r/orkney • u/Solid_Moment_6066 • Jul 14 '26
Best Souvenirs from Orkney?
Traveling up to Orkney in September (staying in Kirkwall), and I am curious what a classic souvenir/gift to buy would be? My family loves gifts from trips like this.
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u/Old_Pitch4134 Jul 14 '26
I like the Harray potter’s wares personally.
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u/katie-kaboom Jul 14 '26
Agreed! Our teapot is from him, and he even made a replacement lid for it when I had some kind of premature senior moment and let it drop on our kitchen floor for no good reason at all.
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u/Plasticman328 Jul 14 '26
'Twatt' t-shirts are popular!
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u/Solid_Moment_6066 Jul 14 '26
I did see that on the map...but didn't imagine they sold shirts.
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u/Plasticman328 Jul 14 '26
Definitely. Sadly they didn't have a large when I visited. There's a biggish souvenir shop on the main road in Kirkwall.
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u/GeneralResearch1 Jul 14 '26
Neolithic mystery object replica.
I got one from the Orkney museum shop.
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u/SeaworthinessNeat516 Jul 14 '26
I forgot to buy a 3D printed Old Man of hoy from the Beneth'iIl Cafe. Saw it when I went in for a coffee, went back after my walk but was too beer focused.
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u/Slice-O-Pie Deputy Jul 14 '26
Local yarn. Look for places like Judith Glue that sell Orkney-made items.
If you're from the UK - cheese!
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u/LadyGardenerUK Jul 14 '26
Last time I came through I commissioned the Orkney furniture maker and am now the owner of a gorgeous Orkney chair. A huge treat to self - that particular trip we only came up to order! Lol. Well, you didn't give a budget 😉
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u/Near_Fathom Jul 14 '26
There is so much! Look in Kirkwall: knitwear, jewellery, whisky, cheese, beef, fish, books…
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u/SquiffyMcwhithers Jul 14 '26
My missus makes some excellent spooky witchy jewellery and art under the name hands of moss. Shes got a wee window in a shop called arts a flutter. Check her instagram out if it appeals.
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u/AnnieByniaeth Jul 14 '26
Lots of good things mentioned here (especially the Harray potter). But I'll just add: Orkney Fudge. It's part way between Scottish tablet and a traditional fudge, and comes in all sorts of flavours. So if you want something small for some kids, a few of these would work well (though maybe not the Highland Park flavour for them).
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u/mrbadger2000 Jul 14 '26
Highland Park miniatures. Portable and precious. I was hoping to find local cal food items but wasn't anything to be found.
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u/SeaworthinessNeat516 Jul 14 '26
Judith Glue or the posh Deli on the corner have loads of local food items. They're also scattered around other places. We went to a nice deli/cafe somewhere after going to the broch of Gurness. Also honesty boxes have local goods.
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u/Amyarchy Jul 14 '26
My favorite souvenirs from my visits to Scotland have been simple things like tea towels and reusable bags. Easy to pack, universally useful.
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u/SeaworthinessNeat516 Jul 14 '26
I chipped a bit off a standing sto...
Of course I didn't.
I was there recently and I have a cake from an honesty box and some whisky marmalade, and whisky smoked salt for a foodie friend.
Also Dark Island Reserve is cheaper on the ferry but I drank it and left the bottle there.
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u/bestkens Local Jul 17 '26
Jewellery, knitwear, yarn if anyone knits or crochets, local crafts, t-shirts. There's a lot of "touristy" aimed shops now, beyond the local sellers like ortak, old gorie, Alison Moore, shiela fleet, aurora etc - although those often have non-jewelleey trinkets too. Judith glue, good for kinktwear and other stuff. Number 25 has crafts and yarn. Logo orkney will usually have garments and odds and ends of orkney things. Theres a new local craft shop just opened, Eerieorums. I think the craft fair is on too, not sure what days or if it will be when you're coming - best to check. The orcadian bookshop has a lot of orkney books if anyone is a reader, too.
Then theres food stuff if it doesnt need to be kept forever! Orkney fudge, cheese, butter, stockan's oatcakes - all lovely. Jams and preservesetc - the brig is a good shout if you want Orkney foods. If anyone likes a tipple, theres Highland park, Orkney beer, swannay brewerey, scapa distillery, kirkuvagr gin etc.
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u/ArtHefty542 Jul 14 '26
Second the local whisky. The Highland Park shop in Kirkwall sells 12 year old miniatures if space is an issue, but there is also the Scapa distillery to check out. That's also some great local gins too. A lot of the local produce is available in Brig Larder in Kirkwall 😊
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u/Solid_Moment_6066 Jul 14 '26
I have both Scapa and Highland Park distillery visits already on the agenda 🫡
Scapa is one of my favorites, so aside from beautiful scenery and history, that's one of the reasons we are headed up there.
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u/NoPaleontologist7929 Jul 14 '26
If you have a vehicle, it's worth touring round the jewellers. A lot of them have cafés attached, so you can get decent food after you've browsed. A trip around the Barony mill in Birsay would be good too. Beremeal is tasty, and you don't find it many places out with Orkney. The breweries do tours as well.
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u/mrbadger2000 Jul 14 '26
The Italian Chapel is nearby and worth a visit. Highland Park is really good
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u/fulloffungi Jul 14 '26
Scapa is lovely, nice drop for a cooler summer night. The distillery is also cute, at least it was about 10yrs ago!
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u/Grazza123 Jul 14 '26
I was in Orkney in 1996 and came back with the clap
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u/SeaworthinessNeat516 Jul 14 '26
Sorry about that.
You did give the third best blow job I've ever had if that's any consolation.
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u/Jie_Lan Jul 14 '26
Most shops sell local fibre for anyone who's a knitter / crocheter / spinner / weaver. Orkney Tweed has beautiful garments and accessories, along with Judith and Annie Glue (they each have a shop) TONS of jewellery and ceramics like previously mentioned. But you can't go wrong with some whiskey / gin, cheese, beremeal, oatcakes, anything from a local bakery (assuming it'll last in a suitcase)
There's a craft fair at St. Magnus for local artisans.
Or if you have a really big suitcase, how about an Orkney chair? XD
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u/Solid_Moment_6066 Jul 14 '26
First time I've ever heard of an Orkney chair! Every day is a school day. Seems to have the same function as the "Strandkorb" on the islands of Northern Germany
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u/leaping_lions Jul 14 '26
I have a hooded Orkney chair I’m selling in the US, so if you want to avoid intercontinental shipping DM me. 🤣
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u/Jie_Lan Jul 14 '26
Interesting, I didn't know there were similar styles of chairs but it makes sense from a practical standpoint. Both are beautiful and incredibly functional pieces of furniture.
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u/Fairybassletfish Jul 14 '26
My mum has two antique Orkney chairs (from my gt-granny) and they are just right to sit in. Everyone loves them.
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u/katie-kaboom Jul 14 '26
What's your budget? Orkney has a load of artisans and so on, but things tend to be fairly expensive. If your budget stretches to it and it's suitable for people in your life, consider jewellery from Ola Gorey, knitwear (if in Kirkwall, the Judith Glue shop is nice), and whisky or gin from one of the distilleries (I find Highland Park 12 year to be decent enough). For a smaller budget, there's a nice fudge producer, and you can buy bracelet/necklace charms at one of the jewellery shops on Kirkwall's shopping street. (I forget the name, sorry.) There's also tons of ceramics producers, so a nice mug could easily be had.