Orkney village on South Ronaldsay and the island terminal used by Pentland Ferries from Gills Bay. Compare the current bookable ferry connections and plan the port part of your journey before travelling.
The ferry booking form uses the same FerryEU booking flow as the rest of the site. Select the exact ports and travel date, then confirm the route and operator shown in the live results. Click Here to view other available ferry destinations.
Click Here to view all other available ferry routes and destinations
Orkney village on South Ronaldsay and the island terminal used by Pentland Ferries from Gills Bay. The village is a compact historic settlement with a sheltered harbour and easy access to southern Orkney.
Road links connect South Ronaldsay with Kirkwall and the rest of Orkney via the Churchill Barriers. Vehicle travellers should allow enough time for rural roads and ferry check-in.
For ferry planning, start with the sailing rather than the sightseeing itinerary. Check the exact port, boarding time and passenger or vehicle conditions, then work backwards to decide where to stay and how much transfer time is needed. Confirm check-in requirements for vehicles, motorhomes, motorcycles and foot passengers when booking.
This FerryEU guide concentrates on routes that were confirmed as available in the Direct Ferries booking inventory at the 20 September 2026 review. A route can still be seasonal or unavailable on a particular day, so the live search is essential before making non-refundable onward arrangements.
These FerryEU route guides correspond to services currently represented in the booking inventory. Frequencies shown in guides are planning indicators, not guarantees for every date.
This page links to 2 direction guides covering 1 port connection. Choose your travel direction; outward and return sailing times can differ. These are planning guides, so check the dated sailing calendar before booking.
Current booking inventory lists this route with Pentland Ferries. Typical crossing time is about 1 hour 10 minutes; search your date because frequency changes seasonally.
View Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope ferry guideRoad links connect South Ronaldsay with Kirkwall and the rest of Orkney via the Churchill Barriers. Vehicle travellers should allow enough time for rural roads and ferry check-in.
Use the terminal named on the confirmation. Ports with several quays, marinas or ferry companies can have different boarding points even when the destination name is the same.
Confirm check-in requirements for vehicles, motorhomes, motorcycles and foot passengers when booking. Vehicle travellers should also allow time for check-in queues and marshalling.
Recheck the departure status, identification requirements, luggage or vehicle conditions and any operator messages. If you have a tight onward connection, add a realistic buffer because ferries operate in a marine environment and timings can change.
For accommodation, weigh proximity to the terminal against access to the places you want to visit. An early sailing often favours a port-side stay; a later departure may make a central location more useful.
Browse tours and activities around St Margaret’s Hope to combine with your ferry journey. Check meeting points and return times against the confirmed sailing before booking an experience.
Tours and activities displayed in this section are supplied through Viator. Availability, descriptions and prices are provided by the activity supplier and can change.
FerryEU currently links this guide with bookable services involving Gills Bay. Search the exact date because operating days and seasonal availability can change.
Use the masked ferry search on this page, select the exact departure and arrival ports and then confirm the operator, travel date and ticket conditions in the live results.
The exact terminal or quay depends on the service. Follow the location and check-in instructions on your booking confirmation rather than relying on a generic harbour pin.
Vehicle availability depends on the route and vessel. Enter the correct vehicle category in the search and check that the selected sailing accepts it.
Use the check-in deadline supplied with the booking. Build in extra time for road traffic, parking, public-transport connections and finding the correct quay.
Yes. Ferry schedules can change by season, weather and operational requirements. Reconfirm the final departure information before travel.
Use the live search for your exact date, then match the selected sailing with the terminal and onward travel plan.
