Editing Orkney (section)

==Islands==
{{Main|List of Orkney islands}}

===The Mainland===
{{Main|Mainland, Orkney}}
[[File:Stromness 2.jpg|thumb|alt=Stone houses crowd around a shore, the gable ends facing the water, with green hills beyond.|[[Stromness]] on the Mainland is the second-largest settlement in Orkney.]]

The Mainland is the largest island of Orkney. Both of Orkney's [[burgh]]s, [[Kirkwall]] and [[Stromness]], are on this island, which is also the heart of Orkney's transport system, with [[ferry]] and air connections to the other islands and to the outside world. The island is more heavily populated (75% of Orkney's population) than the other islands and has much fertile [[Farmland (farming)|farmland]]. The Mainland is split into areas called East and West Mainland. These areas are determined by whether they lie east or west of Kirkwall. The bulk of the mainland lies west of Kirkwall, with comparatively little land east of Kirkwall.<ref>Haswell-Smith (2004) pp. 354–363.</ref><ref name=OS/>
West Mainland parishes are:
[[Stromness (parish)|Stromness]], Sandwick, Birsay, Harray, Stenness, Orphir, Evie, Rendall and Firth.
East Mainland Parishes are:
St Ola, Tankerness, St Andrews, Holm and Deerness.<ref name=NLS/>

The island is mostly low-lying (especially East Mainland) but with coastal cliffs to the north and west and two sizeable lochs: the [[Loch of Harray]] and the [[Loch of Stenness]]. The Mainland contains the remnants of numerous [[Neolithic]], [[Picts|Pictish]] and [[Viking]] constructions.<ref name=OS/> Four of the main Neolithic sites are included in the [[Heart of Neolithic Orkney]] [[World Heritage Site]], inscribed in 1999.<ref>[https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/514bis “Heart of Neolithic Orkney”.] UNESCO. Retrieved 18 May 2025.</ref>

The other islands in the group are classified as north or south of the Mainland. Exceptions are the remote islets of [[Sule Skerry]] and [[Sule Stack]], which lie {{convert|60|km|mi|0}} west of the archipelago, but form part of Orkney for local government purposes.<ref name=OS/> In island names, the [[suffix]] "a" or "ay" represents the Norse ''ey'', meaning "island". Those described as "[[Holm (island)|holms]]" are very small.<ref>Gammeltoft, Peder (2010) "[http://www.medievalists.net/2011/01/18/shetland-and-orkney-island-names-%E2%80%93-a-dynamic-group/ Shetland and Orkney Island-Names – A Dynamic Group]". ''Northern Lights, Northern Words''. Selected Papers from the FRLSU Conference, Kirkwall 2009, edited by Robert McColl Millar.</ref>

===The North Isles===
[[File:NR sheep.jpg|thumb|right|[[North Ronaldsay sheep]] are a [[feral|semi-feral]] breed that has evolved to eat seaweed.<ref name=SheepCentre>{{cite web|url=http://www.sheepcentre.co.uk/sheep_breeds.htm|publisher=Seven Sisters Sheep Centre|work=Sheep Breeds|title=Sheep Breeds: North Ronaldsay|access-date=23 April 2009|archive-date=25 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425140946/http://sheepcentre.co.uk/sheep_breeds.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> Their unique genetic inheritance makes them of interest to conservationists.<ref name="Lawson et al. 2007.">{{cite journal| journal=Heredity |year=2007 |volume=99 |issue=6 |pages=620–631 |title= Genetic structure of European sheep breeds|doi=10.1038/sj.hdy.6801039|pmid=17700634 |last1=Lawson Handley |first1=L-J |last2=Byrne |first2=K. |last3=Santucci |first3=F. |last4=Townsend |first4=S. |last5=Taylor |first5=M. |last6=Bruford |first6=M. W. |last7=Hewitt |first7=G. M. |doi-access=free }}</ref>]]

The northern group of islands is the most extensive and consists of a large number of moderately sized islands, linked to the Mainland by ferries and by air services. Farming, fishing and tourism are the main sources of income for most of the islands.<ref name=HS/><ref name=OS/>

The most northerly is [[North Ronaldsay]], which lies {{convert|4|km|mi|0}} beyond its nearest neighbour, [[Sanday, Orkney|Sanday]]. To the west is [[Westray]], which has a population of 550. It is connected by ferry and air to [[Papa Westray]], also known as "Papay". [[Eday]] is at the centre of the North Isles. The centre of the island is [[moorland]] and the island's main industries have been peat extraction and [[limestone]] [[quarry]]ing.<ref name=HS/>

[[Rousay]], [[Egilsay]] and [[Gairsay]] lie north of the west Mainland across the [[Eynhallow Sound]]. Rousay is well known for its ancient monuments, including the Quoyness [[chambered cairn]] and Egilsay has the ruins of the only round-towered church in Orkney. [[Wyre, Orkney|Wyre]] to the south-east contains the site of Cubbie Roo's castle. [[Stronsay]] and [[Papa Stronsay]] lie much further to the east across the Stronsay Firth. [[Auskerry]] is south of Stronsay and has a population of only five. [[Shapinsay]] and its [[Balfour Castle]] are a short distance north of Kirkwall.<ref name=HS/>

Other small uninhabited islands in the North Isles group include [[Calf of Eday]], [[Damsay]], [[Eynhallow]], [[Faray]], [[Helliar Holm]], [[Holm of Faray]], [[Holm of Huip]], [[Holm of Papa]], [[Holm of Scockness]], [[Kili Holm]], [[Linga Holm]], [[Muckle Green Holm]], [[Rusk Holm]] and [[Sweyn Holm]].<ref name=HS/><ref name=OS/>

[[File:Hoy Lighthouse RLH.jpg|thumb|upright|alt= A tall white lighthouse with a brown stripe around the parapet and dark coloured lantern sits on a rocky shore. A white wall obscures the lower floor of grey stone buildings gathered around its base.|[[Hoy Lighthouse|Hoy High Lighthouse]] on [[Graemsay]]]]

===The South Isles===
The southern group of islands surrounds [[Scapa Flow]]. [[Hoy, Orkney|Hoy]], to the west, is the second largest of the Orkney Isles and [[Ward Hill, Hoy|Ward Hill]] at its northern end is the highest elevation in the archipelago. The [[Old Man of Hoy]] is a well-known [[Stack (geology)|seastack]]. [[Graemsay]] and [[Flotta]] are both linked by ferry to the Mainland and Hoy, and the latter is known for its large oil terminal. [[South Walls]] has a 19th-century [[Martello tower]] and is connected to Hoy by the Ayre.<ref name=HS/>
[[Burray]] lies to the east of Scapa Flow and is linked by causeway to South Ronaldsay, which hosts cultural events such as the Festival of the Horse and the Boys' [[Ploughing Match]] on the third Saturday in August.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orkneyjar.com/tradition/festivalofhorse.htm|title=The Festival of the Horse and the Boys' Ploughing Match|publisher=Orknejyar|access-date=6 April 2012|archive-date=16 November 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111116053040/http://www.orkneyjar.com/tradition/festivalofhorse.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> It is also the location of the Neolithic [[Tomb of the Eagles]]. South Ronaldsay, Burray, [[Glimps Holm]], and [[Lamb Holm]] are connected by road to the Mainland by the [[Churchill Barriers]].<ref name=HS/>

Uninhabited South Islands include [[Calf of Flotta]], [[Cava (island)|Cava]], [[Copinsay]], [[Corn Holm]], [[Fara, Orkney|Fara]], [[Glimps Holm]], [[Hunda]], [[Lamb Holm]], [[Rysa Little]], [[Switha]] and [[Swona]]. The [[Pentland Skerries]] lie further south, closer to the Scottish mainland.<ref name=HS/><ref name=OS/>