Orkney lies at 59° north, on the same latitude as southern Greenland, but the sea keeps it mild: summers are cool and winters rarely freeze. What you will notice is the wind and the extraordinary variation in daylight.
Season by season
Spring (April–May)
Lengthening days, wild flowers on the cliffs, seabirds arriving and comparatively dry weather. Seasonal attractions reopen around Easter, and the Folk Festival enlivens late May.
Summer (June–August)
The “simmer dim”: around midsummer the sun barely sets and you can read outdoors at midnight. Everything is open, puffins are ashore until late July, and cruise ships bring crowds to the main sites on many days.
Autumn (September–October)
Quieter, with migrating birds, seals pupping on the shores from October and the first auroras. Gales become more frequent and some attractions close at the end of September.
Winter (November–March)
Six hours of daylight in December, storms and wild seas — and the midwinter sun shining into Maeshowe. Ferries can be disrupted and several sites close, but Kirkwall carries on, with the Ba’ game on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Month by month
| Month | High | Low | Daylight | Crowds | Midges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6 °C | 2 °C | 6.5 h | Quiet | — |
| February | 6 °C | 2 °C | 9 h | Quiet | — |
| March | 8 °C | 3 °C | 12 h | Quiet | — |
| April | 10 °C | 4 °C | 14.5 h | Moderate | — |
| May | 12 °C | 6 °C | 17 h | Busy | — |
| June | 14 °C | 8 °C | 18.5 h | Peak | Some |
| July | 16 °C | 10 °C | 18 h | Peak | Some |
| August | 16 °C | 10 °C | 15.5 h | Peak | Some |
| September | 14 °C | 9 °C | 12.5 h | Busy | — |
| October | 11 °C | 7 °C | 10 h | Quiet | — |
| November | 8 °C | 4 °C | 7.5 h | Quiet | — |
| December | 7 °C | 2 °C | 6 h | Quiet | — |
Temperatures are rounded long-term averages for the nearest weather station; real days vary widely, especially in the hills.
Festivals & events
- Late MayOrkney Folk Festival
Four days of traditional music centred on Stromness. Tickets and beds sell out early. - JuneSt Magnus International Festival
A midsummer arts festival of music, drama and literature in the cathedral and other venues. - JulyStromness Shopping Week
A week-long town gala with parades, music and fireworks. - 25 December & 1 JanuaryThe Ba’
A mass game of street football between the “Uppies” and “Doonies” of Kirkwall, played through the town centre for hours.
Crowds & booking ahead
Orkney’s peak season runs from late May to early September. The islands rarely feel crowded, with one exception: on days when large cruise ships are in port — and there are well over a hundred calls a year — several thousand passengers visit Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar and the Italian Chapel between mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Independent travellers who check the schedule and go early or late will hardly notice. Beds are limited everywhere, so book ahead; May, early June and September are the calmest good months.
