Definitely check at the visitor center by the Ferry Terminal. I'm assuming they're open in winter--but maybe shouldn't assume a lot. They should have current times for local buses, tour guides and important this time of year the opening hours of the various sites. They're real helpful if your there and talk to them in person, but if you try to email them it will go through Visit Scotland and, well, the information will probably slow or not too helpful. Some sites are always open, but some only when staffed and probably less in winter. Most of these would have hours on the Historic Scotland website. I don't think the circular bus that hit several on Mainland runs in the winter, but there should be connections to most. Most of the local tours are supposed to be pretty good. I enjoyed a Wild About Orkney one, don't know what his winter schedule is. I'd imagine you should be able to get a bus from Stromness to Skara Brae. The bus between Stromness and Kirkwall with drop you off and pick you up at Maeshowe. Should be something from Kirkwall to Tomb of the Eagles, Italian Chapel etc. But you'll have to schedule your time carefully. See all you can and enjoy. Karen English In a message dated 12/7/2009 9:54:51 A.M. Central Standard Time, clairseach42@yahoo.com writes: OK, so I'm sitting in a Starbucks in Edinburgh as I write this. Tomorrow morning I travel by Megabus to Aberdeen. I will spend the night in Aberdeen and then the next morning will travel by local bus from Aberdeen to Inverness and then from Inverness to Scrabster. I will catch the 7:00 pm ferry to Stromness and have booked 2 nights at a hostel in Stromness. This answers the question of cheap travel to Orkney. Now, my next question is: is there a tour company that will take me to "all" the archaeological sites? (I know I can't really do all, but at least all the "big" ones). I definitely want to do Skara Brae, Maes Howe and the Tomb of Eagles (and yes, I know it's on another island, but I'm REALLY hoping I can get there!) Thank you, Judy, mom to Josh, Eli and ^i^Kerry