Kirkwall Pier
Harbour Street in the town centre
walk: Allow 7–10 minutes to Orkney Tweed
Walk up Bridge Street, then continue to Victoria Street.
Plotting the shore route
Winding the yarn map...
Kirkwall
Orkney wool, tweed, and knitwear in a compact town walk — once you sort which pier your ship actually uses.
Kirkwall Pier / Hatston Pier shuttle drop-off
Distances use the town harbour. Ships at Hatston Pier should take the complimentary shuttle to Kirkwall Travel Centre — Cruise Orkney puts the Hatston walk at 40–60 minutes, so do not plan it as a stroll.
Photo: Stevekeiretsu via Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
Your Kirkwall textile day
Orkney tweed, island knitwear, and medieval Kirkwall in one compact town route.
Pier arrangements, textile shops, and visitor information checked August 1, 2026. Confirm today's shop and museum hours.
Download the Port Day Pack ↓Allow about 2.5 to 3.5 hours for the short route; 4 to 6.5 hours for the full town route. You'll travel by walking in kirkwall, after the cruise shuttle from hatston and keep the final 45 minutes free for the return to your ship.
Know your berth
Check your ship's daily program before you go ashore. Your terminal can change how long it takes to reach the first shop.
Hatston Pier
Northwest of Kirkwall town centre
shuttle: Allow 15–25 minutes to the town drop-off, then 5–10 minutes on foot
Use the cruise shuttle into Kirkwall and remember its return pickup point.
The town-centre walk from Hatston is much longer than the in-town route. Use the ship's cruise shuttle.
Kirkwall tender landing
Kirkwall harbour basin beside the town centre
tender: Allow for the ship's tender queue, then 7–10 minutes on foot
The landing is close to Bridge Street. Note the final tender time before you leave the harbour.
If you don't know your berth
Check your ship's app or daily program. If the pier remains unclear, allow the Hatston shuttle time and ask the welcome team where the return shuttle or tender line will form.
Your route through Kirkwall
- 1
Reach the old town
7–30 minWalk or shuttle
Kirkwall Pier and the tender landing are central; Hatston adds the cruise shuttle.
- 2
Browse Orkney textiles
35–90 minWalk
Orkney Tweed is the wool-and-kit stop; Judith Glue is strongest for knitwear and gifts.
- 3
Choose the cathedral, museum, or palaces
30–90 minWalk
All three sit within the compact historic centre.
- 4
Return to the correct ship connection
Keep 45 min freeWalk or shuttle
Use the pier, tender line, or Hatston shuttle named by your ship.
1. Orkney Tweed Shop
Orkney tweed · knitting kits · wool goods · local fleece
2. Judith Glue
Orkney knitwear · Eribe knitwear · local crafts · gifts
Choose how much time you have
Orkney Tweed and St Magnus Cathedral
Browse locally made tweed and knitting kits, then walk to the cathedral and harbour.
Allow 2h 9m–3h 30m, including the time set aside to get back to your ship.
Kirkwall Pier: allow 2h 9m–2h 50m
Hatston Pier: allow 2h 9m–3h 30m
Kirkwall tender landing: allow 2h 9m–2h 52m
- Reach Victoria Street: 7–30 minutes
- Orkney Tweed: 35–50 minutes
- Walk to St Magnus Cathedral: 5–10 minutes
- St Magnus Cathedral: 30–45 minutes
- Return to your ship connection: 7–30 minutes
- Time kept free before all-aboard: 45 minutes
Orkney textiles and the old town
Add Judith Glue, the Orkney Museum, and the Bishop's and Earl's Palaces to the textile route.
Allow 3h 59m–6h 20m, including the time set aside to get back to your ship.
- Reach Victoria Street: 7–30 minutes
- Orkney Tweed: 35–50 minutes
- Walk to Broad Street: 5–10 minutes
- Judith Glue: 25–40 minutes
- St Magnus Cathedral: 30–45 minutes
- Orkney Museum: 50–75 minutes
- Bishop's and Earl's Palaces: 35–55 minutes
- Return to your ship connection: 7–30 minutes
- Time kept free before all-aboard: 45 minutes
Nearby if you have time
St Magnus Cathedral
Allow 30–45 minutes
The medieval sandstone cathedral sits opposite the museum. Weddings, funerals, services, and events can change visitor access.
Check current visitor informationThe Orkney Museum
Allow 50–75 minutes
The museum covers Orkney from the Stone Age through modern island life. It closes for lunch and is usually closed on Sundays.
Check current visitor informationBishop's and Earl's Palaces
Allow 35–55 minutes
The neighbouring medieval and Renaissance ruins are a short walk beyond the cathedral.
Check current visitor informationIf plans change
Your call is on Sunday
St Magnus Cathedral opens later in summer and the Orkney Museum normally closes. Make the textile shops and a harbour walk the centre of the day.
The Hatston shuttle is busy
Choose Orkney Tweed and St Magnus Cathedral, then return on an earlier shuttle.
The weather turns
Keep the route to Victoria Street, Broad Street, and the cathedral. These stops sit close together.
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What we checked
Your ship's daily program and each shop's latest notice take precedence if a berth, timetable, or opening hour changes.
- Orkney Harbours — cruise information checked 2026-08-01
- Orkney Tweed checked 2026-08-01
- Judith Glue checked 2026-08-01
- Orkney.com — St Magnus Cathedral checked 2026-08-01
- Orkney.com — Orkney Museum checked 2026-08-01
- Orkney.com — Bishop's and Earl's Palaces checked 2026-08-01
Craft and textile stops
2 craft or textile stops to explore. Kirkwall is a textile call more than a classic yarn-shop call: genuine Orkney tweed, wool knitting kits, and island knitwear inside a few walkable streets. Central calls put you steps from the shops; Hatston berths need the shuttle first.
Find the port and nearby stops
See where each place sits in relation to your cruise terminal.
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Orkney Tweed Shop
0.3 mi / 0.5 km7 min walk
Orkney Tweed Shop
Knitwear shop23 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DN
Shop details checked July 8, 2026.
The only supplier of genuine Orkney tweed, from its own sheep — with wool knitting kits alongside the cloth.
Orkney tweedknitting kitswool goodslocal fleece
Hours: Independent island hours; confirm the day's opening before making it the anchor stop, especially outside summer.
Access: Confirm entry, stairs, aisle width, and curb conditions directly before relying on the route.
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Judith Glue
0.2 mi / 0.3 km5 min walk
Judith Glue
Knitwear shop25 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DH
Shop details checked July 8, 2026.
Orkney knitwear and designer makes opposite St Magnus Cathedral — a knitwear and gift stop rather than a yarn shop.
Orkney knitwearEribe knitwearlocal craftsgifts
Hours: Frame this as knitwear and gifts: yarn inventory is not confirmed, so do not count on skeins here.
Access: Confirm entry, stairs, aisle width, and curb conditions directly before relying on the route.
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Getting to the stops
These are the most useful ways to travel from the terminal in Kirkwall.
Plan ahead
Cruise Orkney arrival guidance
Confirm berth, tender, and shuttle arrangements for your call — timing hinges on which pier you land at.
