Vehicle causeways on Burray / Mainland / South Ronaldsay, Orkney Isles
★★★
The Churchill Barriers were originally built on the Prime Minister’s advice during World War II, with the intention of stopping German warships entering the UK’s naval base at Scapa Flow. If you drive towards Orkney Mainland from South Ronaldsay, you can’t miss them. In fact, you drive over them – perhaps gingerly if at a stormy high tide. Since the end of the war, the barriers have usefully functioned as causeways linking the island chain here. It’s a beautiful setting albeit with a less beautiful history – numerous blockships lining some of the causeways act as the reminder.
Location
O.S. Grid Reference: ND 474985
GPS coordinates: 58.870804,-2.914486
Buses between Kirkwall and St Margaret’s Hope cross the barriers
Various car parks / laybys
Key info
Always open, except during exceptional high tides / storms
Free
