Brough of Birsay

At low tide (check tide times at the shop in Earl’s Palace) you can walk out to the Brough of Birsay, about 0.75 miles northwest of the Earl’s Palace. This windswept island is the site of extensive Norse ruins, including a number of longhouses and the 12th-century St Peter’s Church.

There’s also a replica of a Pictish stone which was found here, carved with an eagle and human figures. St Magnus was buried here after his murder on Egilsay in 1117, and the island was a place of pilgrimage until a few centuries ago. You can continue across the headland to the attractive lighthouse, built in 1925, which has fantastic views along the coast.