Night Driving on Orkney?

On our trip 8 years ago, we’d gone to Stromness town for dinner and a storytelling session, then drove back to our B&B in Kirkwall afterwards, at night. It was no trouble, but of course we’d driven from Kirkwall earlier that day. No sheep in the road, easy to stay between the lines on the pavement, and we took it slow enough to keep it from becoming a stressful drive. I’d think you’d do well, too, as long as your sisters remained calm for the drive.

Same trip, we drove north at night from South Ronaldsay back to Kirkwall, Thank goodness for High Beam headlights! When we arrived the first time, by ferry from Shetland at 11PM, the B&B owner met us at the docks, and drove us to his place. We picked up our rental car the next day, but we had it easy, not even having to think about how to get to the place. Can your B&B person possibly give you route tips to make your drive as easy as possible?

Thank you Cyn,
I have sent a message to the B&B owner so hopefully she will also have some good advice. Sounds like you had an easy enough time - with the high beams!
Thanks

Yes and you'll be fine. I did it, oh, 12 years or so ago now.

Yes, you will be fine. It's a small place and friendly. So even if you get a bit turned around your B&B host will help you out. My sister has a great story about a trip she and her husband took to Orkney. They were driving on South Ronaldsay leaving the Eagle's Tomb and her husband got distracted by scenery, dogs, conversation, who knows and forgot he was on a narrow Scottish road and they found themselves in the ditch. The local dog that had been following them veered back to the office and before you know there was help to pull them out. My sister and her husband were all apologetic, but the comment back was, "Act, Wee Ronnie's rental car has been in that ditch before, don't fash yourself." Pam

We've done this and didn't have any problems. The B&B owner gave us directions to find our accommodation. Theyare well used to people arriving late at night off the ferry. I've also found the Orcahadians really friendly people and willing to help.

The roads on Ornkey are some of the best maintained in Scotland, mostly single carriageway with one lane in each direction divided by paint. So there is not a problem with the quality of the roads. The resident population is also quite small, just over 22,000 people so the roads tend to be fairly quiet. I've found Orkney a joy to drive.

Also at night after the cruise ship passengers have gone back to the motherships, it gets noticeably quieter still. On thing to remember as well is Orkney is quite far north, in summer the days are long. In June sunrise is around 0400, sunset around 2200, so depending when you arrive it is could still be light.

Thank you everyone. We feel so much better. We'll be taking the evening ferry which gives us more time to enjoy the drive from Ullapool.