Skara Brae
Sandwick, United Kingdom
A Neolithic village of stone houses, complete with beds and dressers, uncovered by a storm in 1850 on the Bay of Skaill. Historic Environment Scotland runs it with a visitor centre and fee; book ahead in summer.
Skara Brae lies on the Bay of Skaill on the west coast of Mainland, Orkney. In the winter of 1850 a severe storm exposed the outline of a village of small, roofless stone houses. According to radiocarbon dating, the settlement was occupied from roughly 3200 to 2500 BC. Nine or ten houses survive today, depending on how they are counted, some with walls still standing. Seven of them share a similar stone layout: a central hearth, beds on either side and a dresser opposite the entrance. Skara Brae has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Heart of Neolithic Orkney” since 1999.
Historic Environment Scotland looks after the site together with other partners. You view the houses from a path above the village, and a replica house shows how an interior might have looked. The site is popular, and booking in advance is recommended. Skaill House stands nearby; William Watt, son of the local laird, began the first excavations.
- Nearest town
- Sandwick, United Kingdom
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 59.0487, -3.3419
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
No month is ideal everywhere on this route; the most pleasant are usually May–September. Cold, short days in January. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Getting there
- United Kingdom: Tolls on some roads, bridges or tunnels. Drive on the left. Some bridges and tunnels charge tolls.
Sources
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Birsay Hostel & CampsiteCampsite8 km from Skara Brae
- Point of Ness CampsiteCampsite11 km from Skara BraeTentsCaravansMotorhomesShowersToilets
- Eviedale CentreCampsite15 km from Skara Brae
- Caravan and Motorhome Club siteMotorhome stopover16 km from Skara BraeMotorhomes
- Orkney Caravan Park at the Pickaquoy CentreMotorhome stopover22 km from Skara BraeTentsCaravansMotorhomesShowersToiletsWaste disposal
- Kirkwall Bay Touring ParkMotorhome stopover23 km from Skara BraeMotorhomes
All campsites in United Kingdom · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Skara Brae?
Skara Brae is in Sandwick, United Kingdom, at GPS 59.0487, -3.3419. It is about 9 km from Stenness.
Can you camp near Skara Brae?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Birsay Hostel & Campsite, about 8 km away; within 25 km there are 8 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Skara Brae?
Skara Brae is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Orkney by ferry: the Italian Chapel and Neolithic Orkney and Stone circles, cliffs and ponies by the roadside – by camper across Orkney and Shetland, Scotland’s northern isles.
What is there to see near Skara Brae?
Places worth a stop nearby: Ring of Brodgar (8 km), Standing Stones of Stenness (10 km), Italian Chapel (31 km) and Duncansby Stacks (49 km).
When is the best time to visit Skara Brae?
No month is ideal everywhere on this route; the most pleasant are usually May–September. Cold, short days in January. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)