On the far northern edge of the Orkney archipelago lies North Ronaldsay — a flat, windswept, quietly remarkable island surrounded by the Atlantic and steeped in history. Known for its ancient seaweed-eating sheep, a world-renowned bird observatory, and Scotland’s tallest land-based lighthouse, it offers a rare combination of natural wonder and human tradition. At once remote and deeply connected to the rhythms of the sea and sky, North Ronaldsay is a place like no other.
Getting To North Ronaldsay: By Air or Sea
North Ronaldsay is Orkney’s most northerly island, and getting there is an adventure in itself. Most visitors arrive via Kirkwall, the main town on Orkney Mainland. From there, the easiest route is a Loganair flight — one of the shortest scheduled flights in the world, taking around 15 minutes in a tiny aircraft. Flights land on the island’s small airstrip, which is just a short walk from the observatory and most accommodation.
Alternatively, a ferry service runs from Kirkwall, but it’s less frequent and takes several hours. Like many of Scotland’s island services, both flights and ferries are weather-dependent, so it’s wise to plan for flexibility and carry essentials in hand luggage.
The North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory
Founded in 1987, the North Ronaldsay Bird Observatory (NRBO) is the beating heart of the island’s birding culture and a key part of international migration research. Its location at the crossroads of North Sea and Atlantic flyways makes it one of the best places in Britain to witness rare and migratory birds — from Arctic terns and snow buntings to rarities blown in from Siberia or North America.
The observatory is staffed during the birding season (usually April to October) by a small, passionate team who monitor daily migrations, ring birds, and welcome visitors keen to learn or contribute. There’s a guesthouse-style hostel on site, with comfortable en-suite rooms, a shared kitchen, lounge, and dining room, where birders and nature lovers swap sightings over tea or evening meals. Guests are often invited to help spot or record birds, and many return year after year for the mix of scientific engagement and wild island calm.
Birds of the Island
North Ronaldsay is a birdwatcher’s paradise. With open fields, freshwater lochs, rocky shores, and a sea-facing position, it attracts huge numbers of migrant and breeding birds each year. Common visitors include:
- Waders such as redshank, ringed plover, and sanderling
- Seabirds including Arctic skuas, great skuas, terns, and fulmars
- Songbirds and warblers during migration, with rarities recorded annually
- Winter flocks of snow buntings and twite, and occasional appearances from barnacle geese and whooper swans
The flat, open terrain makes spotting easy, and with virtually no trees, even small birds are visible against the sky or fence lines. It’s one of the few places in the UK where you might walk into a rare bird before anyone has logged it.
The Seaweed-Eating Sheep and the Stone Wall
Perhaps the island’s most famous residents aren’t the birds — but the North Ronaldsay sheep. These ancient, small and hardy sheep are genetically distinct and found only here. What makes them unique is their diet: unlike any other domesticated sheep, they live entirely on seaweed, grazing the rocky shoreline at low tide.
To preserve this odd habit, the entire island has been ringed by a 13-mile-long dry stone wall, known as the sheep dyke. Built in the early 1800s, the wall keeps the sheep on the shore and out of the inland pastures, which are reserved for cattle and crops. It’s an extraordinary sight — this continuous, waist-high barrier snaking around the island, separating land from sea — and a powerful symbol of human cooperation with nature.
Sheep are counted, clipped, and cared for by local crofters and volunteers. The sheep are never fed hay or grain, and their wool is unusually soft and oily, naturally adapted to salty conditions.
The Wool Mill and Local Industry
In recent years, North Ronaldsay wool has seen a revival, thanks to a small wool mill on the island that processes fleece into yarn, knitting kits, and textiles. Visitors can learn about the traditional wool industry, see the fleece being sorted and spun, and even purchase products made entirely from seaweed-fed sheep — a rare and ethical fibre with a strong story.
The wool is low-impact, locally produced, and closely tied to the island’s culture and identity. Knitting kits feature traditional patterns, and local makers take pride in every skein. For knitters and craft lovers, this is a must-visit destination.
The Lighthouse and Historic Tower
On the northeast point of the island stands the North Ronaldsay Lighthouse, the tallest land-based lighthouse in the British Isles, reaching 42 metres. Built in 1854 by Alan Stevenson, it is an elegant, tapering tower of red and white sandstone, still active today and run by the Northern Lighthouse Board.
Next to it stands the Old Beacon, a historic lighthouse tower built in 1789 — one of the oldest surviving lighthouses in Scotland. Though no longer lit, it’s a poignant landmark, set against vast skies and open sea. Both towers reflect the island’s long relationship with maritime navigation and the dangers of these northern waters.
Wrecks and Island History
North Ronaldsay has seen its share of shipwrecks. With reefs and strong tides, many vessels have met their end on the rocks. Local stories tell of salvaged goods, tragic losses, and dramatic rescues — including episodes where islanders rowed out in storms to save crews clinging to wreckage.
The island has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Chambered cairns and standing stones hint at Neolithic settlements, while Norse place names and archaeological finds show long Viking influence. In the 19th century, North Ronaldsay was a vibrant crofting community with over 500 residents. Today, there are around 50 full-time residents, keeping alive traditions of crofting, wool-making, birding, and storytelling, often combining multiple roles.
Visiting Today
Tourism remains low-key but growing. The bird observatory is the best place to stay for those interested in wildlife and island life. There are also a few B&Bs, holiday cottages, and a community-run shop, as well as local guides who can take you on walks or sheep tours. The pace of life is slow, the air is salt-sweet and clean, and the roads are quiet enough that you’ll likely share them with more birds than people.
A walk around the island takes most of a day, following the shore past reefs, sheep dyke, croft houses and wind-swept headlands. The sense of space is immense, and the horizon — whether filled with migrating geese, storm clouds, or the glint of a lighthouse — is ever-changing.
Why Go?
North Ronaldsay is a rare kind of place. It offers not just scenery, but a living cultural landscape, where sheep still graze the tide line, birds outnumber people, and the lighthouse keeps watch over all. It is a place to slow down, to watch the sky, to listen for birdsong, and to feel connected to something older and deeper than the rush of the mainland.
Whether you’re a birder chasing rarities, a fibre lover seeking rare wool, or simply someone curious about life on the edge, North Ronaldsay welcomes you — gently, quietly, and in its own time.