Rackwick to Old Man of Hoy — Orkney Islands

Hiking trails & Routes

United Kingdom

Scotland

Orkney islands

Graemsay, Hoy And Walls

Rackwick to Old Man of Hoy — Orkney Islands

Moderate

4.9

(37)

270

hikers

Rackwick to Old Man of Hoy — Orkney Islands

02:32

9.03km

190m

Hiking

The hike from Rackwick to the Old Man of Hoy offers a memorable journey across the dramatic Orkney Islands coastline. This moderate route covers 5.6 miles (9.0 km) with an elevation gain of 612 feet (187 metres), typically taking around 2 hours and 32 minutes to complete. You will start…

Last updated: April 23, 2026

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

1.82 km

View of Rackwick Bay

Highlight • Trail

If you are walking or cycling, you may try to keep an eye on all sides as far as you can. After all, beautiful panoramas can pop up on all …

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Tip by

4.51 km

Old Man of Hoy

Highlight • Climb

Created by the sea eroding the cliff surrounding it, the Old Man of Hoy is less than 400 years old.

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Tip by

9.03 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

7.35 km

1.69 km

Surfaces

9.01 km

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (120 m)

Lowest point (10 m)

Weather

Friday 23 October

11°C

7°C

98 %

Additional weather tips

It’s set to rain on your activity. Pack a waterproof jacket.

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

June 28, 2023,🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Old Man of Hoy - Orkney - Schotland

The footpath to the Old Man of Hoy is not very difficult, climbing steeply at times from the secluded pretty bay of Rackwick, then up the heather-clad escarpment to the most famous rock pillar in the country. Only when you reach the top of the cliff can you fully enjoy the view of the Old Man of Hoy. It's a …

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