Beautifully restored one bedroom holiday flat in the heart of Stromness, Orkney

The Distillery House is a listed building located in the heart of historic Stromness. Originally built as the pub for the Stromness Distillery (Old Orkney Whisky) (now sadly closed), the ground floor of the property, has been beautifully renovated and is newly available for holiday let. Located across from the Stromness Museum and its pier, the property is in easy walking distance of the amenities of Stromness including golf course, the Pier Arts centre, Warbeth beach, walks up Brinkies Brae and shops, pubs and restaurants dotted around the Stromness “plainstones” and harbour.

The town of Stromness is Orkney’s second town and with its narrow winding streets and numerous small piers makes a picturesque base. Gift shops selling arts and crafts and local food retailers can be found along the main street and the award winning Pier Arts Centre is home to a nationally important collection as well as an on-going programme of exhibits.

Stromness is also a handy base from which to explore the sites of Orkney including its many archaeological remains, in particular Skara Brae and the Standing Stones (part of the World Heritage Site), the world class diving in Scapa Flow, the abundant wildlife, sea and loch fishing, and many coastal walks. The island of Hoy and the Old Man of Hoy are also an easy hop by foot-passenger ferry from Stromness.

The Stromness Museum is a good starting place to understand the history of Stromness and its links with pirates (John Gow), the Hudson Bay Company and the scuttled German High Seas Fleet (now a popular diving destination).

George Mackay Brown, Orkney’s famous writer and poet, used to live next door and penned many of his later works overlooking the same spot.

“Drag a weathered hundred-year old chair into the yard. Beg for a few sheets of paper. Rest feet on the sea wall. Any letter, thus written, is bound to be touched with August ripeness, and with the fullness of the sea inching its way up the pier stones”. GMB, Rockpools and Daffodils 1992.