The String

The String is a strait in Orkney Islands, Scotland. The String is situated nearby to the locality Lady’s Kirk (site of medieval chapel), as well as near the village Balfour.

Places of Interest

Highlights include Helliar Holm and Thieves Holm.

Helliar Holm

Islet

Photo: Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Helliar Holm is an uninhabited island off the coast of Shapinsay in the Orkney Islands, Scotland. It is home to a 42-foot-tall lighthouse, which was built in 1893 and automated in 1967.

Thieves Holm

Islet

Photo: Des Colhoun, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Thieves Holm is a small island in Orkney, Scotland.

Balfour Castle is a historic building on the southwest of Shapinsay, Orkney Islands. Though built around an older structure that dates at least from the 18th century, the present castle was built in 1847, commissioned by Colonel David Balfour, and designed by Edinburgh architect David Bryce.

Places in the Area

Nearby places include Balfour and Head of Holland.

Balfour

Village

Photo: Shirley Grant, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Balfour is a village on the island of Shapinsay, Orkney. The village is situated on Elwick Bay, which was used as an anchorage by Haakon IV of Norway before sailing south to eventual defeat at the Battle of Largs in 1263.

Head of Holland

Locality

Photo: Adam Ward, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Head of Holland is a locality.

Kirkwall

Photo: Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Kirkwall is the chief town of the Orkney Islands, which lie off the north tip of mainland Scotland. With a population of about 10,000 in 2020, Kirkwall has accommodation and other amenities and is the obvious base for exploring these islands.

The String

Type: Strait
Description: sound between Hellier Holm, Shapinsay, and Mainland, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK
Categories: sound and body of water
Location: Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, Britain and Ireland, Europe
View on OpenStreetMap

Latitude

59.01951° or 59° 1′ 10″ north

Longitude

-2.92046° or 2° 55′ 14″ west

Open location code

9CFV239H+RR

OpenStreetMap ID

way 931964641

OpenStreetMap feature

natural=strait

GeoNames ID

2636652

Wikidata ID

Q24637664

This page is based on OpenStreetMap, GeoNames, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons.

We’d love your help improving our open data sources. Thank you for contributing.

Satellite Map

Discover The String from above in high-definition satellite imagery.

In Other Languages

From Catalan to Swedish—“The String” goes by many names.

Catalan: “The String”
Cebuano: “The String”
Swedish: “The String”

Places with the Same Name

Discover other places named “The String”.

Localities in the Area

Explore places such as Lady’s Kirk (site of medieval chapel) and Balfour Mains.

Notable Places Nearby

Highlights include Wellington Battery (WW2 - ruins) and Broch or ringfort.

Orkney Islands: Must-Visit Destinations

Delve into Kirkwall, Stromness, Hoy, and South Ronaldsay.

Curious Straits to Discover

Uncover intriguing straits from every corner of the globe.