Kirkwall Marina on Orkney: Getting There, Harbour Info and Sailing Destinations

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Kirkwall Marina lies in the harbour of Kirkwall, the main town of the Orkney Islands off the north coast of Scotland, right on the edge of the town centre. Here you can read how to get to Kirkwall for the start of your trip, where to park and shop, what sailing weather to expect, which destinations between the islands are close by, and what skippers need to bear in mind when approaching and berthing.

Where is Kirkwall Marina?

Kirkwall lies on the north coast of Mainland, the main island of Orkney, at the head of Kirkwall Bay. Kirkwall Marina is in the town's harbour basin behind the breakwater, right on the waterfront road Shore Street. To the south, the town centre begins immediately, with shops, restaurants and St Magnus Cathedral. The marina office is also on Shore Street.

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Several users share the water in Kirkwall harbour: the inner harbour is home mainly to fishing boats, workboats and the lifeboat. Ferries and cruise ships berth at the large pier at Hatston on the west side of the bay. The marina is the berth for yachts, and visiting yachts are expressly welcome. Kirkwall Marina is the largest of the three marinas in Orkney; the other two are in Stromness and on Westray.

Arriving for the start of your trip at Kirkwall Marina

You can reach Kirkwall by plane or by ferry from the Scottish mainland. Distances in the town itself are short: the marina, bus station and shops are all close together.

From Kirkwall Airport to the marina

Kirkwall Airport is about 5 kilometres south-east of the town. There are direct flights from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Dundee, among others; the flight from Inverness takes about 45 minutes, and from Edinburgh and Glasgow about an hour.

From the airport, bus route 4 takes 13 minutes to reach the Kirkwall Travel Centre bus station in the town centre. It runs roughly every 30 minutes during the day from Monday to Saturday, and less frequently on Sundays. From the bus station you can walk to the marina. It is best to book a taxi before you land; several taxi firms serve the airport. Where possible, the last bus of the day waits at the airport for up to 20 minutes for delayed passengers.

By train, bus or ferry

There are three ways to reach Orkney by ferry from the Scottish mainland:

• Aberdeen – Kirkwall: The NorthLink ferry takes about six hours and berths at Hatston ferry terminal, around 3 kilometres from the bus station. It does not call at Kirkwall every day: as things stand (November 2026), it arrives at Hatston at 11 pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from April to October, and only on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from November to March. The return crossing to Aberdeen runs overnight, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in summer and on Wednesdays and Fridays in winter. A bus runs between Hatston and the town centre to coincide with the ferries.
• Scrabster – Stromness: The crossing from the north coast of Scotland takes about 90 minutes. As things stand (November 2026), the NorthLink ferry runs two to three times a day in each direction, with the last departure from Scrabster at 7 pm. From Stromness, the X1 bus takes about 30 minutes to reach Kirkwall.
• Gills Bay – St Margaret’s Hope: The crossing with Pentland Ferries takes about 70 minutes. As things stand (November 2026), the ferry runs three times a day in each direction on every day of the week. From St Margaret’s Hope on South Ronaldsay, the X1 bus takes about 32 minutes to reach Kirkwall.

You can get to Aberdeen or to Thurso, the town near Scrabster, by train. Long-distance coaches run from all over Scotland to the ferry ports of Aberdeen, Gills Bay and Scrabster. There is also a ferry from the Shetland Islands: from Lerwick to Kirkwall takes around six hours.

If you are travelling on a passport from the EU (except Ireland), you need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for the UK, which you apply for via the app or on the British government website. It costs £20 and is valid for two years or until your passport expires. Apply at least three working days before your journey (as of November 2026).

Parking

There is parking in the town centre by the harbour, a few minutes' walk from the marina. You can park free of charge in the town's long-stay car parks, including Waterfront East and Waterfront West. In the pay-and-display car parks in the centre, such as those on Albert Street and Castle Street, you pay at the machine from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday to Saturday; from January to March the first hour is free (as of November 2026). If you arrive with your own car on the ferry from Aberdeen, you can also leave it at Hatston ferry terminal: the short-stay car park at the terminal and the long-stay car park about 500 metres further on are both free of charge.

Showers and sanitary facilities

Showers and toilets are just inside the marina gate and are accessible around the clock. For the showers you need £1 coins. You will find a launderette about five minutes' walk away on Albert Street.

Shopping for the trip

You don't have to go far for provisions: a Co-op supermarket is in the town centre, a few minutes' walk from the marina. There is a larger Tesco supermarket on Pickaquoy Road in Kirkwall. It lies west of the marina, around the Peedie Sea, where there is also a Lidl. You will find shops, hotels and restaurants around the harbour and in the streets behind it.

On the shopping street behind the marina there is a bakery, a butcher's and shops selling local island produce, and you can buy fresh fish on Albert Street. Petrol and gas are available at a filling station west of the marina by the bay.

Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services

A Boots pharmacy is in the town centre, a few minutes' walk from the marina. The Balfour hospital is about 1.5 kilometres south of the marina on New Scapa Road, and bus route 4 to the airport stops there. For ailments that cannot wait until the next working day, you can call the NHS 24 telephone health service in Scotland free of charge on 111.

• 999: Emergency number for police, fire brigade and ambulance service
• 999 and “Coastguard”: emergency at sea or on the coast; HM Coastguard takes the call
• At sea: VHF channel 16

What does Kirkwall Marina offer?

Kirkwall Marina has 95 berths for boats up to 20 metres in length, 30 of them for visiting yachts, and is open all year round. You can reach the marina at any state of the tide. The key details at a glance (as of November 2026):

Feature	Details
Operator	Orkney Marinas, non-profit
Location	Shore Street, Kirkwall, Orkney
Position	58°59,3′ N, 2°57,45′ W
Berths	95, of which 30 guest berths, for boats up to 20 m
Water depth	1 to 2.7 m
Access	at any state of the tide
Arrival pontoon	Alongside, for yachts up to about 18 m (60 ft)
At the berth	Electricity, water, Wi-Fi
Power	£5 per day
Mooring fees	£2.87 per metre per day, minimum £17.22 (2026 tariff); length overall, rounded up to the full metre; incl. 20% VAT and harbour dues
Diesel	from the marina staff
VHF channel	14 (Kirkwall Harbour Radio)
Phone	+44 1856 871313
Open	year-round

Equipment

Electricity, drinking water and Wi-Fi are available at every berth, with showers and toilets ashore. There are no hoses provided on the pontoons, so bring your own. The marina is secured by a gate: you will find the gate code and the Wi-Fi password in the gatehouse at the top of the gangway. Remember the code before you leave the marina.

Staff are at the marina twice a day from June to August, from 9 to 10 am and from 5 to 6 pm, and once a day from 9 to 10 am in May and September. You can also get diesel at these times. In winter, volunteers from the operator drop by daily. Boat supplies and workshops for repairs can be found in the Hatston industrial estate, about 20 minutes' walk from the marina.

The Kirkwall Marina ticket is not only valid for Kirkwall: depending on availability, it also allows you to moor in the marinas at Stromness and Westray, as well as at the piers and visitor buoys run by the island council around Orkney. You book and pay for your berth before arrival, online or by telephone.

What are the sailing conditions like around Kirkwall?

Around Orkney the wind blows mostly from the south-west, less often from the north-north-east. Low-pressure systems move in from the Atlantic; the wind is strongest in winter and gales are more frequent. In its coastal forecast, the UK Met Office warns of strong winds from force 6 and issues a gale warning from force 8.

The tides are a defining feature: the tidal range is at most around 2.5 metres, but in the narrows between the islands the stream runs at up to 8 knots at springs. As a rule of thumb, the ebb sets north and west, the flood south and east. When a strong wind of force 6 or above blows against the tidal stream, the sea becomes rough, for example in the Pentland Firth and in a westerly wind against the ebb in Hoy Sound off Stromness. In Scapa Flow, to the south of Mainland, there is hardly any current.

Which sailing destinations are near Kirkwall Marina?

From Kirkwall you sail north out of Kirkwall Bay. Shapinsay lies directly opposite, and beyond it begin the North Isles with Stronsay, Eday and Westray. The distances are rounded distances over water on the usual course; use the chart for detailed planning.

• Shapinsay (Balfour): about 3 nm
• Stronsay (Whitehall): about 17 nm
• Westray (Pierowall): about 24 nm
• Stromness: about 33 nm, around the north-west coast of Mainland

Shapinsay lies directly opposite Kirkwall. Off the village of Balfour in Elwick Bay there are two visitor moorings, and you can go alongside at the main pier. As you come in, you can already see Balfour Castle behind the village. Between Helliar Holm and Shapinsay there is a shallow reef, which you should not cross.

Stronsay: Whitehall, in the north of the island, is a well-sheltered harbour that you approach via a buoyed channel. There is one visitor mooring north-east of the ferry pier and two at the west pier. Use long mooring lines at the pier, as the tidal range is up to 2.5 metres.

Westray: In Pierowall Bay, in the north of the island, you will find Westray Marina, which is open only in summer. It is small, so in high season yachts often raft up; there are also two visitor moorings north-west of the harbour entrance. Showers, water and electricity are available, and diesel is supplied in cans.

Stromness on the west side of Mainland also has a marina, in the north of the bay behind the ferry terminal. The route from Kirkwall leads through Eynhallow Sound and along the west coast into Hoy Sound. The tidal stream runs strongly in both sounds, so plan your passage for slack water.

What can you do on a day in port in Kirkwall?

You can reach the main sights in Kirkwall on foot from the marina.

St Magnus Cathedral and Orkney Museum: The cathedral stands on Broad Street. On the same street, the Orkney Museum in Tankerness House traces the history of the islands from the Stone Age through the Picts and Vikings to the present day.

Bishop’s Palace and Earl’s Palace: Like the cathedral, the two palace ruins at the Watergate can be reached on a short walk south along the main street. The Bishop's Palace was built in the early 12th century, around the same time as the cathedral, and King Haakon IV of Norway died here in 1263. Earl Patrick Stewart had the Earl’s Palace built around 1606, and it is regarded as one of the finest examples of Renaissance architecture in Scotland.

Whisky distilleries: The Highland Park and Scapa distilleries are on the edge of town, within walking distance of the marina, and the Scapa visitor centre is about 3 kilometres away on Scapa beach.

Orkney Sailing Club: The sailing club on the other side of the harbour welcomes visitors, whether they arrive by yacht or overland.

For skippers: berthing and marine weather at Kirkwall Marina

At Kirkwall Marina you tie up at one of the visitor berths on the outside of the marina and report to the staff as soon as they are at the marina during their regular hours. The marina itself has no radio; you can reach the harbour on VHF channel 14 (Kirkwall Harbour Radio).

Registration and Berthing

As a visiting yacht, you head for the western or northern arrival pontoon, where you moor alongside. It takes yachts up to about 18 metres (60 feet). In high season space is tight, so hang the fenders on both sides before you reach the breakwater. Book your berth in advance by phone on +44 1856 871313, by e-mail or online. If you booked more than a week ahead, confirm your arrival by phone with the marina office. If you arrive without having been in touch beforehand, take a berth that suits the size of your boat.

Harbour rules

• Berths are booked before arrival and paid for in advance.
• Charges are based on length overall, rounded up to the next full metre. Under the 2026 tariff, a day costs £2.87 per metre, so £34.44 for a 12-metre yacht. Electricity costs an extra £5 per day.
• In the Orkney VTS area, vessels of 12 metres or more in length report on channel 11 before departing, and smaller boats are asked to take part. Within the VTS area, vessels keep a constant listening watch on channel 11. The traffic centre also monitors channel 16.

Approach

Approach Kirkwall Bay within the sector of the leading light. On the east side of the bay lies the unlit rock Iceland Skerry. The large pier at Hatston on the west side is used by ferries and cruise ships, so keep clear of it. The marina entrance is hard to make out from seaward, so approach with caution.

If you are coming from the south, the route passes east of the Pentland Skerries and around Copinsay. Keep well clear of the Sandy Riddle sandbank south-east of the Pentland Skerries, as the tide runs strongly there and the sea becomes rough in wind against tide. You make the last stretch through the sound known as The String between Mainland and Shapinsay, ideally with the tide running in your favour. Admiralty chart 2250 covers the waters east of Orkney, and chart 2162 covers the Pentland Firth.

If you arrive in Orkney directly from abroad, you report your arrival online to the British authorities and fly the Q flag from the 12-nautical-mile limit until the report is completed. Anyone who is not a British or Irish citizen needs entry permission from Border Force before going ashore.

Which marine weather forecast applies to Kirkwall?

For Kirkwall, the Met Office coastal waters forecast applies, in the section “Cape Wrath to Rattray Head including Orkney”. It is issued four times a day and covers the following 24 hours in each case. You can read it on the Met Office website.

For the open sea, the Met Office issues the Shipping Forecast four times a day. The radio station BBC Radio 4 broadcasts it at 00.48 and 05.20 on long wave and FM, and at 12.01 and 17.54, as a rule on long wave only.

Sailing trips from Kirkwall on Törnfinder

All current offers can be found in the trip overview, sailing trips in the region at Sailing in the North Sea. We present further Scottish harbours in our profiles of Ullapool and Oban .

Frequently asked questions

How do I get from Kirkwall Airport to the marina?

Take bus route 4 for 13 minutes to the bus station in the town centre, then walk to the marina. The airport is around 5 kilometres south-east of the town, and it is best to book a taxi before you land.

Where can I park at the start of the sailing trip in Kirkwall?

In the town centre by the harbour, a few minutes' walk from the marina. The town's long-stay car parks, such as Waterfront East and Waterfront West, are free, as are the car parks at the Hatston ferry terminal.

Are there showers at Kirkwall Marina?

Yes, just inside the marina gate, accessible around the clock. For the showers you need £1 coins.

Is there a supermarket near Kirkwall Marina?

Yes. A Co-op supermarket is in the town centre, a few minutes' walk from the marina, as is a pharmacy. There is also a larger Tesco supermarket on Pickaquoy Road.

How do I get to Kirkwall by ferry?

Directly by ferry from Aberdeen, which, as things stand now (November 2026), docks at Hatston near Kirkwall in the evening on three to four days a week after about six hours. The crossings from Scrabster to Stromness and from Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope are shorter, and from both ports the X1 bus continues to Kirkwall.

Which VHF channel can I use to reach Kirkwall harbour?

On channel 14 (Kirkwall Harbour Radio); the marina itself has no radio. The Orkney VTS traffic centre operates on channel 11 and also monitors channel 16.