Maeshowe Chambered Cairn Orkney - Photos and Practical Info

Looking like a big bump in a field, the Maeshowe Chambered Cairn is a 4700 years old stone tomb. It is considered one of Europe's finest Neolithic Buildings. Access is limited and pre-booking is required. Learn more below.

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INFO & PLANNING TIPS - Maeshowe Chambered Cairn

This Maeshowe Chambered Cairn is a chambered stone tomb. It was built 4700 years ago so that the midwinter sun shines along its entrance passage.

The Maeshowe Chambered Cairn is part of the Unesco Heritage site the 'Neolithic Heart of Orkney' with the Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae and The Standing Stones of Stenness.

TIPS FOR TRAVEL PLANNING ADDICTS

How to get to Maeshowe Chambered Cairn

Maeshowe is in the hear of Mainland Orkney not far from the Stones of Stenness
Parking is along A965 between Stromness and Kirkwall at the Tormiston Mill which also house the visitor center
10 min drive from Stromness
15 min drive from Kirkwall

Visiting Maeshowe Chambered Cairn

Only possible with pre-booking
Access is via small groups only (pre-defined time) - meeting at the Tormiston Mill Visitor Center
Maeshowe Opening hours Apr to Sept: 10am to 5pm - winter: 10am to 4pm - check out for special closures here
£9 entrance for adults
Toilets at the visitor center
Photos are not allowed inside the Cairn

Maeshowe Booking

Most people wonder how to book a Maeshowe tour. So after checking several informaiton you can do a Meashowe reservation with one of the following options:

go the the Tormiston Mill Visitor center while on Orkney island - but you run the risk of all tours being full, especially in Summer
Call the Visitor center directly - +44(0)1856761606
You can try emailing but response rate varies - [email protected]
You can ask your hotel on Orkney to book it for you

Tormiston Mill and Maeshowe Visitor Center

For your visit Park at the Tormiston Mill. From the Parking you can see the mound in the field accross the road.

This watermill was probably built in the 1880s. Inside is a small museum.

Maeshowe Chambered Cairn from the outside

From the outside, you can guess a structure is under it but it does not look like much.

However imagine that this has been built almost 5000 years ago, which means before the pyramids. The Central chamber is 4.7m in diameter, the passage is 10m long. And there are huge standing stones at each corner.

Inside the Maeshowe Tomb

It is estimated that the Maeshowe Chambered Cairn was used as a burial tomb for several hundred years before being closed.

It was then discovered and open 3000 years later by the Norsemen (descendants of the Vikings) who added their runes on the walls.

Therefore this site is also the largest collection of runes outside Scandinavia.

Inside the Maeshowe Tomb

There was so much to see that I have not been able to visit the site. I had to choose and a organized tour would have limited my movements around the islands.

Anyway I woudl not have been able to share pictures as photos are not allowed inside.

To help you decide if you want to visit, below are a couple of photos from other photographers and a film about the site.