Hobbister

We're working hard to make our nature reserves safe and ready for our staff, visitors and wildlife. Many have now re-opened in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, although some facilities are not yet available. Some reserves remain closed for now. See our COVID-19 updates page for the latest information (link below).

Address: RSPB Hobbister, KW17 2RA (situated 3.1 miles / 5km west of Kirkwall off the A964)

Grid ref: HY395069

See our updates page to see which reserves are open.

Hobbister is where sweeping sea views meet spring birdsong, a magical mixture of land and sea, from sea cliffs to saltmarsh, moorland to sandflats. On the moor, keep an eye out for hen harriers, short-eared owls and red-throated divers, while the coastal walks will reveal red-breasted mergansers and black guillemots.

Plan your visit

Open at all times.

Free entrance to RSPB members: Yes

Adults: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Children: Free, but donations are very welcome.

Facilities

Car park
Picnic area
Viewing point
Nature trails
Educational facilities

Accessibility

How to get here

By bus

Bus route 2 runs along the A964 past the reserve regularly throughout the day. Up to date travel information can be found on travelinescotland.com.

By bike

Cycle route 1 of the National Cycle Network runs along the A964 directly to the reserve.

By road

The reserve is 3.1 miles (5 km) west of Kirkwall off the A964. The main access points are from the car park at Grid Ref HY395069 or from the car park at Waulkmill Bay at Grid Ref HY382068.

Sat nav POI file: If you have a satellite navigation system that can accept POI files, please see our POI page for a download link and instructions.

Other ways to get there

For flights and ferry information to Orkney, contact VisitOrkney at West Castle Street, Kirkwall, KW15 1GU. Website: visitorkney.com Tel: 01856 872856.

Get directions from Google Maps

RSPB reserves on Google Earth

Group visits are welcome. For more information please contact the Orkney office on 01856 850176.

School visits are available on our Orkney reserves on a variety of topics. Please contact the Orkney Office on 01856 850176 for further details.

10 degrees, Light rain

Downloads

Helping you find your way around. PDF, 283Kb

Hobbister trail guide

Contact Hobbister

RSPB Hobbister, KW17 2RA (situated 3.1 miles / 5km west of Kirkwall off the A964)
orkney@rspb.org.uk
01856 850176

What will you see?

Our star species

Curlew

In spring, you can hear their gorgeous, 'bubbling' song.

Hen harrier

Hen harriers breed on the moorland here.

Peregrine

Keep your eyes peeled for a dashing peregrine on a high-speed hunt, or cruising the clifftops.

Short-eared owl

Short-eared owls can be seen hunting here all year. The afternoons are a good time to spot them.

Red grouse

Keep an eye out for red grouse.

Nature spectacles

A walk around the coastal footpath at Hobbister is a pleasure in all seasons, whether it is twittering twites overhead, distant bubbling curlews or yodelling great northern divers on the impressive Scapa Flow. The colours, sky and seascape always provide an impressive masterpiece.

On the moorland, you can hear the bubbling song of curlews displaying over their territories and you may catch a glimpse of a red grouse. Red-throated divers call overhead and can be seen fishing in Scapa Flow. Look for peregrines, fulmars and tysties (black guillemots) along the low cliffs.

You might see hen harriers hunting over the heather moors and merlins in pursuit of pipits and larks. Look for hunting short-eared owls, reed buntings and twites near the coastal path. On a walk down to Waulkmill Bay, look for the small, ancient aspens clinging on to the cliff sides.

You can look for stonechats in and around the scrub. Whilst walking the coastal path, you may see wintering waterbirds such as long-tailed ducks, divers, shags, Slavonian grebes and tysties (black guillemots) in Scapa Flow and Waulkmill Bay.

You can get excellent views of red-throated, black-throated and great northern divers as well as Slavonian grebes and other wildfowl in Scapa Flow from the coastal footpath.

About Hobbister

Habitat

This reserve has a mosaic of internationally and nationally important habitats from sea cliffs to saltmarsh, from moorland to sandflats.

Conservation

We are working to maintain a mosaic of moorland habitats, sea cliffs and saltmarsh providing suitable conditions for breeding hen harriers, curlews and short-eared owls.

We will continue to reduce disturbance to breeding birds, promote sustainable grazing regimes, and slow down and halt further agricultural improvement and fragmentation of these important moorland sites through liaison with neighbours.

Site information

This 781 ha reserve is a magical mixture of land and sea, from sea cliffs to saltmarsh, from moorland to sandflats. Stroll through the moorland and you may well see hen harriers, short-eared owls and twite, all of which nest on Orkney's moorland. When you're admiring the beauty of the coastal walks, look out for red-breasted mergansers and black guillemots.

Latest forum posts

read our forum

Latest blog posts

read our blog

Activities and events

Activities for children and families

We run family-friendly events in the summer.

Leisure activities

Walking: The 2-mile (3.2 km) circular trail around the reserve offers beautiful views across Scapa Flow, with the towering hills of Hoy in the background.
Photography: You will be spoilt for choice for photographic opportunities at Hobbister, whether lichens, mining bees, peregrines or landscapes are your thing.

Marshside

Lytchett Fields

Arne

Hobbister