This is a 1 km walk from the Harbour in Kirkwall to outside the Orkney Hotel in Victoria Street.
Kirkwall is the capital of Orkney. The name Kirkwall comes from the word Kirkjuvagr, or “church bay” in Old Norse. The Norse came here in the early 9th century and for about 500 years Orkney was ruled by Norse Earls. Orkney became part of Scotland in 1468. Kirkwall or Kirkjuvagr is first mentioned in the Orkneyinga Saga which tells how Earl Rognvald Brusison built a church here and dedicated it to his foster father, King Olaf of Norway, who was killed at a battle at Stiklastad in 1030.
On 17 May Orkney celebrates Norwegian Constitution Day and at Christmas a Norwegian tree is lit outside the Cathedral. Orkney has been twinned with Vestland in Norway since 1983.
Many links to Norway can be explored on this Eurowalk around Kirkwall, the largest town and capital of the Orkney Islands. There are also links to Italy, Poland, Germany and France to be found.
If you know of more places we should add to the route please get in touch with us.
Please note: This self-guided walk, entirely along public footpaths and in buildings open to the public, is undertaken at your own risk.
