Wyre

The Wyre is a small, low-lying island in the northern Orkney archipelago off the north coast of Scotland, often considered alongside neighbouring Rousay and Egilsay. Its landscape of windswept grassland, machair and rocky shoreline supports seabirds and seals and gives a sense of open, maritime space despite the island’s compact size.

Wyre’s most striking feature is the 12th-century stone stronghold and chapel ruins at Cubbie Roo's Castle, a vivid reminder of Norse settlement that draws history-minded visitors. The island sustains a tiny crofting community, with small-scale agriculture, wildlife watching and seasonal tourism forming the backbone of local life and preserving a quiet, close-knit island culture.