UKC

Looking for advice on accommodation and logistics for climbing the Old Man of Hoy please.

Hoping to go in late August next year with friends and kids (7 of us). Any suggestions of great places to stay within striking distance much appreciated.

Cheers 

The back packers on the beach looked good. We camped in the van

21 years ago since I did it, but we stayed that Rackwick Hostel the night before and Rackwick Bothy the night after.

Orkney is pretty small.  We stayed on the main island and got the first ferry in the morning.  Can bike over or get the wee bus.  Should give you loads of time.  Theres a good cafe at the ferry on your return

A few dos and don't s in this write up on our escapades a few years back.

https://thecccc.org.uk/2008/08/

For non climbers, Hoy itself is pretty limited.  I think a comfortable base on the main Island and getting the ferry over to Hoy is the way to go.  Go prepared to miss the last ferry back that evening and be prepared to bothy.

Another shout out for Rackwick Bothy although i did it 33 years ago!

Again I'd go with Rackwick bothey, we did it a couple of years ago and all was fine. Sitting on the beach just outside as the sun went down was epic.

For the experience —> Rackwick bothy

For simplicity —> in a day from Stromness

When we did it we got the boat over first thing, got the taxi/minibus across and walked in and climbed the route. We then walked back to Rackwick, dumped our sacs with the minibus driver and asked him to drop them at the cafe. Meanwhile, we ran across the path over the obvious col. There was plenty of time for us to do this and have a coffee before catching the ferry back, and that was the 4.30 ferry so not the last. It’s not especially high pressure or stressful to do it a day. For the rest of our stay we very much valued being on the “mainland” - more to do.

Summer '93 - we caught the earliest ferry from Stromness and then walked over (caching our camping gear as soon as possible). Did the route, abbed off and walked back to our camping gear and called a taxi to Lyness. We were so knackered that we simply ate and crashed in our tent.

My mum lived in the Orkneys at the time, so we got lifts to and from the ferries on the main island.

In a day from the main island always worked for me. The first time, climbing as a two was fine - plenty time to catch last ferry including cycling across Hoy and back. The second time climbing as a three, we realised we were late - jogged back to Rackwick, piled into the pre-arranged taxi at the last minute, high-tailed it across to the east coast, piled out the taxi (with a tip!), grabbed rucksacks and walked straight on board. Bit too exciting, minute or two to spare.