Two steamers called Earl Thorfinn and Earl Sigurd joined the fleet serving Orkney's northern islands in 1928. The names never left: they belong today to two of the three ro-ros that Orkney Ferries lists for its Outer North Isles run, the service that carries Sanday's cars, freight and most of its visitors between Kirkwall and the terminal at Loth.
Orkney Ferries' Eday, Sanday and Stronsay winter timetable (28 September 2026 – 1 May 2027), its Outer North Isles refit timetable (3 January – 6 March 2027) and the Nordic Sea foot-passenger sheet (to 31 December 2026), each matched against the operator's booking search on 15 October 2026. Orkney Ferries — Eday, Sanday and Stronsay winter timetable 2026–27 (PDF) · 2026-10-15
Orkney Ferries traces scheduled sailings from Kirkwall to the northern islands back to 1864, when Captain George Robertson bought a little wooden steamer, renamed her Orcadia and brought her up from Liverpool. The Orkney Steam Navigation Company followed in 1868, the first Earl Thorfinn and Earl Sigurd in 1928, a new island shipping company in 1961, and council ownership in 1987. The present Earl Thorfinn and Earl Sigurd, 45-metre sisters from the McTay yard, date from 1989.
Sanday's own past runs far deeper. Quoyness, a chambered cairn of around 5,000 years, still has its central chamber standing at the full four metres, reached by crawling down a nine-metre passage. At Start Point the Northern Lighthouse Board lit Scotland's first revolving light in 1806 and, around 1915, painted the tower in black and white vertical stripes, a pattern no other Scottish lighthouse carries.
This winter the island gets more than the car ferry alone. Until 31 December the small passenger vessel Nordic Sea runs extra sailings for Eday, Sanday and Stronsay: two return trips on weekdays, one early on Saturdays and a morning one on Sundays. They must be booked in advance. On 3 January the ro-ros start their refit rotation, and Sanday's timetable changes shape until 6 March.
Sanday sits on the North Isles scale, the dearer of Orkney Ferries' two fare tables, and a return is priced at twice the single. Walk-on passengers without a reservation can settle up with the crew, paying by card or in cash.
Hopping on from Sanday to Eday or Stronsay costs less, because the inter-island table applies: an adult pays £3.40 and a car £8.00 per leg.
| Adult, single | £ 6.75 |
| Adult, return | £ 13.50 |
| Junior, single | £ 3.40 |
| Senior citizen (65+), single | £ 5.10 |
| Registered disabled or blind, single | £ 5.10 |
| Under 5 | Free |
| Adult, inter-island single | £ 3.40 |
| Car or van up to 5.5 m, single | £ 16 |
| Car or van up to 5.5 m, return | £ 32 |
| Blue Badge vehicle up to 5.5 m, single | £ 12 |
| Motorcycle, single | £ 9.20 |
| Motorhome 5.51–8 m, single | £ 39.50 |
| Bicycle | Free |
| Car, inter-island single | £ 8 |
Orkney Ferries' North Isles vehicle and passenger fares from 1 April 2026, read on 15 October 2026. Orkney Ferries — North Isles fares 2026–27 (PDF) · 2026-10-15
Taking the Department for Transport's NaPTAN points for the two terminals, Loth lies about 27 kilometres north-east of Kirkwall. The direct boat covers that in eighty-five minutes; everything longer in the timetable is a call at Eday or Stronsay, which share their sailings with Sanday. Saturday's 07:00, for instance, goes round by Stronsay and lands at 09:25.
The Westray ferry also sails from Kirkwall pier on the North Isles fare scale, bound for Rapness on Westray, to the north-west. For something shorter, Shapinsay is a 25-minute trip from its own berth a little way along the same waterfront.
The North Isles boats load at Kirkwall pier, recorded by the Department for Transport as the Ayre Road terminal. Pay cash at the Orkney Ferries office in Shore Street if you want to: online bookings take cards only.
Drivers must be ready to board twenty minutes before the sailing time; foot passengers have until ten minutes before. The Nordic Sea boards over its bow ramp at the linkspan.
Loth sits on the B9070 in the south of Sanday. The terminal has public toilets, one for men and one for women that is also accessible.
Everything else is spread across a long, low island: the community shop at Lady, Sinclair's General Stores overlooking Bea Loch, the Belsair Hotel's bar food at Kettletoft and a wood-fired pizzeria at Burness.
The Sanday Bus is an on-demand service linking the ferry terminal with anywhere on a public road. Reserve by 18:00 the previous day on 07513 084 777, by call or text, and leave a voicemail if nobody answers.
Bikes cross free on the car ferries and ride strapped to the outside deck of the Nordic Sea. The Sanday Community Shop hires bicycles and e-bikes; book them on 01857 600 483.
Drivers must book a place no later than sixty minutes before the boat leaves, on the website or by ringing the Kirkwall office while it is open. Cancelling inside that last hour can cost the full fare.
The Nordic Sea has only one lounge, so it takes assistance dogs and dogs in pet carriers only. On the ro-ros dogs travel on a lead, and the operator suggests drivers leave them in the car.
Both island shops sell fuel: the community shop at Lady (01857 600 483) and Sinclair's General Stores by Bea Loch (01857 600 312). Ring first, as opening hours vary.
The timetable rewards a close read. On weekdays the 07:40 car ferry from Kirkwall usually lands at 09:05 and the final departure from Loth is the 16:55, or 18:15 on Fridays, which leaves most of a day for the beaches. Sunday is different: the only car ferry is the 16:20 out, which turns round at Loth ten minutes after landing, so drivers cannot make a day of it, while a foot passenger can go out on the 08:00 Nordic Sea and come back on the 17:55.
The Nordic Sea's timetable sheet sets its own rules. It has one passenger lounge, so dogs only travel if they are assistance dogs or in a carrier; bikes are lashed on the open deck; passengers board over the bow ramp at the linkspans; and every sailing depends on the forecast weather and the tide. When we checked on 15 October, the operator's status page showed both running as scheduled.
The terminal at Loth, on the B9070 in the south of the island. Kettletoft, Lady and the beaches are a drive, a cycle or a booked Sanday Bus ride away.
Because they call at Eday or Stronsay first. Direct sailings take 1 hour 25 minutes; the Saturday 07:00 from Kirkwall, which goes via Stronsay, arrives at 09:25.
It is Orkney Ferries' 21.5-metre relief passenger vessel, running extra foot-passenger sailings to Eday, Sanday and Stronsay until 31 December 2026. It does: book and pay online or on 01856 872044 before travelling.
Anything up to 5.5 metres long, car or van, pays £16.00 one way or £32.00 return on the fares in force from 1 April 2026, and each adult adds £6.75 per leg. Drivers have to secure the space at least one hour in advance.
Yes, on weekdays: the 07:40 from Kirkwall and the 16:55 from Sanday (18:15 on Fridays). On Sundays only foot passengers can, out on the 08:00 Nordic Sea and back on the 17:55.
Between Sunday 3 January and Saturday 6 March 2027 the refit sheet takes over. Saturdays drop to one round trip (08:00 out, 10:40 back), Sundays to a late-afternoon one, and Mondays to Wednesdays gain a mid-morning sailing.
No. Orkney Ferries stands down for Christmas Day and Boxing Day, then for New Year's Day and the day after. On 23 and 30 December, both Wednesdays, the car ferry keeps Saturday hours.
Under Orkney Ferries' rules, juniors 'up to the age of 22' who show a Young Scot card or national entitlement card pay nothing. Without one, the junior single is £3.40.