Beautiful, magical, evening. Lynn is a hypnotic and gripping storyteller! Loved it. Will come back. Highly recommend it. Book ahead if you can.
An extremely fun and immersive evening. We signed up for this on a lark to fill time before checking into our room for the night and it ended up being one of our favorite events of our Orkney trip.
This is one of those things that usually doesn't show up in guidebooks, but which everyone visiting Orkney should do at least once. It's one thing to read some local myths and legends in a book. It's a whole other thing to listen to some of those stories recounted by a master storyteller keeping local oral traditions alive, sharing legends told to her by the previous generation. You will feel a little bit of the texture of life on the island through the years and experience a tiny bit of those peoples' day-to-day lives. Unquestionably worth the price of admission, stop reading this and go sign up.
This was a terrific and unusual evening. Telling stories round the fire is what mankind has been doing since we discovered fire. The stories were wonderfully told with expression, tension, atmosphere. I was totally taken back to a time when we believed in Selfies and giants. This is the heart of us and the core of Orkney. Go.
A great experience with passion and ambience
My wife and I had a fantastic evening The Orkney FolkLore and Storytelling Centre, it was very informative and inspiring - only wish we lived on Orkney and could go all the time!
One of the most incredible experiences I've ever been to. I really didn't know what to expect but The Storytelling room really was a feast for the eyes with so much to take in and let your imagination run wild. Lynn was an exceptional storyteller and had me hooked from the moment she started until the moment she finished. Well worth it!
Lynn is an amazing storyteller, helping keep a very important tradition alive. Highly recommend visiting while you’re up in Orkney. Thank you Lynn!
Loved this unique and fascinating storytelling experience. The cottage atmosphere was immersive. Very well done.
We absolutely loved our evening. Lynn is an amazing storyteller and she has taken great responsibility in carrying one the tradition and tales.
Absolutely spellbinding!
Attended 'Peatfire Tales of Orkney Evenings', and what a lovely event this was. Lyn using her local knowledge weaving information about local customs, practices and life into the evening as well as serenading us with stories featuring Orcadian locals, selkies and the fin folk. Lyn brought the stories to life with verse, movement and song. Would certainly recommend it.
I'm left speechless after the most magical evening. Absolutely in awe of Lynn and her captivating and enchanting way of sharing her gift of storytelling and the beautiful ancient tales of this unique island. An absolute must whilst you're here!!!
Lynn is doing very important work for humanity. Telling the old stories, in the best way, passionate and researched. Fabulous. Best experience in Orkney.
Wonderful experience
Enjoyed a magical evening of storytelling with Lynn Barbour at the Orkney Folklore & Storytelling Centre on our last night on the island. Tales of selkies and finmen, woven with a skein of local dialect, poetry, history, and lore. A rich experience by the peat fire. Recommended for a taste of authentic Orcadia.
An atmospheric setting with a wonderful selection of books . Our storyteller was full of knowledge which she was passionate about sharing. She is a mesmerising teller of tales . All in all , a memorable evening which left me keen to learn more.
We very much enjoyed our storytelling evening. The atmosphere created really did take you to a different time and place. Gave us a different understanding of Orkney and stayed with us the rest of our trip.
A truly magical evening. If you're in Orkney you must do this!
Saw Lynn a number of years ago at Stromness and always wanted to return. So glad we did. Atmospheric and fascinating. Highly recommend.
We had the privilege of listening to an expert storyteller in a unique setting. A great experience and a brilliant introduction to Orkney folklore. Much recommended.
Very atmospheric. Set the theme for our trip to Orkney.
Lynn is a very talented story-teller, we absolutely loved the story-telling evening, it was just magical, would recommend, although not anyone for whom English isn't their first language as some of the group looked to be struggling to understand.
We had a magical evening listening at Orcadian myths and legends. The evening went through a mix of performance and story telling by the host, who is very knowledgeable and a great performer. You don't get much of a chance to experience the intangible heritage of places, and Orcadian myths are particularly special. Would definitely recommend if you are interested in learning about the myths and legends of Orkney. I'd recommend booking in advance as we went on a Tuesday and it was fully booked.
It was a truly magical evening. Not only did we have the stories, but we had the stories behind the stories and the stories behind them. The storyteller finally wove herself into the story tapestry towards the end so we were cocooned in a blanket of myth, legend, history, psychology, geography and custom. The studio itself is magical and the peat fire, the icing on the cake. The gentle pace of the evening and the soft, soporific timbre of the teller’s voice ensured a calm sleep full of dreams of selkies.
A really enjoyable evening with a wonderful dive into the myths and old ways of Orkney, in traditional storytelling style.
We didn't know what to expect, but Lynne is extraordinary, weaving history and legend into the old stories of Orkney. Highly recommended.
Lynn is a fantastic storyteller! Such a lovely experience and would highly recommend to anyone visiting Orkney.
We had a great experience, loved the atmosphere, stories and information. Do remember to take a drink with you.
History, context,, edutainment, art, the craft of storytelling, culture: this is why you
MUST go!!
A brilliant evening with lots of interesting details about Orkney‘s history and captivating storytelling. Totally recommend it!
We enjoyed a fantastic storytelling evening by the peat fire. The storytelling room is detailed and creatively put together. The stories were beautiful, melodic and almost hypnotic. The storyteller was exceptional. You absolutely must go here to immerse yourself in culture and folklore.
What an atmospheric and enchanting evening. Mesmerising performance, hugely enjoyable.
An absolutely incredible night of story-telling! 🙂 Lynn is a fantastic host, performer and orator, truly bringing alive the old tales of Orkney. Her enthusiasm and dedication to the islands’ oral traditions and their preservation is a treasure, and the wealth of local insight and knowledge she brings into her evenings is just remarkable. Very much encourage anyone who has the opportunity to sit in on one of her peat fire tales evenings to do so!
Lovely evening.
The setting in the art studio by the hearth is cosy, yet whimsical, and Lynn is a great storyteller, so dedicated to making the old stories survive.
If you come to the orkneys don't skip this
Great evening
I went to a peat fire storytelling evening, and it was INCREDIBLE! Lynn was wonderful, the environment was so cozy, and the stories were enchanting. A must do on your trip to Orkney, it really completes the experience of being in the islands.
Great evening of story telling and insight to life in Orkney past.
Wonderful experience!
Wonderful stories!
Wonderful stories!
Amazing storytelling by an excellent, incredibly knowledgeable and talented host. Location was spectacular with parking at the rear and the studio was decorated with the most interesting artefacts with lots of storytelling props and objects. Great evening
What an absolutely perfect evening we had. Lynn is a wonderful storyteller, she has a beautiful soft tone and voice. We loved the songs that she sung, but would have liked to hear more of them. Lynn is a local and is passing on oral folklore, its a special experience to be able to share. The peat fire was so cosy and added to the atmosphere. Don't dilly dally and treat yourself to this unique experience!! Thank you Lynn.
Lynn is such a passionate performer. She is keeping the tales of Orkney and Scotland alive and it is wonderful to see! A must visit for those spending time on Orkney.
An evening of storytelling about the Orkney folklore and oral traditions with Lynne by her peat fire - her collection of books and knowledge of these stories is not to be missed.
It's an easy place to find and is about 5 minutes from Brodgar. Remember to take a drink with you!
We were not sure what to expect when we turned up but can honestly say it was a very worthwhile booking. We spent a very enjoyable evening, firstly exploring rooms set out with numerous books and historic documents and then settled in front of an open fire and listened to Lynn narrating and performing tales from Orkney folklore, or could the folklore have been true?
Thank you to Lynn for her presentation skills and obvious dedication and enthusiasm for the history of Orkney.
An interesting evening filled with oral tales and storytelling. It was a lot like theatre; a monologue. Good way to spend an evening; better than television.
Lynn is an amazing storyteller, and the place is magical. Thoroughly enjoyed the evening.
Spent an interesting night here! Storytelling was good - might've gone on a bit long, could maybe introduce a short break in the middle to add structure? - and the museum space itself with its library and artworks is amazing. But the peat smoke and the heat almost sent us to sleep, and made our eyes water so that at the end we were quite keen to get out into the cold for some fresh air.
A tremendous evening. Even with an audience of 25, the event felt intimate with a lovely mix of theatre, poetry and conversation.
Amazing top notch storytelling evening. It was atmospheric at the fantastic venue and the storytelling transported me and my imagination back in time. The storyteller gave a unique and invaluable authentic insight to the local legends and folklore by a glorious open fire. Wonderful. Well worth turning out.
We attended an evening storytelling session with my daughter who has profound learning disabilities, is blind and a wheelchair user. The venue was quirky and atmospheric. There were so many things to look at before the session started, and Lynn was happy for my daughter to feel all the artifacts. She thoroughly enjoyed the evening, as did my daughter’s friend and I. Unfortunately we had to leave before the end because we were going to catch the ferry. I fell asleep that night with Lynn’s beautiful lilting voice, and memories of the stories she told, running through my head! Very much recommend to others.
Recommend booking ahead.
Very atmospheric, really interesting place, great speaking voice and telling of tales.
A fantastic evening of wonderful storytelling in front of a crackling pest fire.
We had a fantastic night in a fantastic setting, the Stories were amazing told around a peat fire by an amazing storyteller. Would strongly recommend. Danny and Siobhan.
Loved every minute of this storytelling evening. Haunting stories that will stay with me for a long time and that I saw echoing around everything else we saw while we were on Orkney. Really enhanced the special sense of place that the island has and my understanding of its people and way of life. Thoroughly recommend it to any visitor to the Orkney mainland
We had a magical evening. The Peatfire Tales are the real thing. I really doubt that you can get any closer to an authentic oral history performance in English than this. Lynn clearly knows what she is doing. I have read a lot of these stories, but hearing and seeing them performed as they have been for hundreds or even thousands of years is something else entirely, with the repetitions, the formulas, the sound play, the hand movements … it was all there.
If you have any interest in folklore, in stories, in spoken word, then give yourself the gift of going to one of these nights (and take your family or friends with you; my daughter of eleven really loved this as well).
An amazing storyteller telling legends and educating about the history of the island and bringing it all to life. She even had our six year old sitting still and listening as she told and acted out her stories. Thank you very much!
Engaging storyteller, library was very interesting with lots of old books & photos, ambience of rooms added to overall effect
Throughly enjoyed our visit 20:00 to 22:00. Very unique storytelling with a nice fire and peat (please be advised can be smokey!). 24 booked and turned up, would recommend if you want some of the islands history told in a different manner.
Update, visited again in Oct 2026, still well worth a visit! Lynnes storytelling is fantastic and well worth the 2 hours.
It was interesting to hear some of the stories, quite an unusual heritage
I had a fantastic evening here. The storytelling was super engaging, and the atmosphere was perfect!
We attended the evening Peatfire Tales of Orkney and it was wonderful. Lynne held the small intimate audience captured throughout. Would definitely recommend 👏
Absolutely brilliant, a wonderful evening of storytelling by the fireside. Highly recommended
Brilliant and authentic! Would absolutely recommend
Liz was incredibly nice and even gave us a little tour outside of opening hours, taking plenty of time for us. A special place and highly recommended!
We spent a gloriously enchanting evening listening to fables, both real and imaginary, drawn from the rich Orcadian culture and history. We would gladly and eagerly visit again if we are blessed to visit the islands in the future (would certainly love to). Also, on the recommendation of the curator, we next day visited both the Barony Mill and Kirbister Farm - other nearby curations - and had a wonderful experience at both. Cannot reccomend highly enough. Bravo!
As always, a lovely evening enchanting story telling and very informative prologue and epilogue
An absolute must , for any one interested in oral history myths and legends .
Great value
The Meryl Streep of the Orkneys. Such a fabulous experience!
My friends and I found Lynn captivating, embracing the characters from the Orcadian stories in a way that left us spellbound. We could have listened to her for hours. Magical storytelling.
We would suggest a five minute comfort break inbetween stories to allow those becoming restless/fidgety to stretch their legs so as not to distract those who are fully immersed in the tales.
You gotta do it!
Wonderful evening with Lynn sharing Orcadian histories, legends and folklore - thank you for weaving a rich tapestry of stories next to a peat fire for us! Thank you for keeping the spoken word tradition going and bringing a community of listeners into the space with you.
Have already saved the podcast link to hear more next month!
Lynne was so interesting in her knowledge, insight and love of folklore and its place in society today. This is really important work, weaving the past into the present, re-membering what is important, what should still be honoured, such as community, spoken word and moreover the power of land and sea.
We had a great evening with a wonderful performance. The reading and the atmosphere were great, absolutely worth experiencing. Non-native English speakers will probably have problems understanding everything, but you can always understand the mood and the basics. Absolute recommendation!
Lynn has a most riveting way to tell the folklore stories of the Fin Folk and the Selkie Folk. We sat totally mesmerized for two hours. Lynn draws you into the history and magic of these tales passed on through time.
Well presented and atmospheric.
A bit off the beaten path, but attending a "Peatfire Tale of Orkney" evening was pretty magical. I would highly recommend you just go and experience it for yourself.
Great experience for anyone wanting to dig a little deeper into the oral traditions of Orcadian culture. An expert and passionate storyteller takes you on an immersive journey - to Finmen and Selkies in our case. Highly recommend.
Absolutely amazing experience with Lynne! Highly recommended for anyone interested in storytelling and folklore, and who wants to learn more about Orkney life through the spoken word.
One thing my group cannot stop talking about is how Lynne managed to 'change' her appearance during the stories. What do I mean? Well, at some points she was a young girl, at other times an old sailor or a selkie. Her voice changed of course as she was telling these stories but it was also like her whole appearance changed too! It's hard to explain so you will have to go see this for yourself- but be prepared, she is very very good and I am convinced she is also a little bit magical too!
I enjoyed this evening of folk storytelling. Thought it might be useful to describe it a little - I didn’t know what to expect when I booked. We sat at tables around a peat fire in a room, not smoky but quite hot so wear layers. Lynne prefaces the storytelling with historical context and is very passionate about the need to preserve the oral storytelling traditions of the islands. The stories are performed, rather like performance poetry but with added movement, song and prop work. Lynne is softly spoken and the storytelling is scattered (as is completely appropriate) with Scots words, I was glad I was familiar with some of it before the performance started. It demands your full attention to get the most out of the detail in the stories and the historical context but certainly a very authentic and a unique insight into the cultural heritage of the Islands.
Thoroughly enjoyable evening. Stories were presented in an interesting way. Learnt lots about the folk lore of Orkney.
We had an amazing night at the Orkney Folklore & Storytelling Centre! Gathering around a peatfire hearth, Lynn wove us tales of the people who farmed the land and fished the sea, from shipwrecks and selkies, to finfolk and trows, all expressed through storytelling, props, song and dance. We were utterly captivated, her enthusiasm and passion powering these ancient tales for the people of today.
If anyone is thinking of visiting Orkney, you must go to one of the peatfire evenings to hear the tales of the people who came before us, I couldn't recommend it more highly!
Just home from a magical evening of storytelling and folklore hosted by the amazing Lynn. Highly recommend whether you are an Orkney resident or a visitor to the islands.
Lynn hosted an amazing evening with stories of the selkies and finfolk, interwoven with local history and culture. The setting helps to create a wonderful atmosphere for her storytelling, and we all had a lovely time.
A lovely evening of lore and stories with Lynn on Sunday 13th October for one of her peatfire sessions.
Captivating throughout and seamlessly transitioning from character to character and subject to subject, from Selkies to Finfolk with practiced skill, this is a must for any visitors to Orkney.
Thank you for having us! 😊
We really loved our evening with Lynn and were mesmorised by the stories she told. It was a rich and unique experience and Lynn is a talented storyteller with wonderful knowledge of the Islands and their folklore. Her passion and enthusiasm for Orkney shines through and she gave us some great recommendations for other sites to visit, which had not been on our radar. I would recommend taking water/drinks as there are no drinks served as part of the evening, though that's to be expected with such a low price. Great value for money and a wonderful addition to any Orkney trip.
Lynn's storytelling and historical knowledge is incredible, I was mesmerized. With the smoky peat fire in the hearth and cozy atmosphere on a dark night, this was something I'll never forget. Highly recommended.
Absolutely incredible evening with Lynn spellbinding storytelling Orcadian tales, myths and legends. Do yourself a favour if you are in Orkney! And a brilliant library of texts and tales to flick through too.
A wonderful evening, we were utterly swept up in the tales of Orkney. Lynn is a true storyteller, a magic weaver. I'm so glad we found her, we will definitely return for more stories when we return to Orkney.
Absolutely Magical experience. Highly recommend doing this while on Orkney. Storytelling at its best. So Atmospheric and captivating. Sadly a tradition that is dying out. Please support this amazing place
Lynn is a wonderful storyteller and will totally mesmerize you. If you don't mind some smokiness the peat fire is lovely. She tells different tales depending on the season and has a beautiful library with an array of reading materials one can browse while getting settled or can arrange a time to use the library otherwise. Would definitely recommend.
A lovely evening of excellent storytelling in a beautiful venue
Charismatic presentation of folk tales from Orkney. A unique experience and a conservation project for this distinctive archipelago culture.
Love, love, loved this!!! We went to a peat fireside tales session from 8pm to 10pm. The peat fire was on and we had the opportunity to look around some of the rooms before the event began. Lynn was so engaging and mesmerising for the entire duration! We were captivated by the 2 stories she told us and the folk tales she then explained. This was my absolute favourite thing on Orkney. I will definitely be back!
We managed to book a private storytelling session with Lynn and were totally enthralled - she has a very genuine passion for Orcadian folklore and is a talented storyteller comfortably able to draw you so deeply into her tales you’ll feel Orcadian yourself when it’s time to leave. Had we more time, we could have listened for days.
Very highly recommended and easily worth every penny (I’d even say more). We will certainly seek her out the next time we go and have already recommended her to friends.
Kudos to you Lynn and keep up your unique work!
Lynn is a brilliant storyteller...she uses movement, rhythms and repetitions to tell her Orkney tales and the effect is magical. We had a great evening of entertainment...one of the highlights of the holiday 😊
Best evening of Orkney story telling ever. Lynn does such a great job of transformation from host to her character storyteller. You are taken back in time in the warm surroundings of her home. Fabulous array of local historians articles and books to ponder.
An evening listening to Lynn weave her magic is well worth it. The venue is unusual and utterly spectacular, and the peat fire crackles while she captivates her audience with her words. Whether she is introducing you to real Orkney characters from days gone by, or telling you tales of selkies and fin-folk, Lynn is completely mesmerising. The evening will stay with me for a long time to come.
Great few hours in the company of a fine story teller. Stories told with some theatre are very captivating
Thank you for a wonderful Summer Season 2026!
We are now transitioning into our winter schedule.
Running October 19, 2026 – March 14, 2027
(Events & private sessions available by arrangement).
Discover more things to do in Orkney.
PROGRAMME EVENTS OFFERED :
- PEATFIRE TALES OF ORKNEY EVENINGS. Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays – A traditional Orkney that combines legend, lore and social customs with music, song and dance.
- FIRESIDE AFTERNOONS: Enjoy the traditions of these North Atlantic Islands, sitting around the peat fire while Listening to the legends, Folklore and social customs of past Orkney fishing & farming peoples and communities -Thursday and Saturday afternoons.
- FAMILY AND CHILDREN’S STORY CIRCLES SESSIONS- Maximum group number: 6 people Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday mornings – afternoons by arrangement peatfire@orkneyattractions.com
- MAGICAL STORIES (Of The Islands & Highlands)- A BESPOKE, PRIVATE EVENING / AFTERNOON for your own group’s celebration (6 – 30 people). Choose from our programme of Stories & Legends from the Islands and Highlands, discover some of the Orkney & Scottish social customs, Traditional dances and music.
- THE POWER OF STORY – BESPOKE COURSES & SUMMER SCHOOLS Learn how to be the Weaver of Tales and explore this ancient oral tradition. All are welcome (18 years +). Of particular value to those working in education, special education, mental health and social care. It greatly benefits students who wish to pursue further studies in drama, performing arts, dance, and physical theatre.
- PRIVATE GROUPS – Between 6 and 28 guests. Bespoke events tailored for each group – group cost by arrangement.
BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL FOR ALL EVENTS.
Come along to a unique Orkney Island experience and discover the oral and fireside heritage of the Highland and Islands’ fishing and farming peoples who worked the land and fished the seas around these North Atlantic Islands, or as George Mackay Brown, the Orkney writer called them in his Poem Cycle ‘The Fishermen With Ploughs’.
Storytellers have passed on folk tales, myths and legends in their own dialect since time began. In Orkney, the Island’s old language, Norn, was superseded by the Scots ‘Mither Tongue’. There is a school of thought that from the late 15th Century this demise of the Norn language is in relation to the political and social history of these North Atlantic Islands.
Eventually lost as a spoken language, in Shetland it could have been as late as the 19th Century when the last islanders spoke Norn, only fragments of many old Orkney ballads, folk tales and legends remain. Two ballads still exist as complete pieces, one in the Orkney/ Scots dialect, The Ballad of the Lady Odivere and one from the island of Foula in Shetland, in the old Norn language, The Ballad of the Lady Hildina.
Throughout time, the story is one of man’s oldest tools for communication, learning and the recording of individuals and their communities’ way of life. Stories, customs and beliefs passed on by ‘word of mouth from one generation to the next, the stories of the ordinary and the extraordinary, the great Kings and
We invite you to sit by the peat fire in our Folklore and Heritage library, browse and explore the old Orkney books, newspapers, and maps, and ponder a moment on the 19th Century photographs of the past islanders who worked the land and fished the seas for many generations around these North Atlantic Islands.
Discover our Hamnavoe Room with Contemporary Orkney Writers’ books, Island Craft books, children’s Orkney story books along with contemporary 20th Century images of Orkney.
Spend time in our ‘Peedie’ Folk Art Gallery seeing island stories and myths, and folk tales in pastels and pencil, inks, pen and prints, take away an Orkney Folklore and legend StoryCards or Heritage leaflet
Sit in the Folk Art Studio around the big peat fire, surrounded by the wall murals and collages of the Orkney legends and myths, alongside models, masks and puppets of the Island Folkloric characters and creatures. All are created from beachcombing, flotsam & jetsom & recycled materials.
Listen to The Peatfire Tales Of Orkney from ‘The time before time….when legends were true…’ or create your own folkloric characters, creatures and storyboards in our Family & Children’s StoryCircles sessions.
‘The Enchanting tongues went on and on beside the fish oil lamps, then the grey of morning entered the crofts, and called the islanders back to their hard work of ploughing and fishing‘ – George Mackay Brown