Orkney

We've had a great time on Orkney, especially today. Yesterday was mostly spent driving from Inverness and on the ferry, and the weather was not great. It was extremely windy at the mainland port town of Thurso - we took one look at the choppy waters and immediately swallowed two Dramamine each! But the ferry was larger and nicer than we expected and the crossing was remarkably smooth given the conditions; just a lot of gentle rocking that almost put us to sleep. Going out on the deck was an adventure, though - I could barely pry the door open in the wind!


Clean, comfy and large ferry - note the lack of fellow passengers! There were only a couple dozen of us.


I managed to take a couple photos from the deck as we passed the lower island of Orkney, while staggering around in the wind and rocking of the boat!


Arrival in Stromness, Orkney - lovely!

The ferry ticket agent in Thurso had mentioned that the weather was due to "take a turn" that evening, and indeed it did! By the time we arrived on Orkney, a cold wind was blowing hard and it was beginning to rain. But not knowing if it would only get worse, we stopped at the most important site on the way to the B&B (more on it later) and I fought the wind for some photos. Brrr!


Ring of Brodgar in inclement weather

By the time we arrived at our B&B, which is about 30 minutes' drive from the port, it was raining hard sideways. We later heard that the next ferry that evening had to be canceled. But thankfully the B&B is strongly built and cozy and our car has heated seats! After checking in, we drove immediately into town to brave the elements for an exploration of "downtown" and dinner (we didn't even take our cameras as they would have gotten very wet), then dried off and crashed early. There weren't too many other tourists to be seen.


Avalon House in Kirkwall, Orkney

Happily, the storm passed during the night, and today we had the most beautiful weather all day. It was still seriously windy, but sunny and comparatively warm. Amazing! We had a wonderful long day driving all around the main island, seeing lots of prehistoric sights and beautiful landscapes. Here are just a few highlights from many:

Ring of Brodgar

The Ring of Brodgar was the most important site for us to photograph for Sacred Destinations, as it's an especially famous stone circle, dating from around 2500 BC. It was really awesome. Not only is it a great stone circle, but it's in a gorgeous location with lots of atmosphere. No visitor center, no admission fee, just an impressive ancient site in a rural field by the sea. We visited it twice - in the clouds and wind upon arrival as mentioned above, and in much more beautiful conditions first thing the next morning.






Skara Brae

Not far from the Ring of Brodgar is Skara Brae, a Neolithic settlement that is really well-preserved, including stone furniture! It is 5,000 years old, which is significantly older than the Pyramids and Stonehenge. It also has a magnificent location by the sea and was really something.








Cairns

We then visited three chamber cairns (prehistoric tombs), which were pretty cool. The first (Maeshowe) was the largest and required a scheduled guided tour that went on too long, as always. David opted out.


Approach


Entrance, with about a 15-foot-long passageway of the same height after that. Watch your head!

You really have to stoop over to enter the passage and I managed to bonk my head pretty hard on the stone on my way out. It hurt, but I have no extra brain damage, as far as I can tell. What's my name again?

The second cairn (Unstan) was smaller and easy to visit, and very cool inside, but it had a lame modern roof that ruined its atmosphere somewhat.





The third (Cuwee) was at the top of a steep hill and its passage was the smallest one yet - I only barely managed to inch along down the passage without getting on my hands and knees, but did end up putting my hands on the muddy stones in the end anyway. Yuck. Once inside, I could stand up to full height, but it was pitch dark! I had checked the free box of "torches" (flashlights) provided outside the tomb but all their batteries were dead, and I had decided to go in anyway. I could see where I was standing by the light coming through the passage, but everything else was totally dark. I have no flash on my camera (this is the only time I wish I did), so I set it on the ground and tried to do a long exposure. It didn't really work. It was an adventure, anyway, and I don't often get the opportunity to be alone in a dark prehistoric tomb!


It's the green mound way up there at top right.


Entrance. I can't believe I squeezed myself in that little hole.


View of passage from entrance.


Inside the passage


From inside the tomb, looking out


All I could see inside

After emerging safely, I was happy to find David nearby - I thought he was waiting at the bottom of the hill. Glad he could have pried me out of the passage if necessary!

Churchill Barriers and Italian Chapel

After a stop for lunch at the same place we had dinner last night, we headed south for some much more recent history. The Churchill Barriers were ordered by Winston Churchill to block German U-boats from traveling through the Orkney Islands in World War II.

The barriers were built by prisoners of war, including Italians who managed to build quite a nice chapel for themselves in their prison camp, using two huts put together and decorated by an especially artistic prisoner. It's the only building that survives from their camp today.


Churchill Barriers (center of photo, made of big blocks)






Broch of Gurness

The Broch of Gurness is an Iron Age settlement (9th-century-ish AD), thousands of years newer than Skara Brae but quite similar in appearance. It's in another spectacular location on the north coast of the main Orkney island.




Bay of Birsay

And finally, we went down to the beach and climbed on the rocks at the Bay of Birsay to see a tidal island (currently high tide and not accessible) with some Norse ruins on it. It was just yet another spectacular sight, and a nice conclusion to a wonderful day out.







Seal!

Random Food Photo


Fish and chips in Kirkwall, Orkney. Yum.

Tomorrow: another ferry and long drive to the Isle of Skye.