Kirkwall, Orkney Mainland
★★★
It doesn’t look like much at high water, but low tide reveals Waulkmill Bay to be a fabulous expanse of pristine sand overlooking Scapa Flow. Despite its huge size the beach has a secluded feel, hemmed in by steep ground on two sides and never crowded. Steep ground means a steep access path, but on a sunny day every downhill step (and uphill on the way back) is worth the effort.
Location
O.S. Grid Reference: HY 379064
GPS coordinates: 58.940723,-3.080341
Bus stops on A964
Car park
From the car park / toilets, it’s a few-min walk (each way) downhill to the beach on a good path, but with lots of steps.
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