A new fare cap on bus services across the Scottish Highlands and islands has made exploring the stunning Orkney archipelago a breeze and a bargain. The journey on the X99 bus from Inverness to Scrabster, a 111-mile route that takes about 3½ hours, now costs only £2 thanks to a scheme running until March 2026. Previously, a single ticket was £28.
The route offers spectacular views: gorse-gold hills rolling west towards snow-patched mountains, fields of spring lambs sloping down to silver seas, wide estuaries, cascading burns, thatched crofts, rocky bays, and birch woods dotted with anemones. The bus is timed to connect with the Northlink Ferry from Scrabster to Stromness, Orkney's second-largest town, making it easy to continue exploring the islands by bus.