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Burwick Pier – The Churchill Barriers loop from Cara Road End

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

Burwick Pier – The Churchill Barriers loop from Cara Road End

Moderate

5.0

(1)

riders

Burwick Pier – The Churchill Barriers loop from Cara Road End

03:01

49.5km

420m

Cycling

Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: May 10, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

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9.29 km

Olad Summit

Highlight • Summit

At 87m it's not the highest point on South Ronaldsay but it does give great views all around from the entrance to Scapa Flow in the west, south towards John O'Groats and mainland Scotland, east across the island and out to sea and north over the Churchill Barriers which link this island to Burray and Mainland. It's on the road but it's quiet so it's a great spot to stop and have a break.

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13.9 km

Burwick Pier

Highlight • Settlement

Burwick Pier is located on the southernmost tip of South Ronaldsay island. It's the Orkney landing point for passengers and cyclists on the John O'Groats Ferry. Ferries run daily, and you can find the times on the site... jogferry.co.uk/Ferry.aspx

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17.2 km

Tomb of the Otters

Highlight • Structure

Tomb of the Otters is a unique burial site still full of human remains as only one chamber and the central passageway has been excavated. Five chambers remain unexcavated possibly holding up to 10,000 human bones. There is a guided tour which includes going into the Tomb. There is a Visitors Centre where the tour commences revealing the story and also artefacts.

Come and discover it yourself.
tomboftheotters.co.uk

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39.8 km

The Churchill Barriers

Highlight • Cycleway

The Churchill Barriers were built between Mainland & the islands of South Ronaldsay to protect the important navel harbour of Scapa Flow. Block ships were originally used and the sunken remains of some of these are still visible. Nowadays the causeway forms a great road to ride between the islands with nice views and easy access to some stunning beaches.

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39.9 km

Churchill Barriers and Shipwrecks

Highlight • Cycleway

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41.6 km

View of the Churchill Barriers

Highlight • Historical Site

Here you can enjoy great views over the well-known Churchill Barriers. The barriers were built in 1945 and act as a causeway connecting the Orkney mainland with the isles of Lamb Holm, Glimps Holm, Burray and South Ronaldsay.

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44.8 km

Shipwreck in Weddell Sound

Highlight • Historical Site

In the often storm-tossed seas of the Atlantic lies the Scapa Flow off the Orkney Islands, which belong to Scotland. A very special stretch of water measuring more than 300 square kilometers, a kind of natural harbor off the two main islands of the Orkneys. But what makes it so unique is underwater. A ship graveyard that is probably one of the most spectacular diving spots in Europe, if not the world. The story of its creation tells of a forgotten chapter of the First World War.
According to the town's official website, the name Scapa Flow comes from the Norse word Skalpaflói, which means “The Bay of the Long Isthmus”. Accordingly, the place was first used by the British Admiralty around 1800 as a strategic natural harbor in the Napoleonic Wars. At a depth of up to 40 meters, merchant ships were allowed to anchor here before they set off for the Baltic North Sea ports. But Scapa Flow would not finally take its place in the history books until 1919.
During the First World War, the British fleet moved its base to the difficult-to-access Scapa Flow. Old defenses on land were also put back into operation at this time. After Germany had to admit its defeat in the war in 1918, the ships of the German Navy with their crew on board were held there as prisoners of war. And so on June 21, 1919, one of the greatest ship accidents in world history occurred.
The word “misfortune” is misleading, because it was actually an ordered tragedy. The commander of the German navy in the Scapa Flow, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, believed at this point that the peace negotiations with the victorious powers had failed. In order to prevent “his” ships from finally falling into the hands of the enemy, he had them sunk without further ado on his orders. That day, 52 German warships found their watery grave in the waters of Scapa Flow. To date, this is the largest sinking ever recorded.

Translated by Google •

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