The opening of a new port in St Margarets Hope has made the town a more popular destination. It is the Orkney Islands’ third largest island and is now more accessible than it was previously. The Orkney Islands are located north of Scotland and are only reachable by ferry.
St Margarets is a pleasant town with an excellent variety of accommodation and has a great selection of restaurants. St Margarets Hope Port is limited with facilities at present. However the ferry operator Pentland Ferries offers onboard services including a canteen and a large deck area.
To get to St Margarets Hope, you need to catch a car ferry from Gills Bay in northern Scotland. Pentland operates ferries three times a day at 08:00, 12:00 and 17:00. It takes approximately one hour from mainland Scotland.
Pentland ferries can accommodate up to 48 cars and about 250 people during the summer. During winter months the ferries carry less passengers and cars therefore it is recommended to book ahead. The ferries are also able to accommodate those with mobility difficulties.
Pentland ferries staff are helpful and will assist you on you journey if you have any queries. The ferry itself has a great deck for relaxing on while you travel to St Margaret’s Hope Port. There is enough seating for passengers and decent toilets for a ferry.
At St Margaret’s Hope Port there are some buses to get around the Island. However theses are quite limited. Another good option to travel around the Island is by using taxis. There are a number of taxi firms available and people to help you out should you get stuck. Long term parking at St Margaret’s Hope Port is not available; it is recommended you use your car to travel around the island.
