Burnhouse Self Catering, Hoy, Orkney
Tel: 01856 870058
Email: melfea@supanet.com Contact Form: Click Here

Although Hoy is the least densely populated of the inhabited islands there is still plenty to do.

With so much stunning scenery, there is a wide range of walks and plenty of cycling and fishing opportunities on Hoy. This makes Burnhouse the perfect location for an activity holiday.

Or you can simply relax and do nothing, enjoying the tranquility and sampling modern day island life. You will experience a castaway in comfort break from reality.

• Guided tours of Hoy are available from a local qualified guide in her or your vehicle.
• Four Bicycles are available for visitors to Burnhouse. Conduct your own cycle tour on the 30 miles of road in Hoy.
• If birdlife is your main interest, Hoy is an ornithologists paradise with a 3,925 ha RSPB reserve of sea cliffs and moorland on the doorstep of Burnhouse.
• Bring your own fishing equipment to catch your own loch trout for tea. There are no charges for this pleasure! Take home your catch to Burnhouse to prepare and enjoy.
• If you enjoy walking there are several well walked routes to the Old Man of Hoy via Rackwick. If you prefer things a little steeper, hike to the top of Ward Hill, the highest point in the county at 1570 feet. There are many inland or coastal walks to enjoy on a clear day. Facilities are available at Burnhouse to dry out should the weather or ground conditions be unfavourable.
• You can sample local cuisine in Hoy at either Stromabank Hotel, Longhope or Hoy Inn, 1/2 mile from Burnhouse.
• There are very few shops on Hoy, but the Longhope village shop will supply you with groceries, petrol and oil.

1. Ward Hill is Orkney's highest hill at 1570ft and from the summit every island in Orkney can be seen except the nearest, Rysa Little.
2. The Old Man of Hoy - a spectacular sight, the famous 450ft sea stack is a 3 hour walk (as a round trip) from Rackwick.
3. Rackwick, with it's magnificent beach of large round stones, and it's expanse of sand, Rackwick is a proven inspirational place for artists and writers of music and poetry.
4. The Dwarfie Stane is the only rock-cut tomb in Britain. It was once believed to be inhabited by a Dwarf, and is a three mile walk from Burnhouse
5. Berriedale Wood is the most northerly natural woodland in Britain; pollen analysis suggests that woodland of this type was widespread in Orkney around 5000BC.
6. St John's Head is the highest vertical cliff in Britain at 1128ft above sea level. The first climb took six days! Great care must be taken at the cliff edge.
7. Betty Corrigall's Grave is a lonely grave away from hallowed ground, on the parish boundary. It belongs to Betty Corrigall, a young girl took her own life, after being left pregnant by a visiting sailor last century.
8. Lyness was an important anchorage for the Royal Navy in Scapa Flow during both world wars. The pump house at Lyness naval base has been converted into an interpretation centre reliving the wartime history of the Scapa Flow.
9. Melsetter House was largely constructed in 1898 by the famous architect W.R.Lethaby and has one of the oldest gardens in Orkney. It is a private house with visits by appointment.
10. The Longhope Lifeboat Museum is situated at Brims in South Walls. The Longhope Lifeboat Station opened in 1834 and has saved 500 lives.
11. The Martello Towers are two towers which were constructed between 1813 and 1815 as protection from the Baltic convoys. In 1866 they were renovated and later were used in World War 1.