HOY

The island of Hoy, the second largest island within Orkney, is undoubtedly best known for the Old Man of Hoy – one of the most famous rock stacks around the British coastline.

The picturesque township of Rackwick is often considered one of the most beautiful places in the whole of the Orkney Islands. Flanked by awe-inspiring, towering cliffs and steep, heathery hills, Rackwick Valley rests nicely between, near a fine sand and boulder-covered beach.

Another major attraction on Hoy is the Lyness Naval Base and Interpretation Centre. The building offers details on the wartime history of Lyness told through newspaper cuttings, photographs, relics and a listening post.

The island is also the base for one of the most eagerly anticipated sporting events of the county – the annual Hoy Half Marathon, which takes this year on Sunday, June 16.

The Hoy ranger, who provides high quality information and guided walks, is the person who meets visitors to the island off the MV Graemsay. He will make sure visitors to the island are aware of safety issues as well as the needs of other land-users.

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Rackwick (Picture: Orkney Photographic)