Tradespeople in Hoy, Orkney

Hoy is the second-largest island in Orkney and by far the most mountainous, its landscape of steep hills, heather moorland and dramatic sea cliffs standing in sharp contrast to the low-lying farmland of the other islands.

The Old Man of Hoy, a 449-foot sea stack on the island's western coast, is one of the most iconic natural landmarks in Scotland and a magnet for rock climbers from around the world.

Ward Hill, at 479 metres, is the highest point in Orkney and the island's interior is a designated Special Protection Area for its populations of mountain hare, red-throated diver and great skua.

Hoy is reached by ferry from Houton on the Mainland and from Stromness and the Lyness naval base on the eastern shore houses a museum dedicated to Scapa Flow's wartime history.

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Orkney is an archipelago of around 70 islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland, separated from Caithness by the Pentland Firth - one of the most powerful tidal races in Europe.

Of those 70 islands, roughly 20 are inhabited and most of the population of around 22,000 lives on the largest island, known simply as the Mainland, where the towns of Kirkwall and Stromness serve as the administrative and cultural centres.

Orkney's history stretches back over 5,000 years. The Heart of Neolithic Orkney - a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising Skara Brae, Maeshowe, the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness - represents some of the best-preserved prehistoric sites anywhere in northern Europe. The islands were under Norse rule for around 600 years and that Scandinavian heritage remains visible in place names, dialect and culture.

The islands are reached by ferry from Scrabster and Aberdeen and by air from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness. Orkney's economy is built on agriculture, fishing, renewable energy, whisky and tourism and the islands have a quality of life consistently rated among the highest in Scotland.

Orkney is at the forefront of marine renewable energy, home to the European Marine Energy Centre which tests tidal and wave power devices in the waters around the islands. The strong community life, low crime and dramatic landscape make Orkney one of the most distinctive and self-reliant places in Scotland.