The Ring of Brodgar Orkney is one of the most iconic sites to visit on the Scottish islands.
The impressive circle of stones between lochs is fascinating.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit: tips, map, photos…
Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Scotland:
My favorite platform to rent a car in Scotland: DiscoverCars
The unmissable boat tour: Seal spotting on Loch Linnhe from Fort William
My favorite excursion from Edinburgh: Glenfinnan and Glencoe
My favorite places to stay:
- Edinburgh: see best rated hotels – e.g. Balmoral Hotel
- Glencoe: see best rated hotels – e.g. The Glencoe House Hotel
- Portree: see best rated hotels – e.g. The Cuillin Hills Hotel
- Inverness: see best rated hotels – e.g. Kingsmills Hotel
Why visit the Ring of Brodgar on Mainland Orkney?
The Ring of Brodgar is a fascinating place not to be missed.
- It is one of the largest Neolithic stone circles (circular enclosures) in Britain (the most famous being Stonehenge).
- It is located on a thin strip of land between Loch Sternness and Loch Harray (called the Ness of Brodgar).
- It is part of the Unesco World Heritage “Heart of Neolithic Orkney” with the Standing Stones of Stenness, the Skara Brae Neolithic settlement and Maeshowe.
Just look at it. No words can explain why better than pictures…
Below is a short video to give you an idea of what your visit could look like – get a virtual tour!
Definitively, one of the must-visit on the Orkney islands. Don’t you think?
About the name
Some maps refer to it as Brogar but the agreed spelling currently is Brodgar.
There is a record of it in year 1563 referred to as “Broager”. Therefore, it is likely that this local pronunciation led to the gradual inclusion of a “d” in the written form.
More photos after the planning tips.
Planning Tips & Maps – The Ring of Brodgar, Orkney, Scotland
How to get to the Ring of Brodgar location
- Orkney can be reached by ferry from mainland Scotland at Scrabster (2h)
- It is located on Mainland Orkney (the main island)
- On the South West part of the island
- Stromness to the Ring of Brodgar = 10 min drive via A965
- Kirkwall to the Ring of Brodgar = 20 min drive via A965
- Below is map where you can locate the ring as #3
My complete map with all my favorite locations is available on my Travel Guide (that simplifies the planning of your road trip):
Plan your dream trip in Scotland thanks to my guide
- 15 maps to easily plan your itinerary
- 170+ pre-selected locations
- GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
- Tips to make the most of your time
- 170+ original photos to help you choose
Visit Tips
- Opening hours – Open all day
- Price – Free access
- The site is protected in some area to prevent degradation. Please stay on the path
- Walking difficulty – The carpark is close by and the path to reach the circle easy and well-maintained
- Facilities – none
- How long – Plan 30 min to several hours depending on how fascinated you are
- Best time – Great location for both sunrise and sunset
Where to stay on Mainland Orkney
Most Orkney accommodations are in the main towns:
- Stromness is small, close to the ferry and charming – Check out the accommodations in Stromness
- Kirkwall is bigger and more lively – Check out the accommodations in Kirkwall
- But you can also find accommodation more isolated in guesthouses and farms if you want a more peaceful experience – check out all accommodations on the Orkney islands
Walk to the Ring of Brodgar Scotland
From the carpark, a path has been set up for easy access to the Brodgar stone circle.
As you can see on the picture below it is a good surface with a slight slope up to the ring.
Displays have been added for visitors to learn more about this fascinating location.
Barriers have been added around some of the stones to prevent degradation with all the people walking on the mound.
It is a fragile land that is exposed to the elements.
Orkney Ring of Brodgar – facts & history
History
- Archeologists do not know exactly how old Brodgar is.
- They think it probably dates back to the late Neolithic period – between 2500BC and 2000BC
- And they think it is one of the last Neolithic monuments to have been built on the Ness of Brodgar.
- At the moment there is no stone in the circle, but the interior has never been excavated by archeologists
- The Ring was taken under state care in 1906
- It was listed as a Heritage Site by the Unesco in 1999
The Ring of Brodgar in Numbers
- Almost perfect circle (the only one in Britain that is so circular)
- Diameter = 104 meters (341ft)
- Height of the stones – from 7 ft (2.1m) to over 15ft (4.7m)
- Surrounded by a 10m wide ditch
- May originally have been a circle of 60 stones
- Number of stones – 36 stones are still in the circle today (13 were re-erected after the Stone Ring came into State care) – 27 are standing today.
- Age = Believed to be between 4000 and 4500 years old
What was the ring of Brodgar used for?
It is thought that the Ring was used as a meeting place for ceremonies possibly involving feasting and commemorating the dead. It sits in a natural amphitheater surrounded by hills and flanked on either side by Lochs Harray and Stenness making it a very public location. However, the center of the henge itself may have been an especially sacred place, with access limited only to certain people.
The location
It is easy to understand why all those sites were built in that area.
With the small hills making an amphitheater and the isthmus between the waters of 2 lochs, there is something magical about the location.
On one side you can see Loch Stenness and on the other, Loch Harray.
Ring of Brodgar runes
Some runes have been carved in one of the stones (on the 3rd stone clockwise from one of the entrances to the circle).
They are twig-runes. They were found in 1907 while re-erecting one of the stones.
There is no consensus about their translation. One theory is that it reads a personal name.
I don’t drink coffee 
But I also like other drinks and sweets!
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The Orkney Stone Circle in pictures
Before showing you more detailed photos of the stones, below are pictures to appreciate the circular shape and the alignment of the stones.
The Standing Stones of Brodgar
First, the ring is made of standing stones. But don’t mix them up with the Standing Stones of Stenness (that are older but not far away) – see my other article.
Let’s have a closer look at the standing stones.
Size of the Stones
Below are pictures with people to show you the height of the stones. In terms of height the Standing Stones of Stenness are more impressive, but the circle formation makes the Brodgar site more fascinating.
The tallest ones are on the South part of the circle.
The split stone
This stone was struck by lightning on the 5th June 1980 causing it to shatter.
Such events may also have occurred in earlier times and might account for the damaged state of several other stones in the Ring:
The Comet Stone
140m from the Ring, you can also see a monolith called the Comet Stone.It is 5ft 9in tall (1,74m). It was probably part of a group of stones.
Want to see more? Here are other amazing things to do in Orkney:
- The impressive Standing Stones of Stenness – read article
- The pink St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall – read article
- The Earl’s and Bishop palaces – read article
- The Broch of Gurness by the sea – read article
- The ancient village of Skara Brae – read article
- The beautiful Yesnaby Cliffs – read article
- Or enjoy my complete article about the best things to do in Orkney
Planning a trip to Scotland? Check out my travel guide to help you plan it:
Plan your dream trip in Scotland thanks to my guide
- 15 maps to easily plan your itinerary
- 170+ pre-selected locations
- GPS coordinates direct to the carparks
- Tips to make the most of your time
- 170+ original photos to help you choose
And keep track of your own trip!
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Very well-done site!
We may not be able to join an excursion from our cruise stop in Kirkwall in a few weeks, and therefore wondering if you can recommend a tour that we could do on our own or with another couple. We dock at 9am and depart at 4pm, so we could be available let’s say from around 10am until 3pm, but it doesn’t necessarily have to fill the entire time. Thanks very much for any recommendations that you might have.
Thanks George
I think your best option would be to rent a car for the day. Things are so close that even with the wasted time renting, you can see all the main sites. Driving to those sites is really easy. But don’t forget your International license!
Or if you are 4 a taxi tour may be at a reasonable price: http://www.craigiestaxis.co.uk/
Have a great trip!