Stromness, Scotland

On the southwestern shore of Mainland Orkney, where the sheltered harbour of Hamnavoe opens to the turbulent waters of Scapa Flow, the town of Stromness unfolds along a single, winding main street that is one of the most atmospheric in Scotland. This was the last port of call for Hudson's Bay Company ships sailing to Canada, for the ill-fated Franklin Expedition bound for the Northwest Passage, and for countless whaling vessels heading to Arctic waters. The narrow flagstone street, flanked by stone houses whose gable ends face the harbour, follows the shoreline in a serpentine curve that creates an urban experience unique in the British Isles — part fishing village, part maritime museum, part living time capsule.

Stromness's character is inseparable from the sea and from Orkney's extraordinary heritage. The town's importance as a victualling port for Atlantic voyages gave it a cosmopolitan air that belies its modest size — sailors, traders, and adventurers from across the world passed through these streets, and the evidence of their presence survives in the houses, warehouses, and piers that line the waterfront. The Stromness Museum, one of Scotland's finest small museums, houses collections that range from Orcadian natural history to Arctic exploration artifacts, including material related to the many Orcadian men who served with the Hudson's Bay Company in Canada's fur trade.

The food of Orkney, available in Stromness's restaurants, bakeries, and shops, draws from one of Scotland's most productive larders. Orkney beef, from cattle raised on the islands' rich, mineral-laden pasture, is considered among the finest in Britain. The cheese — particularly the mature Orkney farmhouse cheddar — reflects the quality of the island's dairy herds and the skill of its makers. Seafood from the surrounding waters includes hand-dived scallops, brown crab, and lobster, while the Orkney Islands Brewery produces ales in a distinctive Orcadian style. The bakeries of Stromness are renowned for their oatcakes, bere bannocks made from an ancient strain of barley unique to Orkney, and the fudge that has become an unlikely but beloved island export.

From Stromness, Orkney's remarkable archaeology and natural beauty are within easy reach. Skara Brae, the five-thousand-year-old Neolithic village preserved beneath sand dunes on the Bay of Skaill, lies twenty minutes' drive to the north and is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe. The Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness, and the chambered tomb of Maeshowe — all part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site — compose an archaeological landscape that predates the Egyptian pyramids. Scapa Flow, the vast natural harbour south of Stromness, served as the main base of the British Grand Fleet in both World Wars and now hosts the wrecks of seven German battleships scuttled in 1919, making it one of the world's great diving destinations.

Stromness is reached by NorthLink ferry from Scrabster on the Scottish mainland (approximately ninety minutes) or via the airport at Kirkwall. Cruise vessels anchor in the harbour or in Scapa Flow. The best months to visit are May through August, when the long northern days — Orkney lies at nearly 59 degrees north — provide up to twenty hours of usable light and the archaeological sites and nature reserves are at their most accessible. The St Magnus International Festival in June brings world-class music and arts to Stromness and Kirkwall, adding a cultural dimension to an island group that has been inspiring visitors for five thousand years.