Hoy

We are working hard to make our nature reserves safe and ready for our staff, visitors and wildlife. Although most of our sites with visitor facilities are currently closed, we have started opening those where is it safe and practical to do so in England and Northern Ireland. Please see our COVID-19 updates page for the latest information (link below).

Address: RSPB Hoy, Stromness KW16 3NJ, UK

Grid ref: HY222034

See our updates page to see which reserves are open.

Discover the beauty of a wild landscape that ranges from sweeping moorland to dramatic clifftops. A range of fascinating birds, from fulmars, puffins and red-throated divers, to great skuas, hen harriers and stonechats make this their home. Wrap up warm and don't leave without a nod to the Old Man.

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

No visitor centre
Car park off-site
Toilets off-site
Accessible toilets off-site
No Refreshments
Guided walks
Nature trails
Shop off-site

Accessibility

How to get here

By bus

Details of bus/minibus taxi services on Hoy can be found at hoyorkney.com/travel.

By bike

Passenger ferry from Stromness to Moaness on Hoy. From the Moaness Pier, travel straight up the hill and follow the signs for the Dwarfie Stone toward Rackwick. There is an information board after 1.5 miles (2.5 km) on the Post Road footpath.

By road

Car ferry from Houton on Mainland Orkney to Lyness on Hoy. From Lyness ferry terminal turn right (signposted 'Hoy') onto the B9047 and take the first left after 8.5 miles/14 km (signposted for Dwarfie Stone) toward Rackwick. Park at Dwarfie Stone or Rackwick beach.

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

Hoy can be reached from Mainland Orkney from either Houton (passenger and car ferry) or from Stromness (passenger ferry only). Visit orkneyferries.co.uk for information.

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.

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, 120Kb

Hoy trail guide

Contact Hoy

RSPB Hoy, Stromness KW16 3NJ, UK
orkney@rspb.org.uk
01856 850176

What will you see?

Our star species

Great skua

They come to Hoy to breed but spend all their other time at sea.

Hen harrier

Hen harriers can be seen here at any time of year.

Puffin

Enjoy the comical antics of puffins in spring and early summer.

Red-throated diver

Red-throated divers are adapted for life on the water, look for them on the sea as they go fishing.

Stonechat

They are a common sight at Hoy. Pairs remain together throughout the year and you can see family groups in summer.

Nature spectacles

The towering sandstone cliffs are spectacular at any time of year, particularly when slanting sunlight highlights the glorious shades of pink, orange, yellow and purple. In June, the calls of thousands of fulmars, guillemots, razorbills and puffins echo around the rugged coast from the world-famous Old Man of Hoy sea-stack to the highest vertical sea cliff at St John's Head.

This is the best time of year to spot hen harriers on the moorland. Seabirds arrive during May - look out for puffins at the Old Man of Hoy and bonxies (great skuas) on the moorland. Primroses and Arctic alpine flowers are in bloom.

June is the best month to visit the seabird cliffs. Keep an eye on the horizon to spot white-tailed eagles soaring overhead. Red-throated divers can be seen on the Sandy Loch and stonechats on the moorland. Look out for amazing insects such as green tiger beetles and common hawker dragonflies along the footpaths as well as an ever-increasing profusion of wildflowers.

Look out for thrushes and finches from Scandinavia, and the chance of flocks of migrating barnacle and greylag geese overhead.

A quiet time of year on the reserve, though you might spot hunting hen harriers, merlins and peregrines among small flocks of snow buntings and finches. Mountain hares look dazzling in white winter coat on the hill tops. Wintering birds such as long-tailed ducks and great northern divers can be seen around the coast.

About Hoy

Habitat

Visit the high island of Orkney, where the harder sandstones have been ice-shaped to form the dramatic hills and valleys we see today. The second biggest island in Orkney boasts a surprising range of habitats. Take a stroll through the wild moorland where you might spot hen harriers floating above the delicate summer wildflowers. Enjoy a coastal walk where the awe-inspiring coloured sandstone cliffs along the west coast are home to thousands of wheeling seabirds and precious maritime wildflowers.

The dramatic beach at Rackwick is a local favourite with golden sand and huge, coloured sandstone boulders overlooked by the pink cliffs. Perhaps surprisingly, there is ancient woodland here too- the atmospheric woodland at Berriedale is the the most northerly native woodland in the UK.

Conservation

We are working to maintain a mosaic of moorland habitats, including blanket bog, dry heath and wet heath. This provides suitable conditions for breeding white-tailed eagles, hen harriers, merlins and red-throated divers and allows us to safeguard important plants, including great sundew, alpine bearberry, fragrant orchid and dwarf cornel. We are also maintaining wildfire control measures.

We monitor the annual breeding populations of our white-tailed eagles, hen harriers, merlins and red-throated divers, as well as monitoring set areas for other wildlife, including wading birds, great skuas, mountain hares, mining bees and seabirds. We also keep tabs on any invasive mammal and plant species, survey under-recorded groups and contribute to national surveys.

Site information

Hoy is the largest RSPB Scotland nature reserve in Orkney, at 3,926 hectares, and is home to an impressive range of wildlife.

Most of the reserve is glorious wild moorland with pockets of native woodland, sub-alpine heath and blanket bog. There are also impressive, colourful sea cliffs rising to more than 350 meters above the sea, which offer a dramatic backdrop against which to spot swirling seabirds and hardy wildflowers.

The importance of the range of habitats and wildlife found here is recognised by its designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a Special Protection Area (SPA) and a Special Area for Conservation (SAC). It is also designated as a National Scenic Area (NSA) for its beauty.

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Activities and events

Activities for children and families

Good for active families who enjoy walks in spectacular scenery. Guided walks run in the summer months.

There are family-friendly events here in the summer.

Leisure activities

Hoy offers a rewarding experience for visitors, including groups and appeals especially to those who enjoy walking in remote locations.

Birdwatching, walking, botany, photography, geology, geomorphology. Don't miss the archaeological site the Dwarfie Stone which is the only rock-cut tomb in Britain and was hollowed out by people around 5,500 years ago.

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