Circumnavigate Copinsay Island by private charter boat to photograph its iconic 1915 lighthouse from the sea — a classic red-and-white tower rising above dramatic storm-sculpted cliffs, rated among the most photogenic in the UK.
What to expect
Your private vessel departs from the Copinsay anchorage and rounds the island's wave-hammered south cliffs, where the lighthouse stands sentinel above crashing North Sea swells. The skipper guides you through narrow geos — deep sea inlets carved by millennia of Atlantic storms — that are inaccessible on foot and invisible from any shore vantage point. Grey seals bob alongside the hull, while fulmars and skuas wheel overhead. The island's abandoned farmstead, silent since the last family left in 1958, adds a haunting note of human history to the wild seascape.
Good to know
Charter availability is weather-dependent — Copinsay's exposed east coast can be rough in northerly or easterly winds. Bring a telephoto lens for lighthouse and seabird photography. The circumnavigation takes approximately 1.5–2 hours; combine with an island landing for a full-day experience.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Copinsay Island — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.
More to do in Copinsay Island
- Copinsay Seabird Colony: Private Zodiac Landing & Guided Walk
- Ring of Brodgar & Skara Brae: Private Expert-Led UNESCO Tour
- Orkney Trike Tours: Coastal Panorama Ride Across Mainland Orkney
- Italian Chapel & Churchill Barriers: Private Wartime History Tour
- Maes Howe Chambered Cairn: Expert Solstice & Viking Runes Tour