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Sanday, Orkney: the northerly sand island

Sanday is a low, sandy island in the Orkney archipelago of northern Scotland known for long beaches, bird and seal colonies, Norse heritage, small communities and a mixed economy of farming, fishing and tourism.

Author: Leandro Alegsa Creation date: September 7, 2021 Last updated: May 19, 2026

simple.wikipedia.org · CC BY-SA 3.0

Overview

Sanday — literally "sand island" in Old Norse — is one of the larger islands in the Orkney archipelago off northern Scotland. It lies northeast of the Orkney capital, Kirkwall, and is distinguished by broad beaches, flat moorland and a coastline that is deeply indented by bays and headlands. The island has relatively low relief, with its highest point reaching 66 metres above sea level, and covers about 50.43 km². Like much of Orkney, Sanday is largely treeless and shaped by maritime weather and human land use.

Geography and natural features

Sanday stretches roughly 20 km in length and up to 8.5 km across at its widest part. Its long shoreline and narrow promontories create a coastline that is much longer than might be expected from the island's area. The surrounding seas contain several small, uninhabited islets — often called "holms" — such as the Holms of Ire and the Holms of Spurness. These tiny islands and rocky skerries provide sheltered sites where seabirds nest and grey seals haul out, making the area important for wildlife.

The island's climate is maritime and comparatively mild for its latitude, with typical temperatures that commonly fall between about 0 °C in winter and 20 °C in summer. Conditions are influenced by the North Atlantic, which moderates extremes but also brings strong gales and rough seas in winter months. Vegetation is dominated by coastal grasses, machair, heath and peatland; tree cover is scarce, largely because of exposure to wind and salt spray.

History and human settlement

Sanday's name and many place-names reflect a long Norse presence; Vikings and their descendants used the island for settlement and maritime activity. Archaeological traces across Orkney indicate human occupation and use stretching back to prehistoric times, and Sanday shares in that island-wide heritage with scattered sites and field systems. Population numbers have fluctuated considerably: during the 19th century the island reached its highest recorded population — several thousand people — but numbers fell in later decades. At the 2011 census the resident population was 494, with most people living in small settlements or dispersed croft houses.

Communities and facilities

The main centres on Sanday include Kettletoft, long associated with ferry connections to the Orkney mainland, and Roadside (often called "Lady Village"). Many residents live in dispersed dwellings rather than in large concentrated villages. Local services are typical for a small island community: there are general stores, a church, medical provision with a doctor's surgery and community nurses, a primary and lower-secondary school, a small local museum, a village hall, two pubs, vehicle repair workshops, a bicycle shop and an indoor swimming pool. Older children often complete later secondary study on the Orkney mainland and may stay in school hostels during the week.

Economy and transport

Agriculture remains important to Sanday's economy, particularly livestock and crofting-style farming. The surrounding seas support fishing and shellfish harvesting — including mussels, crabs and lobsters — and aquaculture has become increasingly significant. In recent decades tourism has grown as visitors come to enjoy beaches, wildlife, walking and the island's quiet, wide-open landscapes.

Transport links connect Sanday to the Orkney mainland by ferry and by small aircraft services, enabling movement of people, goods and tourists. Local roads link settlements and coastal points of interest.

Notable facts and culture

Ortie (sometimes spelled "Ortie") is an example of an abandoned settlement on the northern part of the island, a reminder of past demographic change.
Composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (1934–2016) lived on Sanday for many years and was one of the island's most high-profile residents.
The island is administered as part of the Orkney Islands Council and forms a distinct rural community with a mix of traditional and modern livelihoods.

Sanday's combination of easy-access beaches, important bird and seal habitats, visible Norse place-names and a resilient island population make it a notable part of Orkney's cultural and natural landscape.

Traffic

There are regular ferry services from Loth to Kirkwall and the neighbouring island of Eday. Other neighbouring islands (Westray, Papa Westray, Stronsay and North Ronaldsay) are occasionally accessible by ferry in summer. There are also daily scheduled flights to Mainland and Stronsay. Due to the distances involved, it is difficult to see all the sights on Sanday in a day visit.

On Sanday there is a public minibus service that takes passengers to and from the ferry by order.

Rental bicycles are available.

Places of interest

Besides the natural beauties such as the rare plants and the sandy beaches often populated by seals, there are numerous archaeological sites.

Neolithic settlement is evidenced by Quoyness Cairn on the Elsness Peninsula, a Maeshowe-type structure. Dating from the 3rd millennium BC, the site is very well preserved and has an internal height of about four metres. The island has three other megalithic sites, of the Stalled Cairn type. To the northeast is the Toftsness burial ground, with over 800 barrows. It is one of the largest prehistoric burial sites in northern Europe. At the end of Tresness headland lie the Broch of Wasso. At the Old Lady Kirk there are the prehistoric "Ladie's Fingers", (grinding grooves). Other structures and burial grounds, most of which have not been excavated, date from the Stone, Iron and Viking Ages.

Among the spectacular finds is the Viking boat grave of Scar or Quoy Banks, uncovered by the storm in 1985, with grave goods such as a brooch, sword, sickle and spindle whorls. A whalebone plaque, the Scar Dragon Plaque, is particularly fine (all finds are now in Kirkwall Museum). Nearby is the Stone o' Scar.

To the east is the lighthouse of "Start Point", built in 1802, which is separated from the main island at high tide. On the peninsula of Tresness, to the south lies the farm of the same name with the well-preserved Horse Energie House, a hexagonal stone structure with a pyramid roof, where horses generated the energy to run the farm. An example of an attempt to generate the necessary energy by a steam engine is the now derelict Stove Model Farm to the south. The operator failed because the cost of the fuels coal and peat, which are not available on Sanday, was too high.

Two hotels, a hostel with space for caravans and tents, several accommodations and holiday apartments are available for guests.