Travel with Rick Steves · Saturday, September 26, 2026
The main island in the Orkney archipelago is simply called 'Mainland,' a point of local amusement and occasional confusion. Its primary city, Kirkwall, meaning 'Church on the Bay' in Old Norse, is dominated by the 11th-century St. Magnus Cathedral, the most northerly cathedral in the UK, reflecting Orkney's strong Norse past.
“So the the main island is uh, called Mainland, just to confuse the matter.”
“Yes, it's called Kirkwall, and it means Church on the Bay in Old Norse.”
“And actually relates to an old church from the 11th century, but we also have dominating the skyline, St. Magnus Cathedral, the most northern cathedral in the United Kingdom, and was built by the North in the 12th century.”