The stunning shores of these UK islands has been compared to the Maldives (Image: Getty Images)
The UK is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes and coastal vistas, with some likened to the Maldives.
Orkney, also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of Scotland, comprising more than 70 islands, and is perhaps among the most striking parts of the coast. Around 20 of the islands are inhabited, with the main Orkney island, Pomona, home to the town of Kirkwall, which has its own airport, and Stromness, with the second-largest population.
Orkney is bordered by around 570 miles of coastline, many of which are hailed as the UK’s “most beautiful” beaches. One of which is Tresness and Cata Sand in Sanday, a secluded peninsula with clear water, pristine white sand and large dunes.
Lorraine Kelly has previously talked about her love for the islands (Image: Getty Images)
In Westray, Grobust Beach boasts incredible blue waters and golden sand amid rocky terrain, and the remains of an ancient Neolithic settlement are nearby. Another coastal highlight is the Sands of Evie Beach, with stretches of sand beach and clear turquoise waters on the mainland of Orkney.
The breathtaking beaches have been so highly praised that Scottish TV presenter, Lorraine Kelly, compared Orkney to the sugar-white sand and crystal-clear waters of the Maldives. “One of my favourite places is Orkney, where I’ve been going annually since 1985, and I still haven’t seen everything,” she previously told The Times.
“It’s fascinating if you’re interested in prehistory, with Skara Brae, a stone Neolithic settlement, Maeshowe tombs and wonderful ancient sites.”
Lorraine added: “I hosted the opening ceremony of the Orkney International Island Games last year, and the sun shone like it was the Maldives.”
Orkney Islands is made up of around 570 miles of stunning coastline (Image: Getty Images)
Recalling her time in Orkney, the TV presenter noted that visitors need to pack a “bikini and a balaclava”, explaining that it can be sunny in the morning and snowing by the afternoon. But that wouldn’t stop Lorraine from uphauling her life to one of the spectacular archipelago as she exclaimed, “It’s beautiful, and I would live there in a heartbeat.”
And it’s not just the beaches that make this part of the UK so striking. Aside from the charming main towns of Kirkwall and Stromnes on the mainland, there are small villages dotted around the larger islands.
There’s the village of Brinian, Pierowall, Lyness, Evie, Dounby and Cairston, along with small settlements like Hoxa, Rapness and Backaland, and the quaint harbour of Burwick. Around Orkney, there are also incredible landscapes and stretches of coast to explore, along with ancient landmarks, such as the Italian Chapel and St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.
Stromness is one of the towns in the Orkney Islands (Image: Getty Images)
You could even take a trip to the Highland Park Distillery or enjoy a wildlife tour around the islands. Whether you stay on the mainland or venture a little further afield to the smaller islands for a few days or weeks, Orkney is well worth a visit.
Flights are available from various destinations in Scotland, including Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness, with Loganair arriving in Kirkwall. Orkney is also accessible by boat through NorthLink Ferries and Pentland Ferries, with docks in Kirkwall, Stromness and Westray.
While it’s a little further afield, it’s certainly quicker and cheaper than a trip to the Maldives. Plus, during the summer months, there are connecting flights from London Heathrow to Kirkwall, as well as from Edinburgh and Glasgow.
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