Yarn Excursions · Shore-day guide
Kirkwall yarn-crawl guide
Orkney wool, tweed, and knitwear in a compact town walk — once you sort which pier your ship actually uses.
Docking at Kirkwall Pier / Hatston Pier shuttle drop-off — Harbour Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1LE. United Kingdom.
Shore-day plan
From the town pier or shuttle drop-off, walk Victoria Street to the Orkney Tweed Shop for wool skeins and knitting kits, then loop past St Magnus Cathedral to Judith Glue on Broad Street for island knitwear and gifts.
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.
Yarn shops (2)
- 1.
Orkney Tweed Shop
23 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DN
Walk · 0.3 mi / 0.5 km · The only supplier of genuine Orkney tweed, from its own sheep — with wool knitting kits alongside the cloth.
Known for: Orkney tweed, knitting kits, wool goods, local fleece
Independent island hours; confirm the day's opening before making it the anchor stop, especially outside summer.
https://www.orkneytweed.co.uk/
- 2.
Judith Glue
25 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney KW15 1DH
Walk · 0.2 mi / 0.3 km · Orkney knitwear and designer makes opposite St Magnus Cathedral — a knitwear and gift stop rather than a yarn shop.
Known for: Orkney knitwear, Eribe knitwear, local crafts, gifts
Frame this as knitwear and gifts: yarn inventory is not confirmed, so do not count on skeins here.
https://www.judithglue.com/
Getting around
- Cruise Orkney arrival guidance (Plan ahead) — Confirm berth, tender, and shuttle arrangements for your call — timing hinges on which pier you land at.
- Harbour to Orkney Tweed Shop (Route) — The direct walk to the best yarn-specific stop in town.