Places to Stay With EV Charging in Orkney

What this set of stays actually looks like

There are 12 places published on BritStays in Orkney listing EV Charging Nearby, and the first thing to know is what kind of stays they are: seven are camping and five are caravanning. There are no cottages or self-catering houses in this particular group, so if you're driving electric and want a roof and a kitchen, this isn't the list for you. If you're touring with a motorhome, a caravan or a tent and planning your route around charge points, it's exactly the list you want.

Listings are spread thinly, which is normal this far north. Nine sit under the general Orkney heading, with one each in Kirkwall, Stromness and Shetland. In practice that means you're choosing between a small number of options rather than comparing a dozen in the same town, so flexibility on dates matters more than usual.

"Nearby" is the key word

Every one of the 12 is tagged EV Charging Nearby rather than charging on the pitch. Some sites may well have a point by reception; others simply have one within reach in the area. Before you book, ring the site and ask two plain questions: is the charger on site or off it, and what type is it? That single call is worth more than any amount of filtering, particularly if you need to arrive with enough range to reach a charger that might be busy.

Facilities are modest across the group. Toilets appear on five of the twelve, parking on two, and a cafe or restaurant on two. That's a reminder to pack as though you're self-sufficient: water, cooking kit, warm layers, and a plan for charging your vehicle that doesn't depend on the site itself.

Town bases: Kirkwall and Stromness

Orkney Caravan Park at the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall lists Toilets and EV Charging Nearby, and a town-edge base suits anyone who'd rather walk to shops and eat out than cook every night. Point of Ness Campsite in Stromness lists Toilets, Parking and EV Charging Nearby — useful if you're timing a ferry and want somewhere to leave the car while you wander.

Both make sensible first or last nights of a trip: arrive, charge, sort the ferry, then head out to the quieter sites once you know how the week is shaping up.

Touring, ferries and the wider north

Several stays in the set suit a touring route rather than a single base:

• Thurso Caravan Park lists WiFi, EV Charging Nearby and Near a Train Station — handy if someone in the party is arriving by rail.
• Wick Caravan & Camping Site also lists EV Charging Nearby and Near a Train Station.
• John O'Groats Caravan and Camping Site lists Near a Bus Stop and EV Charging Nearby, which helps on days you'd rather not drive at all.
• Bressay Marina & Caravan Park, Eviedale Centre and a Caravan and Motorhome Club site each list EV Charging Nearby as their headline facility — straightforward pitches, not resorts.
• Oot Ower Lounge in Shetland lists Toilets and EV Charging Nearby.

Families, couples and dog owners

Three of the twelve are Pet Friendly, so dog owners should check early rather than assume. Ferry View Campsite is one of them and also lists a Cafe and Toilets, which makes wet mornings more bearable. North Coast Touring Park lists a Bar, Restaurant and Cafe — the obvious pick if you don't fancy cooking on a camping stove every evening, and generally easier with teenagers or a mixed-age group.

Couples after comfort should look at Natural Retreats, which lists a Swimming Pool, Hot Tub and Spa and sits at a very different end of the scale from a field with a tap. Two stays in the set also offer Guided Tours, worth asking about if you'd rather be told the stories than read the boards.

What to do once you're there

Orkney's draw is heritage, and the castle list is long: Skaill House, Balfour Castle, Castle of Mey, Castle Sinclair Girnigoe, Keiss Castle, Ackergil Tower and Dunbeath Castle. Fair Isle Airfield appears as a National Trust site.

For rainy days and short attention spans, the museums are the backbone of a trip: Highland Park Distillery Visitor Centre, Longhope Lifeboat Museum, The Kelp Store, Shapinsay Heritage Centre, Castlehill Heritage Centre and W. Hourston Blacksmith's Museum. Families with younger children often get more out of Skaill Falconry or the Animal Centre, both listed under Zoos & Wildlife.

When to book

With only 12 EV-friendly stays listed and most of them seasonal camping and caravanning, book summer dates as soon as your ferry is confirmed — the ferry is usually the harder thing to secure, so work backwards from it. Shoulder season is easier for pitches but check opening dates directly, as campsites this far north often close for winter. Whenever you go, confirm the charging arrangement by phone, keep a buffer of range on arrival day, and plan to top up in Kirkwall or Stromness rather than relying on finding something on an island hop.