Longhope, a hamlet and a sea-loch or long bay in Walls and Flotta parish, Hoy Island, Orkney. The hamlet, lying on the sea-loch, 18 miles SW of Kirkwall, has a post office under Stromness, with money order, savings' bank, and telegraph departments. The sealoch, opening from the south-western extremity of Scapa Flow, opposite Flotta Island, is sheltered across the entrance, at the distance of about 1 mile, by Flotta and Switha. Penetrating the southern district of Hoy Island, so as to cut that island into a large main body and a small peninsula, it extends 3⁷/8 miles west-south-westward to within 3 furlongs. of the Pentland Firth, and is separated, at its south-eastern extremity, by an isthmus only 200 feet broad from Aith Hope Bay. With a breadth of from 3 furlongs to 1¼ mile, it forms a splendid natural harbour, perfectly sheltered from every wind.

(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)