Kirkwall Ba’ Game

What to expect

At 1pm, as the clock of St Magnus Cathedral strikes, the ba' is thrown up from the Mercat Cross into a waiting pack of men. Then everything slows down. The scrum can sit almost motionless for long stretches, sway suddenly down a lane, burst into a sprint and lock solid again, with steam rising off the players as the light fades. Games often run for hours. The Doonies are trying to get the ba' into the harbour, the Uppies to touch it against a wall in the upper town. Shops along the route board up their windows. A boys' game starts at 10am in the same spot, so there are two games to watch on each day.

The story behind it

Kirkwall has played some form of ba' for centuries, and the game has run in roughly its present shape since the 19th century. Your side is decided by where you were born or where your family's loyalties lie: Uppies from the upper, southern part of the town, Doonies from the lower part by the harbour. The ba' itself is hand-made from leather and packed with cork, and making one is a respected local craft. When a side wins, its players decide who has earned the ba', and that player keeps it as a family treasure. Old ba's hang in Kirkwall homes and pubs and are talked about for generations.

Getting there and home

Getting to Orkney in midwinter takes planning. NorthLink ferries sail to Kirkwall from Aberdeen and to Stromness from Scrabster, Pentland Ferries cross from Gills Bay, and Loganair flies into Kirkwall. Christmas and New Year timetables are thin, and some days have no sailings at all, so the safest plan is to arrive a day or two early and stay in Kirkwall. Broad Street is the heart of the action, and everything is within walking distance of the cathedral.

Watching, taking part and tips

The players are locals with lifelong allegiances, so visitors watch. Stand well back from the scrum, because it can move fast and without warning, and a wall of bodies will not stop for you. Keep children close and be ready to step into a doorway. Dress for an Orkney winter: waterproofs, warm layers and sturdy boots, since the streets can be wet and slippery and you may be standing for hours. As darkness falls, the floodlit scrum by the cathedral is the moment to stay for.

Where to watch

Think of the Ba’ as action on the move, not a match you watch from one fixed touchline. Orkney's tourism description stresses that the ball can vanish inside a scrum and then suddenly burst out as play breaks up the street. Watching the shape and direction of the players often tells you more than trying to keep your eyes on the ball. Give yourself room to look ahead, rather than staring at everything through a phone screen.

The Orkney Hotel's account points out that the boys' and men's games can overlap when the earlier one runs long. So a morning result won't necessarily arrive before the afternoon starts, and two groups of players aren't necessarily in the same game. Ask a knowledgeable local what you're looking at, from a comfortable distance. Much of the fascination lies in the patient manoeuvring and local allegiances; you don't have to chase every breakaway through the streets to understand why the Ba’ matters.

Make a day of it nearby

St Magnus Cathedral's clock is a handy landmark for the game, but the building deserves a visit of its own on an open day. Founded in 1137 and built of local red and yellow sandstone, it has Romanesque arches, carved gravestones and a bell from HMS Royal Oak. The museum service's visitor page describes its features and the tours on offer. Check services, holiday closures and tour arrangements before assuming you can sightsee around a Ba’ throw-up.

The Orkney Museum, in Tankerness House on Broad Street, is another nearby stop on a longer stay. It tells Orkney's story from prehistory to the present, with old photographs, archaeology and changing exhibitions. Check the opening calendar for the actual festive dates, as the usual weekly hours don't tell you about Christmas Day or New Year's Day. Choose the museum for a broad introduction to island history, or the cathedral if the architecture and its memorials appeal. Both deserve proper time, well away from the moving game.

Accessibility and families

Check the facilities in the buildings around Broad Street one by one. St Magnus Cathedral has wheelchair access through the Bishop's door on the south side, and an accessible toilet near the north choir aisle. Its historic floors have uneven surfaces and steps. That's all useful for an ordinary cathedral visit, but it doesn't mean a sheltered viewing spot or an open toilet while the street game is on.

The Orkney Museum has an accessible entrance from Tankerness House Gardens, staff on hand to help and stair lifts to the upper galleries, though it warns of low doors and uneven surfaces. Get in touch before visiting if equipment sizes or the route matter. For the Ba’ itself, we couldn't confirm any reserved family area or accessible spectator platform in the sources we checked. Work out what a comfortable short visit would look like, and ask locally about suitable spots. A child who's taken with the ball may love the museum's photographs and activities on another day, without having to follow a scrum for hours.

Questions people ask

Where it is

Map pin shows the approximate area where the event happens. Open in OpenStreetMap ↗

Go straight to the source

Independent research. The organiser’s own information always wins — we have not visited or tested the journeys.

• Orkney.com: Christmas Day Ba' ↗
• The Orcadian: Ba' season returns ↗
• Orkney.com:Ba’ tradition and spectator information ↗
• Orkney Hotel:Ba’ and potentially overlapping games ↗
• Orkney Museums:St Magnus Cathedral visitor information ↗
• Orkney Museums:Orkney Museum collections and access ↗
• Orkney Hotel:current food information ↗