Kirkwall

Kirkwall is a town on the Orkney coast, Orkney Islands, United Kingdom, with a population of 7,150.

Good

Best window 17:00 – 18:00

Good (58) — best around ⁦17:00–18:00⁩, thanks to a major solunar period, dawn or dusk light, a comfortable water temperature.

Gusting 33 kn around 14:00.
Why we say this
Gusts, not average wind, are what capsize a kayak and spoil a cast. Above 30 kn most shore and small-craft fishing stops being pleasant.

Shore62
Boat60
Rock35
Kayak42
Spearfishing est.22

Shore62
Boat60
Rock35
Kayak42
Spearfishing22est.

Go — Shore or Boat

Confidence: highUpdated about 1 h ago

ShoreGoBoatGoRockMarginalKayakMarginalSpearfishingNot today

Best ⁦21:00–00:00⁩·Avoid ⁦06:00–21:00⁩

00:0003:0006:0009:0012:0015:0018:0021:00

Why

a major solunar period
dawn or dusk light
a comfortable water temperature
strong wind
likely murky water

Tap a block for the reasons

Tides

High tideLow tideHourly fishing scoreMoon overhead or underfootMoonrise or moonsetDawn or dusk lightTide running

Coefficient 54

Heights above approximate chart datum

Hover an hour

Fishing—
Wind— kn
Waves— m

Show all rows

Gusts— kn
Period— s
Current— kn
UV—
Cloud— %
Feels like— °

0h3h6h9h12h15h18h21h

Tap an hour to see the values

Which day to go

Updated about 1 h ago

Day	Shore	Boat	Rock	Kayak	Spearfishing	Wind	Waves	Swell	Water
19 Mon	56	48	47	29	27	7–15kn S	0.46–0.90m SSW	0.31m · 5.9s WSW	12.6°
20 Tue	0	0	0	0	0	14–19kn SSE	0.92–1.32m SSE	0.36m · 7.3s ESE	12.6°
21 Wed	62	58	10	24	0	3–14kn SSE	0.66–1.26m SE	0.72m · 6.6s SE	12.5°
22 Thu	62	60	35	42	22	3–18kn W	0.54–0.90m W	0.48m · 6.2s W	12.5°
23 Fri	78	77	77	75	61	2–9kn SSW	0.36–0.52m WSW	0.31m · 5.5s W	12.4°
24 Sat	58	57	56	56	47	3–29kn S	0.36–1.70m S	0.45m · 6.6s WSW	12.4°
25 Sun	0	1	0	0	0	7–31kn NW	1.40–2.06m W	0.22m · 8.3s SE	12.3°

Kirkwall Port lies 0.2 km away, and St. Magnus Cathedral is 0.3 km from the town. Nearby coastal features include Crow Ness (1.7 km), the Bay of Kirkwall (1.8 km) and the Bay of Berstane (2.4 km), with Quanter Ness and Head of Work capes further out at 3.7 and 3.8 km. The ancient site of Quanterness is 2.9 km away, and Thieves Holm island lies 3.8 km offshore. Tides are mesotidal and semidiurnal, with a spring range of 2.28 m.

Also known as

Κέρκγουολ, Bágh na h-Eaglaise

Fishing spots nearby

Nearby landmarks

St. Magnus Cathedral — church, ⁦0.3 km⁩
Quanterness — ancient site, ⁦2.9 km⁩
Thieves Holm — island, ⁦3.8 km⁩

Questions

Is October 22, 2026 a good day to fish at Kirkwall?

Our fishing score for Kirkwall on October 22, 2026 is 58 out of 100 — Good.

When is high tide at Kirkwall on October 22, 2026?

High tides on October 22, 2026: ⁦08:53 AM, 08:29 PM⁩. Low tides: ⁦02:06 AM, 02:17 PM⁩. Times are local.

What is the tidal range at Kirkwall?

The mean spring range at Kirkwall is about ⁦2.3 m⁩.

What time do the sun and moon rise at Kirkwall?

On October 22, 2026, the sun rises at 08:05 AM and sets at 05:46 PM. The moon rises at 04:40 PM and sets at 02:46 AM.