Visitor Reviews - Pickaquoy Caravan And Camping Site
Pickaquoy Caravan And Camping Site 
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Pickaquoy Road
Kirkwall
Orkney Islands (Browse area)
KW15 1LR See Map
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Tel: 01856 879900
Pitches: 81
Open: April To October
Rating: 
9/10 from 20 Reviews
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20 Reviews in total, now showing 1 to 6
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| Date of Visit: October 2012 |
Unit: Motorhome |
Rating:  |
| Reviewer: Annadg |
4 reviews from this member |
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We found the site excellent - very good facilities and very well placed for going into the city and enjoying the excellent museum and the lovely cathedral.
The wifi at the main centre didn't work for us which was a bit of a pain, and we hope it can be extended to cover the whole site for the future as we need to do work even when on holiday !
At this time of year the site is nearly empty, so there was no need to book in advance. But we love to come to Orkney out of season, and it is a real problem, as NONE of the camp sites are open all year. I can't see why they can't keep this one open, and maybe just reduce the facilities a bit - for example provide hot water only between certain hours or something.
There is a small playground for kids, but other than that it isn't especially child friendly. Out of season there is no warden on site, you go round to the reception at the Picaquoy centre and they book you in. They were friendly and cheerful but hadn't really much knowledge of the site (or the wifi. Sorry to gripe but we really needed it!)
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| Date of Visit: August 2012 |
Unit: Tent |
Rating: |
| Reviewer: Fernman |
15 reviews from this member |
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Just returned from 2 enjoyable weeks on this site. It attracts many visitors from the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy etc as well as Scots and English, and we found everyone to be extremely friendly.
A notice stated that from 30 July 2012 reception has moved permanently to the Pickaquoy Centre.
Before going I was a bit apprehensive about the unisex facilities even though I'm usually bold as brass, but I needn't have worried. I counted 13 cubicles - 3 with just wc and basin, 1 'Closed for Maintenance', 9 with showers - and they are all on either side of a wide corridor. 2 or 3 had hand driers inside and there was one in the corridor.
There were a couple of very busy days when there was a short queue around 8 a. M but I didn't wait more than 2 minutes. If you've got your legs crossed there is another wc in the disabled room by the entrance, and another round by the laundry room.
Gents with electric shavers note that there are no sockets in the cubicles, only two in the corridor. If like me you have a rechargeable one take your cord and charge it in one of the 13 amp sockets in the lounge, which people also used for phone and camera batteries.
A very minor gripe is no shelf in the showers for your gel, soap or shampoo, only the high windowsill or the folding seat.
A bigger gripe, though not the fault of the site, for the lady warden worked hard, was that many people didn't seem to know what a shower curtain was for, and certainly wouldn't dream of using one of the mops provided. Time and again we found cubicles that had been left swimming with water. The general rule of thumb was that the further up the corridor you went the greater your chances of finding a clean one.
The kitchen contains 6 sinks/draining boards with very hot water, plus a microwave, a small freezer handy for your ice packs, and an electric kettle.
The new leisure complex that was originally supposed to have been completed by June and then rescheduled for August, is still nothing like finished, and during our stay it was being worked on from 8 a. M up till 8 pm, The continual bleeping of machines in the evenings became a bit tiresome and I felt really sorry for those who were pitched on that side of the site. The housing development on the opposite side, that we were on, is separated by a wide strip of gorse and grass, and some of the new properties are already occupied. However, while it was quiet during our first week, on the second a JCB was clattering and whining before and after our days out.
All in all a great site but it will improve when all the surrounding building work is over.
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| Date of Visit: May 2012 |
Unit: Touring Caravan |
Rating:  |
| Reviewer: Waterman |
12 reviews from this member |
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Site - Easy to find, go to site first, if warden there he will tell you where to pitch, if not usually leaves a notice in office window with pitch number, take care you are on the correct pitch as the numbers are a little misleading, and if you are on the wrong pitch they will get you to move, because the computer says where you are, and that is non-negotiable. You can tell I was on the wrong pitch, as you come in the number actually on the bollard alongside the pitch is for the pitch before, not the one next to it. A day later I was told to move, even though it was raining and I am a woman on her own, and it was a motorhome coming in, I was not a happy bunny. Anyway rant over, when you get there walk to the leisure centre to book in. The receptionists are helpful and friendly, but not campers. The site is v shaped with a road along one arm, and at the moment in the middle extensive building works for a new swimming pool right up to the back of the pitches. They start work 8am every morning except Sunday, which is 9am. Alongside the other arm of the v towards the outside they are building a new housing estate.
The pool should be finished by July 2012 - check.
When you book they allocate pitches on a lets fill every pitch starting at one end, so half the site is empty and all the vans are crammed in one end, if you want to be spread out a bit ask when booking, because once finger has hit key there is no changing it. There are no views from the site, and no gates, a broken bit of wall gives easy access to road for leisure centre. I also considered it a bit pricey for me, as it was £20 per night and not high season, double a club site, but this would be good if there were more of you, as it covers up to four people. I do think they should have given a discount and warn you of the building work/noise.
Warden - supposedly on site all day every day, never seen except when he thumped on door to tell me to move, and when asked if I could swap pitches with the motorhome was told 'its on the computer, you'll have to sort it out'
Now the good news - not having been to Orkney before there is not much information on sites, there is another at Stromness which has lovely views, but in bad weather can be awful, there are some C. L. 's but these tend to be a bit out of the way, and Kirkwall is central to everything. A shortish walk down the road in a line is a Co-op, Tesco and Lidl. You can walk into town, so no need to take the car. Although parking is easy and not expensive.
Directly opposite is the Peedie Sea, a large area of parkland and water, tarmac paths, a skate park and model boating lake.
To the left of the site is a garage, where the fuel was cheaper than on the mainland. Thurso was very expensive and none of the garages display their prices.
Another big plus is the amenities block.
Ferries - on the way over I went Scrabster - Stromness, very easy, booked the day before, plenty of vacancies as not in high season. Luxurious boat, roll on roll off, bars restaurant, large outside area. Cost for May with over 60 discount £99 Takes hour and half, good views of Old Man of Hoy.
Return St Margaret Hope - Gills Bay phoned the day before and told to pay on arrival. Arrived early as gale force 7 - 8, W - E and was worried about driving across the Churchill barriers with the van. Luckily I was first in the line, as it is not a roll on roll off, I went on first, then had to do a you turn, they unhitched the caravan and pushed it to the back then I had to reverse and they re-hitched me, luckily I double checked as they had not taken the jockey wheel fully up. Good views of Scapa Flow if not raining, It is a catarmaran, the cars are in the open in the middle of the two hulls, with aircraft type seating in both hulls one side with tables and a small food outlet, in the other no food allowed, small outside area. There was a large swell and I am glad it only took an hour. Because of the swell I had to judge carefully driving off as ramp was one minute up and then down. About £20 cheaper than other route.
Dog walk - none on site, but just over the road is the park.
Amenities block - There is a lounge with comfortable armchairs, and excellent laundry, very good washers and driers, and includes different height sinks, iron (from the warden) ironing board, airers and laundry baskets. There are rotary washing lines outside on the site.
Kitchen with again high and low sinks, microwave, kettle very spacious and clean.
Toilets/showers unisex, only two single toilets which were both locked for the duration of my stay, but every shower had a wash basin and toilet in it, but no way of drying your hands if you just wanted to use the loo. Showers large of the walk in variety with a drop down plastic seat, curtain, the shower head is fixed and push button of very short duration, keep your hand on it, water could be a bit too hot at times, no control.
I can only comment on what I found when I was there, and yes I would probably go there again, because it is easy to get to, great washrooms and central.
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| Date of Visit: May 2012 |
Unit: Campervan |
Rating:  |
| Reviewer: Simonleeann17 |
17 reviews from this member |
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We booked ahead to be on the safe side but there was no need to at this time of year. Check in was at the leisure centre and the staff were friendly and helpful.
The site was very well looked after with great hard standing pitches for our campervan. The tent/grass pitches looked pretty good also and the site is near enough level through out.
There was plenty of space between each hardstanding pitch.
The facilities block was new at the time of our visit and as you might expect this meant it was very clean and well looked after. The facilities were great and as well as the usual toilets, showers, laundry there was a lounge that we used on ocassion to relax or have fish and chips.
We used the site as a base for visiting Orkney and for this it was absolutely perfect. It is close to the town but still has a feel of space around it. It is a short walk to the nearest supermarkets and not much further to the town centre and harbour. The distillery is a longer walk away and we did this on a couple of ocassions with our kids in the pram. If you want a tour we would suggest booking as it was rather busy each time we visited.
We arrived into Stronmness and left from Margrat St Hope with a trip to Shetland from Kirkwall in between. Each ferry port is easily accessable from the site though we found the north link ferries and terminals more user friendly.
Orkney is a wonderful place of beauty and interest. We would recommend all the historic sites (Skara Brae, Maes How, Ring of Brodgar, Broch of Gurness, Brough of Birsay, Italian chursh and the tomb of eagles to mention a few) along with a number of stunning coastal and other walks that can be found in a walking guide book. One walk we did from the site was up Windford Hill towards the aerials and then over to Windford Cairn and the tombs you can access through the 'trap door'. The walk offers great views out over Scapa flow.
Kirkwall is a pleasant town though a drive over to Stromness is thoroughly recommended. We arrived by ferry into Stromness, having sailed past the Old man of Hoy, and it is very picturesque. The museum there is also worth a visit.
We stayed a couple of nights on Hoy in the youth hostel and wild camping and also found a great deal through the airways - next to nothing flight if you stayed a night on selected smaller islands. We stayed a couple of night on Papa Westray - fantastic. The flight there and back was a great experience, particularly in the high winds!
Great Islands and a great site to use as a base.
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| Date of Visit: August 2011 |
Unit: Tent |
Rating: |
| Reviewer: Rover21 |
2 reviews from this member |
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This is a most exceptional site. It is the best I have ever stayed on. It ought to be used as a blueprint for all sites. What has been achieved here is truly remarkable.
The location is excellent. A short walk to a big Tesco or an even shorter walk to Coop. A few minutes walk into the city. Sheltered beside the leisure centre and set to get even better once the new swimming pool is complete. Despite its city location, it has the feel of a country site.
The facilities are fabulous. A lovely lounge, big kitchen with plenty of sinks, a small fridge, and a microwave for heating up those Tesco convenience meals. Individual bathrooms - heaven! If I had to say one thing negative it would be that the bathrooms were a little clinical. They reminded me of a hospital, i. E. Hospital style taps. I think maybe the supplies came from the same place as it is council owned. But how could one complain about that?
The receptionists at the leisure centre where you check-in were very helpful and friendly. Their customer service skills were apparent. Nothing was too much trouble. Very good value for money. There's a little park for the children to play in and it feels safe.
Plenty of local information available in the lounge and a very helpful notice board with daily newsletter advising of events and weather.
A truly exceptional place!
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| Date of Visit: August 2011 |
Unit: Tent |
Rating: |
| Reviewer: Campingcaz |
22 reviews from this member |
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Best equipped campsite I have ever stayed in. Prices very reasonable and the communal lounge facility would be a life saver on a rainy day. Well done Orkney (or Kirkwall) council for investing generously in tourism.
Forget B & B; book in here instead and spend the money you save on a meal out; we recommend Real Food cafe at the back of Judith Glue's shop opposite cathedral. Local produce imaginatively served.
Scapa beach is a lovely nearby place for a walk.
Loved Orkney and will return thanks to this campsite.
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