Car Hire Kirkwall

Guide

Kirkwall is the capital of the Orkney Islands and is a small town nestled along the northern shores of the island of Orkney. It is one of seventy glorious islands which make up the Orkney archipelago, lying just a few miles of the the north coast of Scotland, lying between the Atlantic and North Sea. Compare cheap quotes for car hire in Kirkwall here today. We aim to find you the cheapest deals across the market by comparing prices from dozens of top suppliers. Be prepared for you holiday to Kirkwall and book today.

Explore Kirkwall

Kirkwall Harbour and Bay provide some beautiful sights and dramatic sunsets. Be sure to take a walk around these ancient stone harbours which have seen generations of maritime adventurers.

Ornate buildings decorate the sea-front and the spires of the town's smaller churches challenge the familiar tower of the St Magnus Cathedral for a place on the skyline. This magnificent red sandstone building was given to the inhabitants of Kirkwall in 1486 by King James III of Scotland. During your stay make sure you visit Bishops Palace, Kirkwall's old Grammar School and also the Tankerness House, to see the oldest building's found in the capital.

The local leisure center, Pickaquoy Centre is great for those who enjoy sports and arts activities. At the Orkney Crafts Exhibition, next to Orkney museum, you will find examples of jewellery, pottery, knitwear, ceramics, textiles, traditional furniture and tapestries. The Orkney Gallery is hidden away in the old streets but makes an interesting visit.

Orkney's west coast exhibits a large number of archeological sites. Orkney's Neolithic heartland in Stennes is located along the West Mainland in an area surrounding the Ring o' Brodgar. This is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is a must see during your stay in Kirkwall.

Visit the western side of the mainland to witness some outstanding cliffs with a number of sea stacks facing out towards the Atlantic, and many hidden caves to explore. Orkney's eastern side is agriculturally dominated, with high production of beef cattle for which Orkney is renowned.

There are four islands in the south which can be accessed by road from the mainland using the Churchill Barriers, they are Burray, South Ronaldsay, Lambholm and Glimsholm.

Transport

Book car hire in Kirkwall if you need a form of transport so you can enjoy these glorious sights in style and in your own time, rather than experiencing the hassles of public transport and planned excursions. With your own vehicle you get to drive around the area freely stopping to take photo's whenever you want to.

Kirkwall Airport serves airports on the main land, including; Inverness, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow, as well as inter-island flights. There are good road networks linking the area and many ferry connections to the mainland, inter-island destinations and even to Lerwick in the Shetland Islands.

Arrange for car hire at Kirkwall Airport if you are flying into the region. This will also save you having to arrange airport transfers, which can be fairly expensive.