Bishop’s Palace and Earl’s Palace in the centre of Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland. (Von robnaw)

For anyone as obsessed with Viking history as I am, a visit to Orkney is a must. There are 70 Orkney Islands situated north of the Scottish Highlands where the Atlantic Ocean meets the North Sea. In other words, Viking territory. Though it is currently part of Scotland, Orkney spent much of its past with close connections to the Norse kingdoms that dominated the northern seas throughout the Middle Ages.

While visiting the northern island of Orkney, I always stay in Kirkwall. The town began as a Norse settlement in the 11th century, as evidenced by the name: Kirkjuvágr is Old Norse for “Church Bay.” It is a suitable name for a town built around a church.

My first stop after walking the narrow downtown streets is the open square where Saint Magnus Cathedral is on display. In contrast to the town’s gray slate structures, the cathedral stands out in a vibrant red sandstone. Founded in 1137 by the local Viking jarl, it honors Orkney’s native peace-loving saint and former Earl of Orkney who was written about in the “Orkeyinga Saga.” Inside, I walk past the pillar where Magnus’s bones are interred. I wander the echoing space under the high vaulted ceiling and side galleries to see the sometimes-macabre carvings and epitaphs of medieval burials along the walls.

Saint Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney (Kat Nickola)

Saint Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney (Kat Nickola)

Remains of Saint Magnus at Saint Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney (Kat Nickola)

Burial chambers at Saint Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney (Kat Nickola)

Saint Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall, Orkney (Kat Nickola)

Across the street, I visit the Bishop’s Palace. It was built in the early 1100s in typical Norwegian style when this Viking village was entering its prime as the seat to the Earldom of Orkney. The palace is a ruin, but it’s fun to explore the nooks and crannies and to climb the hidden spiral stairs up to the tower for a view over town. It is connected to the Earl’s Palace, which is a ‘new’ extension added in the 1600s.

Remains of the Bishop’s Palace, Kirkwall, Orkney (Kat Nickola)

Remains of the Earl’s Palace, Kirkwall, Orkney (Kat Nickola)

Remains of the Bishop’s Palace, Kirkwall, Orkney (Kat Nickola)

Later, I hop in my rental car to traverse the island out to Birsay, the original power center for Orkney’s Viking jarldom and home to the first St. Magnus Church which is still a pilgrimage site. The Saint Magnus Way is a 58-mile route across Mainland where I can take in historical sites related to the saint.

After consulting the tide schedule, I had a couple of hours to walk out to the Brough of Birsay, which is only accessible at low tide. I wander the ruins of the former Viking village. Then, I trudge uphill to the far side of the island to take in the impressive view over the expanse of the North Atlantic Ocean from the clifftops.

Causeway to the Brough of Birsay during low tide (Kat Nickola)

Remains of Viking village at the Brough of Birsay (Kat Nickola)

Carved runic stone at the Brough of Birsay (Kat Nickola)

Remains of a Viking village at the Brough of Birsay, Orkney (Kat Nickola)

Diverging from the history of the Scottish mainland, Orkney was a haven for Viking settlers who never left. Norse elites held control here until 1468, and the jarls managed large manor farms across the islands. Some of these former estates can be visited, like the one at the Brough of Deerness where over 30 Viking-era buildings have been found. There is another ruinous manor located at the Orkneyinga Saga Center, where an impressively home-made family tree of Orkney Vikings is on display.

If you are super-commited, its easy to take the car ferry to the island of Rousay from the ferry terminal at Tingwall. On Rousay, drive west out of the terminal along the main road until you find the parking for the Midhowe Neolithic tomb and Iron Age Broch site. You’ll have to trek downhill to the shoreline to reach Midhowe, and from there walk eastward along the coastline to the Skaill Farm archaeological site. It is here that you can see the remains of an earl’s hall and the manor farm that continued to be used for a long time afterward.

Orkney’s Viking Earl geneology at the Orkneyinga Saga Center (Kat Nickola)

Remains of a Viking settlement at the Orkneyinga Saga Center (Kat Nickola)

Rousay, Skaill Farm in the distance (Kat Nickola)

Skaill Farm, Rousay (Kat Nickola)

Skaill Farm, Rousay (Kat Nickola)

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The Norse even left their mark on prehistoric sites that they discovered dotting the landscape. A visit to the Neolithic burial mound at Maeshowe not only features a 5,000-year-old site, but the graffiti from Viking visitors. Most of the carvings are Norse runes and tell of conquests and love interests, but there is also a beautifully intricate image of a dragon. The dragon is often used in artwork, jewelry and souvenirs from Orkney because it encapsulates the crossover between the ancient past, the Viking past and the Orkney of today.

Maeshowe Neolithic mound, Orkney (Kat Nickola)

Sketch of the Maeshowe dragon carving (Farrar, “Maeshowe” 1862)