Sanday, Orkney – A Great Place To Unwind
Sanday is one of the ‘Northern Isles’ – part of the archipelago that forms the county of Orkney. The island’s name literally means ‘sandy’ in Norse and the island has some of the cleanest, whitest beaches in Orkney. You can stroll for miles along the clean, white beaches and never see another person. The island’s clean, clear waters contain a wealth of marine life in their beautiful kelp forests. The island’s wildlife includes major colonies of grey seals boasting a large proportion of the UK’s entire population of these wonderful animals. In summer our meadows and pastures teem with birds including redshank, curlew, oystercatcher, lapwing, snipe and skylark. Throughout the year the beaches host countless waders on their migrations – Sanday is a year round bird watching paradise. The anglers among you will find our lochs have some of the finest trout in Orkney. This renowned fishing is free!
Archaeology, from prehistoric times|, up to and including world war two abounds on Sanday. Though not as large as its Mainland cousins, Quoyness is still an accessible example of a chambered cairn. 1985 saw the discovery of an amazing Viking boat burial at Scar. On the island you will see farms on strange mounds – these are heaps of waste from continuous habitation of the site over thousands of years. The imposing ruins of a Victorian ‘model’ farm can be explored at Stove, complete with a huge steam engine shed and chimney. Abandoned or converted kirks and schools evidence former religious fervour and the beginning of universal schooling. A positional battery at Colligarth and a fine Victorian drill hall and instructors cottage are evidence of the Volunteer movement on Sanday. The B98, a World War 1 German destroyer is still visible in the form of two boilers and turbines on the beach at the Bay of Lopness. You can see the remains of two World War Two air defence radar stations at Whale Head and Lettan at the North end of the island.
There are many things to do on Sanday, even if you choose not to participate in the island’s thriving social calendar. The island has an excellent ranger service built up by Roderick Thorne which puts on a series of events explaining the islands wonderful natural and archaeological heritage.
A complete network of well thought out walks awaits the keen walker or anyone wanting a casual stroll on the island. An excellent Walking Guide is available from shops, post offices and hotels throughout the island. However, the island has highly unpredictable weather – the islander’s sometimes refer to this as ‘four seasons in a day’! Kettletoft has two hotels, an incredibly well stocked general store, a butcher(!) and a garage. Lady also has a village shop as does Roadside.
Sanday, above all, is a getaway. Visit to experience real peace and quiet under big skies. The milky way is astonishing in the dark skies of the Northern Isles. Take the time to walk our beautiful island’s amazing beaches and listen to the calls of countless birds and seals. Bring a friend or spouse for the ideal relaxing retreat.
Backaskaill is a delightful Sanday bed and breakfast run by Geoff and Jane who moved to Sanday to start a Sanday farm house B&B focused on delivering excellent customer service. Geoff is a trained chef and offers quality local produce and fine cuisine including vegetarian. Well behaved pets are most welcome.