ORKNEY'S 'five star' tourist attractions have helped it become named as the 'best Scottish island amongst British visitors.
The archipelago of over 70 islands and skerries, of which 20 are permanently inhabited, was rated number one in a survey involving over 1000 people in the UK judging Scotland's islands in terms of hotel pricing, beaches, food and drink, accommodation, tourist attractions, scenery and shopping. They also rated islands on peace and quiet, ease of travel and value for money.
While Scotland’s waters are home to approximately 800 islands, the consumer organisation Which survey rated only 14.
Which said that this highlighted how undiscovered and uninhabited many of them still are.
And of the 14 that received enough visitors to be ranked in the survey, 10 received an impressive visitor score of 80 per cent or more.
Many of Scotland’s islands, including Orkney, are currently under Level 1 coronavirus restrictions, which means visitors can freely travel to the islands unless they are in Glasgow which is in Level 3, or under other tiered restrictions across the rest of the UK.
Orkney took the top spot in the table with visitors awarding it a score of 88 per cent.
The island was the only one in the survey to receive five stars for its tourist attractions, with visitors speaking highly of its many prehistoric sites and archaeology.
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Some of the most frequently cited highlights included the Italian Chapel and the stone-built Neolithic settlement Skara Brae. Also rated highly was the “spectacular” Neolithic henge and stone circle Ring of Brodgar.
The islands, ten miles of the coast of Caithness were also praised for their “beautiful” scenery and friendly locals, while others cited its remoteness as its main attraction.
One was particularly impressed by the “miles and miles of secluded sandy beaches with no-one in sight".
In second place was Shetland, with a score of 86 per cent.
Of its 100 or so islands, only 16 are inhabited, which could go some way to explaining its five-star rating for peace and quiet.
Which said: "This, combined with the fact it is closer to the Arctic Circle than it is to London, might lead some to think it could be difficult to reach – but the island was given four stars for ease of travel."
The islands also received four stars for the scenery, tourist attractions and shopping, meaning most travellers will be well catered to.
Harris, Islay and Mull each received a visitor score of 85 per cent, putting them in joint third place.
Harris received five stars for both its beaches and its scenery, as well as for peace and quiet, with Which saying this makes making it the perfect destination for anyone looking to escape to the great outdoors.
Islay, known for its distillery tours and whisky tasting, also received five stars for peace and quiet, as well as four stars for its food and drink.
But Which says it is not just for its whisky though, with fishing another mainstay of the island, meaning visitors can enjoy fresh seafood or fish and chips from many of the island’s restaurants.
While Mull only scored three stars for tourist attractions, food and drink, and shopping, according to the survey, the main attraction was its five-star scenery, made up of white-sand bays fringed with wildflower-rich grassland, and pink granite skerries scattered across the sea.
Only one island in the survey received a score that dipped below 70 per cent, which Which said was largely down to it being seen as a stepping stone between North and South Uist. Benbecula received a visitor score of 67 per cent, but still received four stars for its beaches and its peace and quiet.
While it only received three stars for scenery, visitors still spoke warmly of its beaches and landscape, with its wildlife and birdwatching being praised by a number of those in the survey.
The Inner Hebrides island of Iona, famed for its abbey, which was a centre of Gaelic monasticism for three centuries, was the only island to get a one-star rating across the ten categories - for shopping.
Rory Boland, Which travel editor said: “After more than a year of restrictions that have seen most of us confined to our homes, many of us will be craving a holiday featuring beautiful scenery, grand landscapes, and the peace and quiet to soak it all in. The Scottish islands have all of this in abundance, making many of them a brilliant choice for a UK holiday this summer.
“You’ll need to pack for all seasons, and be prepared for a bit of travelling to get there – but when you do, you’ll be glad you made the effort. Just be sure to book with an accommodation provider that will allow you to freely change or cancel your booking at short notice, should coronavirus restrictions change and prevent you from travelling as planned.”
Which advised that anyone planning to visit one of the islands should check the restrictions in place at the time they are due to travel, and only book with a provider that will allow them to rebook or cancel for a refund if they cannot travel as a result of government restrictions.
The Scottish government is also encouraging anyone planning on travelling to one of Scotland's islands to take a coronavirus test before they do to reduce the risk of the virus being brought into island communities. Visitors are recommended to get tested three days before travelling and then again on the day of departure.
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