wild camping in orkney

[humblebumble]

i'm planning a wee holiday for me and a few friends in july and i was wondering if anyone had been out in orkney, if there's any particularly good places to go?

one of our number is very disabled and in a wheelchair, so that has to be borne in mind

i'll be going out for a wee reccy myself in a month or so when i finish up with the job i'm in at the moment and check it out myself.

shockingly i haven't been to orkney for about 20 years, and this despite living in thurso most my life

inexcusable really

-andrew

 

[IJ55]

Wild camping, in a wheel chair. How? wheel chair access doesn't happen in the wilds, and wheel chairs are not reknown for their 4WD abilities.

I travel to the Orcadian wilds alot, and they are not wheel chair friendly at all.

 

[IJ55]

Are you going by the ferry? or flying from Wick. I am sorry to be so negative, as the Orkneys are amazingly beautiful as are the Shetlands, but wheel chair wild camping I am struggling with.

I would recommend going to the isle of Hoy and using the wild camp site and bothy there. BUT its a mile and a half walk from the car park. I.. I am really sorry to be so negative because its made me realise that i don't pay a blind bit of notice un til now about how others cope if they have disabilities.

 

[woodstock]

Wild camping, in a wheel chair. How? wheel chair access doesn't happen in the wilds, and wheel chairs are not reknown for their 4WD abilities.

I travel to the Orcadian wilds alot, and they are not wheel chair friendly at all.

They have 4WD wheelchairs would not like to hazard a Q. of cost though

 

[humblebumble]

if you can walk two abreast along a path you can push a wheelchair down it. we don't really need ramps, paved paths and handrails. just a few nice places, not too far from the road and not down cliff-faces.

tell you what, forget what i said about the whole disabled thing. just throw a few nice spots at me and i'll check them out myself and make my own judgement

 

[Bongo Matt]

piggy back? Gave my mate a piggy back to the beach once after his accident

 

[humblebumble]

yes! you are correct sir. what mates are for innit?

 

[Bongo Matt]

If there are enough of you, then I hope there should be no reason for ditching the wheelchair and taking your friend like I said by piggyback or carrying one eitherside supporting an arm an a leg each, and when at the destination getting one of those folding camping chairs to sit in as they are quite comfortable, if I ended up with a mobility problem, I would really appreciate my mates doing that for me, and would do it for anybody in the same situation. Happy camping!

 

[Tengu]

My great Gran had a sedan chair.

 

[Scots_Charles_River]

If there is any Machair, you may find it hard enough for wheelchairs. Or beach turf on a low raised beach ? Good on you for being inclusive, I'm sure you will find somewhere. I have taken blind folk climbing and canoeing in the wilds, go for it.

Nick

 

[Robby]

I don't know about wild camping but Orkney is a stunning place. Yesnaby, on the west coast of the mainland is a must see, The beach at Evie is another. Well worth a visit. As to wheel chair access, good friends will get you anywhere. Pulling rather than pushing is the trick. If you can get there on a mountain bike you can get there in a wheelchair. Same size wheels if I remember correctly. There was a guy I went to school with who used to go up and down the stairs in his wheelchair under his own steam. Shoulders and arms like Arnie, used to raise money for charity by winning arm wrestling competitions. you'll notice I didn't say competing, he never ever lost.

 

[humblebumble]

yesnaby, evie, hoy

would be nice to see the neolithic stuff as well.

ain't been since i was a wee nipper with the school.

 

[IJ55]

SKara brae is a place to sit and fill your bushcrafters heart with memories and 'what ifs'.

http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/skarabrae/

The detailed stone work, the lay out, the sea sat over what used to be a beautiful field... the whole place is an absolute must see if your this far north.

Hoy? take a tent, your kelly kettle, and brew up and watch the sun set. Words fail me every time I sit and do that.

 

[humblebumble]

yeah, we went there with the school. was well cool. reckon i'd appreciate it more now though.

apart from that the only thing i remember is everyone being sick on the boat

 

[IJ55]

yeah, we went there with the school. was well cool. reckon i'd appreciate it more now though.

apart from that the only thing i remember is everyone being sick on the boat

hahahahaha the tiny little boat from Jonnies groats? yeah can get a wee bit tasty out on the waters. Not for the faint hearted or weak of stomach at times.

Helps not all being so cramped, but hell, if the small boats all you got, its the small boat you have to use.

Kirkwall cathedrals a wonder too.

 

[humblebumble]

aye, was then. there's a big P&O job now though. i'll probably be taking the Gills ferry though. a wee bit cheaper and a wee bit quicker and apparently you get to see seals n that

 

[humblebumble]

wait a minute. that's thje one you meant. i'g getting john-o-groats mixed up[ with scrabster. what a numpty. it's jsut with seeing the scrabster boat setting off every day, i've got P&O on the brain