Glamping & Camping Pods in Orkney

Glamping in Orkney offers something a hotel cannot: the sensation of sleeping inside the landscape. Orkney’s rolling farmland, open skies and extraordinary coastal scenery are precisely the kind of setting a well-placed pod or lodge is built for. From curved-roof camping pods with private hot tubs near Stromness to family-friendly timber lodges overlooking the Bay of Firth, the islands have quietly assembled one of Scotland’s most appealing collections of off-grid and semi-off-grid accommodation. This guide covers seven verified properties, drawn from the Orkney Stays listings, ranging from purpose-built glamping pods to luxury couples’ lodges.

Why Glamping Works Particularly Well in Orkney

Most glamping destinations in Britain promise countryside peace; Orkney delivers it at a different order of magnitude. The archipelago sits at 59°N — a latitude shared with parts of southern Norway — which gives it qualities unavailable further south: summer evenings that stretch toward midnight, Northern Lights sightings in the darker months, and a quality of light that makes even ordinary afternoons worth recording. A glamping pod positions you directly inside all of that without requiring you to pitch a tent on a ferry crossing.

The landscape itself is also unusual for Scotland. Orkney Mainland is largely free of the dense forestry common to the Highlands. The topography is open farmland punctuated by sea lochs and clifftops, which means a well-sited pod can be genuinely unobstructed in all directions. Several of the properties below have placed their hot tubs facing sea views with no fence, road or building between the deck and the horizon. That is the practical difference between a good glamping stay and an ordinary one.

Seven Glamping Pods and Lodges in Orkney

The seven properties below represent the range of glamping styles available on the islands — from purpose-built camping pods to luxury lodges and couples’ retreats with wood-burning stoves. For the complete search across accommodation in Orkney, the Orkney Stays listings let you filter by property type, amenity and group size. Each property here links to its full listing with gallery and availability.

Millfield Glamping Pods — Heatherhouse is one of the most genuinely glamping-specific properties on Orkney Stays. The curved-roof timber pod near Stromness sits with its glazed doors facing open fields and a loch beyond. A colour-lit private hot tub on the paved terrace is visible from both the living area and outside, and the interior is warm pine throughout with an induction hob, oven, fridge and all the kit needed for a self-sufficient stay. Sleeping up to four across a bedroom and flexible living space, it earned a perfect score from its first three guests and is set up for exactly the kind of visit the name suggests. Stromness — with its flagstone street, ferry pier and gallery shops — is a short drive away, as are Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar.

The Orkney Pod sits on a working farm above a sea loch near Stromness, its double doors opening straight onto a sweep of farmland falling away to the water. Rated 8.8 and designed for two, it keeps things deliberately simple: an air fryer and crockery cabinet, a private shower room, a hot tub and WiFi. The setting is the draw — sea loch and distant hills watched from the doorstep as the sun drops. Stromness is a short drive for provisions, and the property suits walkers and cyclists well given the quiet roads immediately accessible from the farm gate.

Berstane Lodges are bespoke curved-roof glamping pods on Berstane Road, just outside Kirkwall, set over fields and a loch with the sea beyond. Each pod is pine-lined from floor to ceiling, comes with a proper kitchen and a private deck with a private hot tub. Rated 9.8 from 35 reviews, these are among the most consistently praised glamping properties on the islands. The dark rural skies make them genuinely good for stargazing, and between September and March the Northern Lights are periodically visible from the deck — a more compelling reason to sit in a hot tub at midnight than most UK glamping sites can offer. Kirkwall town, with its cathedral, shops and ferry connections, is a very short drive.

Lilly’s Lodges Butterfly Lodge is an arched larch-clad pod at Redland Firth near Finstown, set on the hillside above rolling farmland that runs down to a glint of sea. Rated 9.1 from 121 reviews — one of the most-reviewed glamping properties in Orkney — 121 reviews is a more reliable signal of sustained quality than a high rating from three visits. The pod sleeps four, with a double nook bedroom and a second sleeping space, and is explicitly pet-friendly, making it an excellent pick for couples travelling with a dog who want a glamping stay rather than a standard self-catering cottage. The private hot tub sits behind a timber privacy screen on the deck with the Bay of Firth in view. Finstown is a short drive, and both Kirkwall and Stromness are accessible within half an hour.

Lilly’s Lodges Robin Lodge is the most spacious of the Lilly’s collection, with two full bedrooms under the barrel ceiling, a corner sofa and French doors opening onto a deck with a private hot tub. Rated 9.4 from 123 reviews, it is among the highest-rated glamping options on Mainland Orkney by volume. The layout works well for two couples or a family of four: a main double bedroom with a window looking toward the firth, and a living space generous enough to feel comfortable for several nights. The hot tub faces open farmland and the sea; a timber screen keeps the terrace sheltered without cutting off the view. The deck has a picnic bench for meals outside when the weather cooperates.

Lilly’s Lodges Hedgehog Lodge is the family-pitched option in the collection: no hot tub, but a private deck with a bistro table, sea views over the Bay of Firth, a kitchen for cooking in and a cosy four-person layout. Rated 9.3 from 114 reviews, it is a practical base for a family wanting the glamping aesthetic without the premium a private hot tub adds. The pod is finished in warm pine throughout, a roof window keeps the interior light, and sheep in the adjacent field provide reliable entertainment for children. Finstown’s village shop is a short drive; Kirkwall and Stromness are each within 25 minutes, and the Neolithic sites of the West Mainland — Maeshowe, the Ring of Brodgar, Skara Brae — are all accessible within half an hour.

Eva’s Howe Lodge sits alone in open farmland near Dounby in the rural West Mainland — a curved-roof pod rising from a meadow of long grass and wildflowers. Rated 9.9 from 31 reviews, it is one of the highest-rated properties of any type on Orkney Stays. Inside, a wood-burning stove in a marble-tiled surround, full-height windows facing the moorland and two patio armchairs make for an interior that does not need improving. A private hot tub sits on the deck outside, overlooking open grazing. The dark skies and quiet here are exceptional — no near neighbours, no road noise, and on clear autumn nights the milky way overhead is visible without a telescope. Dounby village is close for provisions, and the Neolithic sites of the West Mainland are within easy reach.

Planning Your Glamping Trip to Orkney

The glamping season on Orkney runs broadly from April to October, with May to September offering the most reliable combination of settled weather and long daylight. June and July give the longest evenings and the most consistent conditions, though Orkney’s maritime climate can deliver sunshine in any month and squalls in every one. A private hot tub is a particularly sensible amenity here: it extends the usable outdoor hours even on cool summer evenings and turns a wet afternoon into an attraction rather than a problem.

• What to pack: Layered clothing that separates easily (the temperature gap between midday and 10pm is wider than in southern Britain), a waterproof walking jacket, and midge repellent for the calmer inland spots. On Orkney the wind usually keeps midges away at the coast.

• Provisioning: Most Mainland glamping sites are within 15–30 minutes of a supermarket — Kirkwall has a Tesco and a Co-op; Stromness has a Co-op on its main street. Picking up groceries before arrival is worthwhile given the short opening hours of village shops.

• Wild camping: Scotland’s Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 grants the statutory right to camp responsibly on most land in Orkney. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code sets the framework: move on after two or three nights, leave no trace, and camp away from buildings and enclosed fields with crops or livestock. A glamping pod is the commercial middle ground between this right and a hotel.

Getting to Your Glamping Site in Orkney

Most visitors arrive in Orkney by ferry — from Scrabster or Gills Bay in Caithness to Stromness or St Margaret’s Hope — or by flight into Kirkwall Airport from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen or Inverness. The NorthLink sailing from Scrabster to Stromness takes approximately 90 minutes and is the most practical option for those driving north through Scotland. Visitors flying into Kirkwall will need to hire a car on arrival, as the glamping sites outside town are not served by public transport. For a more flexible way to reach rural Mainland Orkney, campervan and motorhome hire in Orkney is a popular complement to glamping — some visitors use a motorhome for the outer-island legs of a trip and book a glamping pod for the nights when they want a proper bed, a hot tub and a roof over their head.

Glamping and Camping Pods in Orkney: Frequently Asked Questions

Is there glamping in Orkney?

Yes. Orkney has a range of glamping options including purpose-built curved-roof camping pods, timber lodges with private hot tubs, and luxury couples’ retreats. The properties are concentrated on Mainland Orkney, within easy reach of Kirkwall and Stromness, with a few options on the outer islands.

Can you wild camp in Orkney?

Yes. Scotland’s Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 grants the statutory right to camp responsibly on most land in Orkney, subject to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. In practice: move on after two or three nights, leave no trace, and camp away from buildings and enclosed fields with crops or livestock.

What is the best time of year to go glamping in Orkney?

May to September offers the most reliable weather and the longest daylight. June and July bring over 18 hours of daylight, which means late-evening hot tub sessions under a sky that never fully darkens. September and October are quieter and the Northern Lights begin to appear — a particular draw for those staying at dark-sky properties such as Berstane Lodges.

Are glamping pods in Orkney pet-friendly?

Several are. Lilly’s Lodges Butterfly Lodge is explicitly pet-friendly and has a deck well suited to dogs. Check individual listings on Orkney Stays for confirmed pet policies, as each property sets its own terms and some charge a small additional fee.

Do I need a car to reach glamping sites in Orkney?

Yes, in most cases. The glamping pods and lodges listed here are in rural settings on Mainland Orkney, away from bus routes. Arriving by ferry with your own vehicle, or hiring a car at Kirkwall Airport, is the practical approach. All the properties above have on-site parking.

How does glamping in Orkney compare to camping?

Glamping pods and lodges offer insulated walls, proper beds, kitchens and private bathrooms — a meaningful comfort margin over a tent in Orkney’s maritime climate, where even summer evenings can turn cool and windy. Wild camping under the Land Reform Act remains free and legal; glamping is the paid middle ground that adds comfort without removing the sense of being out in the landscape.