Orkney in pictures: wildlife, dramatic coastlines and rich history

A diver investigates the wreck of the German ship Brummer in Scapa Flow, which was sunk during the second world war. Wreck diving has become a major activity in the area in recent years. Photograph: Lawson Wood/Corbis

Evie beach on Orkney Mainland. Evie's high soil quality has contributed to its superior dairy and beef farm produce. Photograph: Iain Sarjeant/Visit Scotland/Scottish Viewpoint

Fishing boats berth in the harbour of Orkney's capital Kirkwall, on the northern coast of the Mainland. The oldest surviving buildings in Kirkwall date back to the 12th century. Photograph: Doug Houghton/Scottish Viewpoint

Lobster pots piled outside a doorway in Stromness. Photograph: Iain Sarjeant/Visit Scotland/Scottish Viewpoint

Some of the 27 remaining Neolithic stones of the Ring of Brodgar – originally there were 60 – between Loch of Harray and Loch of Stenness, the Mainland. Photograph: Iain Sarjeant/Visit Scotland/Scottish Viewpoint

The Kitchener Memorial at Marwick Head on the Mainland. Kitchener's body was never found after HMS Hampshire struck a German mine in 1916. Photograph: Iain Sarjeant/Visit Scotland/Scottish Viewpoint

The Unesco world heritage site of Skara Brae on the Mainland is believed to be older than Stonehenge and the Giza Pyramids. Photograph: Paul Tomkins/Visit Scotland/Scottish Viewpoint

The cliffs of Yesnaby on the west coast of Orkney Mainland at sunset. Photograph: IAIN SARJEANT/Visit Scotland/Scottish Viewpoint

The magnificent St Magnus Kirk, a unique survivor of a group of churches with a tower, on Egilsay, a small island north-east of Orkney Mainland. Photograph: Jim Richardson/Corbis

The town of Stromness, on the south-western tip of the Mainland, flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries as a result of increased trade with the New World. Photograph: Atlas Photography