Welcome
Discover a spectacular seabird city at Marwick Head, with breathtaking views along the Orkney coastline. With a blue sky above, an azure sea, and the commotion of the seabird colony below, is there is a better place to spend a sunny June afternoon? The seacliffs are home to a bustling colony of seabirds, including kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills, and if you're lucky you may see a puffin or a passing whale or dolphin too. Down at sea level, a low-tide lagoon called the Choin provides shelter during the winter for sea ducks, as well as a stopping off point for migrating waders. The grassy fields behind the Choin are managed for corncrake, which occasionally breed, and for the rare great yellow bumblebee.
Level access
Getting here
For further information on accessible travel in Scotland, go to Transport Scotland.Travel by public transport
Bus route 8S passes close to the Choin car park at the southern end of the reserve. Alight at the road end by the brown tourist sign for RSPB Marwick Head just before Marwick and there is a 0.8 mile (1.3 km) walk along a single track road to the car park at the Choin, from where the reserve can be accessed. Up to date travel information can be found at https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/B/Bus-Services.htm
Travel by taxi
Parking
There is a car park at the Choin at the southern end of the reserve, from which the reserve can be accessed. The surface of the car park is rough hardcore and it is situated directly beside the road. There are views of the Choin lagoon and beach from the car park.
There is an alternative smaller car park at Cumlaquoy at the northern end of the reserve, which has a rough surface. The northern end of the reserve can be accessed through a steep unsurfaced trail from this car park.
Arrival
Path to main entrance
Main entrance
Please note that there is no Visitor Centre and there are no buildings at the reserve. The only facilities are nature trails around the reserve. There are no staff based at the reserve.
Getting around inside
Getting around outside
Designated Walking Trail
Marwick Head Nature Trail Circular Walk
The nature trail around the reserve has some prolonged steep sections and is mostly unsurfaced. The path is mainly grassy with some muddy/rocky sections and there are natural steps formed by erosion and also boulders in places on the trail surface. The trail is narrow and goes close to the unprotected cliff edge in some areas. Some of the path is on a surfaced single track road. There is a bench overlooking the northern end of the Choin.
Designated Walking Trail
Marwick Head Nature Trail - The Choin to Kitchener Memorial
This is a linear trail and the distance refers to the return journey. The trail has some prolonged steep sections and is mostly unsurfaced. The path is mainly grassy/stony with some muddy sections and there are natural steps formed by erosion and some boulders in places on the trail surface. The trail is narrow and goes close to the unprotected cliff edge in some areas. There is a bench overlooking the northern end of the Choin.
Designated Walking Trail
Marwick Head Nature Trail - Cumlaquoy to Marwick Cliffs
This is a linear trail and the distance refers to the return journey. The trail has some prolonged steep sections and is unsurfaced. The path is mainly grassy with some muddy sections and there are natural steps formed by erosion and boulders in places on the trail surface. The trail is narrow and goes close to the unprotected cliff edge at the top. The walk can be extended to reach the Kitchener Memorial by walking an additional 350m each way along the clifftop trail.
Beach
The beach is next to the car park and road, but there is a natural ramp of grass and large natural boulders between the road and the main area of the beach. The upper area of the beach is made up of large stones, with sand below.
Customer care support
Accessibility equipment