"Maeshowe" Chambered Cairn, built about 5,000 years ago, is prehistoric architecture at its most impressive. It is one of Europe's finest chambered cairns. Stand within its confines and be mesmerised at how this awesome structure was so well built to such a grand scale with its complex architecture. Furthermore, the entrance to Maeshowe is aligned with the setting of the midwinter sun when, for a few days, the last rays of the sun shine along the entrance passageway illuminating the tomb's interior. That alone required a few years planning as well as the estimated 100,000 man hours needed in its construction.
Viking raiders broke into Maeshowe in the mid-12th century and left their marks in the form of early graffiti carved in runes over the main chamber's walls, leaving a story to be told.
At the nearby Stones of Stenness it is intriguing that two angular stones are focused on Maeshowe when looking between them.
Opening Hours: Visits are by guided tour only. Tickets can be booked at Skara Brae visitor centre on the same day of the tour. Visitors will be taken by coach to Maeshowe.
Tours leave Skara Brae at 10am, 12pm and 2pm.
The Barnhouse Standing Stone is situated in a field near Maeshowe Chambered Cairn and can be seen clearly from the main road. On a closer look, the monolith is covered in lichen and not as large as the Stennes giants not far away. Your inquisitive nature might set you...
The Stones of Stenness, possibly built more than 5 millenia, could be Britain's earliest henge monument. Standing at a maximum height of six metres, the sheer scale of the megaliths make the Stones of Stenness visible for miles around, dwarfing its near neighbour, the...
The Ring Of Brodgar, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as "The Heart of Neolithic Orkney", is a spectacular circle of standing stones situated in a large manually carved ditch or henge. The circle, at 104 metres diameter, is the third largest in the British...
The Orkney Folk Festival is centred around Stromness, the festival’s hometown in Orkney’s West Mainland. It is widely recognised as one of the most prolific and special folk festivals in Scotland, the UK and further afield. As such it is a firm fixture in both the...