At low tide – check tide times at any Historic Environment Scotland site – you can walk out to this windswept island, the site of extensive Norse ruins, including a number of longhouses and the 12th-century St Peter’s Church. There’s also a replica of a Pictish stone found here. This is where St Magnus was buried after his murder on Egilsay in 1117, and the island became a pilgrimage place. The attractive lighthouse has fantastic views. Take a picnic, but don't get stranded…
The Brough features heavily in George Mackay Brown's excellent novel, Magnus.