Clubs and activities

Orkney cliffs
Orkney is the perfect setting for a number of outdoor activities.

Orkney offers an almost unparalleled range of sports and leisure activities, generally at a modest fee. Being part of a small community means that facilities are easily accessed generally without any waiting lists, and local clubs always welcome new members.

Sports and athletics

Golf

  • Stromness Golf Club houses an 18-hole golf course
  • Enjoy midnight golf at midsummer when the evening light only dims, and never goes completely dark.
  • Visitors are always welcome, and golf clubs are available for hire

Rugby

  • Orkney Rugby Club is Scotland's most northerly national league club, playing in national division 5, as well as an internal Orkney league
  • Training sessions are held every Thursday night

Squash, tennis and badminton

Triathlon

  • Orkney Triathlon Club (OTC) are holders of the UK's most northerly triathlon
  • OTC also organise monthly duathlons throughout the winter and a weekly 10-mile time trial over the summer weeks

Athletics

  • A variety of athletic activities are available, mostly organised through the Orkney Athletics Club, based at the Pickaquoy Centre
  • Track sessions take place on Wednesday nights
  • Over the winter there is a series of cross-country races
  • The summer sees a series of 10km road races and the Hoy half marathon, which takes place in June
Diving, indoor swimming and gym facilities

Diving

Indoor swimming

Gym facilities

  • The Gym in the Pickaquoy Centre sports and leisure complex
  • The centre has a comprehensive range of fitness equipment for a wide range of activities (including instructors and classes), as well as a health spa with a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi
Surfing, sailing and kayaking

Sailing

  • The Orkney Sailing Club is based on the harbour front in Kirkwall
  • RYA approved sailing courses with instructors and boats on offer
  • Races held on Thursday nights throughout the summer
  • The club takes part in other local club regattas and hosts an inter-county regatta against Shetland every two years
  • The club are always keen for new members, particularly those with experience

Surfing and windsurfing

  • Orkney has some of the best surf in Europe, including huge Atlantic waves at the Bay of Skaill on the west coast
  • There is a small but very keen group of local surfers and windsurfers

Kayaking

Wildlife and angling

Wildlife

  • Spectacular cliff scenery all along the west coast
  • Seals, otters, over 300 recorded species of birds, dolphins, porpoises and whales are all regularly seen
  • Numerous archaeological sites dating back over 5,000 years

Angling

  • A multitude of lochs (the largest are the Loch Harray and Loch Stenness) holding excellent stocks of wild brown trout and sea trout
  • Fishing in the lochs is free but as a courtesy you might like to become a member of the Orkney Trout Fishing Association (a non-profit making voluntary body dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of game fishing in Orkney)
  • Sea angling is done for skate, ling, halibut, haddock and cod, and boats are available to hire for this The Orkney Sea Angling Association can provide more information

Key information

Orkney Campus