Waulkmill Bay

Situated on the south coast of Mainland Orkney, Waulkmill Bay is one of the biggest beaches on the island. That isn’t to say the widest - but definitely the deepest.

At high tide there isn’t anything spectacular about Waulkmill Bay, but as the tide drains away, into Scapa Flow, a vast expanse of sand is revealed. With calm, clear waters to the south, in every other direction there are grassy cliffs.

Waulkmill Bay is something of a hotspot for birdlife with a salt marsh and a burn running from the Loch of Kirbister providing some valuable habitats. Home to the RSPB Hobbister reserve you may be lucky enough to spot red-breasted mergansers, Slavonian grebes and black guillemots.