighthouse. Noup Head is best known for gannets, which nest here in vast numbers each year.

Papa Westray

This small island is close to Westray, and if you have time it makes sense to visit both. Even better, take the world’s shortest commercial flight between the two islands. I had the best photography opportunities for puffins here on Papa Westray!

Head of Moclett

This area, at the south of the island close to the ferry terminal, is one of the best places to see puffins on Orkney. Most of my best puffin photos are from this spot – you can get very close to them, and they seemed very unbothered by me sitting there snapping a million photos. I could have stayed here all day.

Holm of Papay

If you’re visiting Papa Westray, I definitely recommend taking a boat trip out with the Papay Ranger to the Holm of Papay, a very small island off the eastern coast of Papa Westray. You’ll see a good number of seabirds here, but I had the best luck with puffins around Ramnie Geo and Sheepie Geo.

Planning a puffin-spotting trip to Orkney? Make sure you have a good pair of binoculars! Mine aren’t fancy or expensive, but get the job done. This is one thing you won’t want to forget on a trip to Orkney.

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Overall, the best place I visited for puffins in Orkney as a photographer was the Head of Moclett on Papa Westray. For the largest number of puffins, the best spot was Castle o’Burrian. But any of these places are incredible for seeing puffins. These adorable little birds bring me so much joy, and I loved getting to wander all over Orkney looking for them. Whether you’re an avid birdwatcher or just like seeing these cuties, I hope this blog post helps planning your trip to Orkney with the best puffin locations!

Have you seen puffins on Orkney? What were your best sightings?

You might also like my posts:

Isle of Mull Daytrip: Staffa and Puffin-Watching on Lunga

Puffin Heaven: A Trip to the Farne Islands, Northumberland

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

Orkney: What You Need to Know Before You Go

What to Pack for a Trip to Orkney, Scotland

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

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

Hoy, Orkney: Visiting the Old Man of Hoy and Rackwick Bay

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