Not sure what that is above....sorry.

Hey fellow travelers. I've been to Scotland once and loved it. Next spring (or fall) I'm thinking of returning on a solo trip to see the pre-historic sites, standing stones, etc.

I've been combing older threads and not seeing a lot of specialized info on this kind of trip, so would love any advice.
I can handle flying in and out to Inverness, renting a car and getting myself up to a ferry, but....some questions arise....

1Is my best idea to drive to Gill's Bay and bring the car on the ferry? (I assume)
2. How many days to really enjoy Orkney - standing stones, Ring of Brogar, Skara Brae, the whole Heart of Neolithic Orkney? Maybe 2 days? I am fascinated by this stuff and don't want to try to pack everything into 1 day, unless you all think it is a one day experience.
3. It looks like there is no ferry (with car) between Orkney and the Outer Hebrides? So that means I should go back to Gill's Bay, and drive to a place to take the ferry to the OH? (No hardship there, right??) Perhaps, Ullapool, for example and ferry to Lewis/Harris? (Stornoaway?)
4. And again, how many days on Lewis/Harris? It seems like several days would be good to relax and spend time there?
​​​​​​​5. Last question for now.....I like traveling solo, but would I want to book a tour guide on one of the islands? Perhaps the Orkney part? It is nice to have company sometimes. If so, any recommendations?
Thank you all SOOOO much, in advance for any beginner's advice you can give me. I can't wait to get back there. Susan

sorry for including the long quote _all of a sudden the only way I can open the text box on my phone is to quote😒

only time for a very quick comment - am in the queue waiting for a taxi at LGA. Haven’t read the whole OP but you might consIder flying in to Kirkwall and renting a car on island

What about the Scrabster ferry? Takes you past Old Man of Hoy and into Stromness, ideal for the neolithic sites.

The Orkney Shetlands group of islands are physically very apart from the Hebrides with very different peoples and to a certain extent religions (or at least attitude to same), you'll find it far easier to visit the two groups as different groups rather than think of them as North Scotland islands.

Getting to Orkney is pretty easy with local mainland ferries going frequently to either Kirkwall (well close to) or Stromness. There is also a ferry down to Aberdeen and flights into Kirkwall from the mainland. Some of the ferries to Orkney then go onto Shetland.

I know Orkney better than Shetland and all I can advise is that everyone knows everyone. So if there is a tour of the island it will be very similar to any other one, because, see above. The person doing your tour this afternoon may be the person who makes your breakfast tomorrow.

Orkney has one of the highest densities of archiologists on the planet (in the summer) so you may also be able to visit actual digs. General visits need at least 2 whole days on the main isle and then there are two other islands with good places to visit. Wear clothes you don't mind getting muddy, you may also need midge repellant as sub-5mph winds bring midges in the summer. Some sites are on cliff tops where any hats will disappear into the Atlantic, never to be seen. The great thing in the summer is the days are very very long, but.... the opening times for sites do not change so you have to squeeze visits into working hours. Some of the sites are litterally in farmyards so go armed with a smile

Once you have seen the old places, you may spot that the population is made up of born orcadians and incomers. Incomers tend to be trained in many arts and there is a thriving jewelry, art, weaving culture on the island which is offered to both in shops but also in artist's studios. (there is even a special trail to visit).

My first visit to the Islands was for 2 weeks in high summer, lots to see. My last visit was for Christmas (The Ba, https://www.bagame.com/main.html).

If I was coming I'd visit Orkney and Shetland in one trip and leave the Hebrides to another visit

Thank you so much hetismij2 AND janisj for your comments. I didn't know about that other ferry but will explore it., especially since it goes right to Stronmess. And I do love to have my own car and be independent. bilboburgler, very nice to see your name, you have helped me in the past. Much appreciated. I get what you are saying, but I do think I want to see Lewis/Harris and the mainland at Orkney. One of the reasons, is it gives me a great feeling for where I want to come back. Also the Shetland Islands are so....well....quiet. Maybe too quiet for me. I studied archaeology in school and work in historic preservation, so I will definitely be visiting digs.

Thanks for all the excellent advice on mud, cliffs, midges, hats, etc. Will now plan for at least 2 days in both spots. Also....medieval football ?(I was fascinated, so I had to look it up!). Wow!

hi Susan, if you follow my name back 3 or 4 years I wrote a holiday on Orkney at Christmas, even further back to a visit during the summer

If you have any interest in fabrics and cloth making you'll have a great time

We bag 4 of the big 5 in Orkney

A fine May weekend in Orkney

Lewis and Harris were my favourites, but be reminded that not much of anything is open on a Sunday . It seemed like everyone was at church. i would go back in a heartbeat and spend more than two days if I could.

OK - finally managed to read the full OP.. I see you are trying to fit Orkney (and maybe Shetland ) into one trip. As mentioned they are really not connected and would be better as two different trips. But if that's what you want to do. Renti g a car on-island isn't a option.

With your interests I'd want a minimum of 3 full days for Orkney. The you'd want a minimum of 3 full days for the outer Hebrides and at least one full day/ night for the drive between. So that's 9 nights plus the time taken transatlantic and anything else you'd want to see/ do in Scotland.

I would give Orkney (at least) a full two days, because the main sights are well maintained with tourist centres, but the secondary sights start to let you really breathe in the atmosphere of the island, the dreamy isolation, the starkness of the landscapes, the remoteness, and let the mind really have time to tune into life in a far different time. For me on my two visits 27 years apart, the strongest impressions are from places where you might not see anyone else when you are there, more recently: the Brough of Birsay and the ruins of Birsay Earl's Palace, the ruins of the church at Orphir, the Broch of Gurness, the Italian Chapel on Lambsholme, and the long solitary walk with stunning cliff formations to Banks Tomb at the very southwest corner of the main island (and those attached). There was a shattering difference between visiting Maeshowe cairn in 1980, where we picked up the key to the cairn at a nearby designated farmhouse and spent a good long time in it on our own, versus 2017 where you sign up for a tour then arrive at the tourist center, wait for the group to form then take a shuttle van to the cairn, and participate in the mandatory guided tour where photography is not allowed. Here's piccies from the two visits: