Old Man of Hoy, Stromness, Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, and the Brough of Birsay

Hello everyone, I’m in Orkney!

I arrived in Scotland a little over one week ago, somewhat worse for wear after a sleepless flight and with the onset of the early symptoms of a cold or flu that has worsened as the days have gone on. I managed to do some sightseeing in Stirling and Inverness (posts to come), while also trying to get enough rest. I’m feeling better now but am still low energy so I am continuing to take it easy. It is sad, though, to let go of some of my looked-forward-to activities, including today’s planned 20 km loop hike on the Isle of Hoy, up onto its high cliffs to overlook the Old Man of Hoy, a famous sea stack that soars 450 feet high. Sigh! Oh well, at least I had a good view of the Old Man and the cliffs as I passed by on my ferry ride over to Mainland Orkney!

I loved the ferry ride from Thurso, on the northern coast of Scotland, to the historic town of Stromness on Mainland, the largest of the Orkney Islands. It was an exciting crossing, with a bright sky (at the start!), strong winds, and a rollicking swell on the sea. Here are several more views of the Old Man of Hoy and the cliffs of Hoy as we passed.

Hoy is the second largest of the Orkney Islands (of which there are more than seventy). It is also the highest of the islands, with its geology and landscape more akin to the Highlands of Scotland than to the more low-lying, pastoral landscape of the other isles of Orkney.

Here is my last photo view from the rear sun deck of the ship, with the tops of Hoy’s mountains obscured in the mist and a fishing boat heading out to sea.

And here is a photo of the historic town of Stromness as we entered the harbour and approached our dock.

How exciting to arrive! Thank you North Link Ferries!

It was a very short walk down a narrow winding street to my accommodation of four nights, Brown’s Hostel. (The bicycle parked for the moment in front belongs to a couple, “older than me” who have been cycling all around Scotland, including the Outer Hebrides, for over six weeks!)

The rain settled in soon after my arrival, and so did I. I abandoned my planned afternoon activities and headed out only briefly to buy groceries and to find a good book to read. The following morning, I took an early stroll along my street and explored many of the little lanes between the homes and cottages that lead to the waterfront where there are piers and ramps down to the water. In days gone by this was a very busy harbourfront full of sailing ships, whalers, and fishing boats stopping for provisions or to unload cargo. (I saw my first Orkney flag flying! This is a reminder that you can click on any photo if you would like a larger view.)

Next, I was off to visit Skara Brae which is one of Orkney’s most important archaeological sites. It is a wonderfully preserved Neolithic village that is over 5000 years old, sited above a stunningly beautiful beach at the Bay of Skaill.

In 1850, the ferocious winds of a winter storm severely eroded a high dune, known as Skara Brae, and revealed a marvel – the stones of an ancient farming village older than the pyramids of Egypt and Stonehenge. The site has now been excavated to reveal the shapes and interiors of ten clustered stone structures, most of them homes.

A reconstructed house (below), sited near the Visitor Centre and filled with replica artefacts, allows visitors to walk through and experience what it would have felt like to be in one of the homes found at Skara Brae. Semi-buried, these small rectangular dwellings featured a narrow and low doorway, rock-lined “box beds” to either side of a central hearth (that would have been filled with warm materials such as furs or straw), small storage spaces in the walls, and a shelving unit opposite the door where functional and special objects such as pottery could be stored and displayed.

Below is a photo of the interior of one of the homes. It would have been roofed, likely with timbers and with hides or turf. What is amazing at Skara Brae is that what you see onsite is not a reconstruction. The stones are left as they were found during the excavations, amazingly protected and preserved for over five millennia by the sand dune.

The structure in the photo below, larger than the other dwellings, is thought to have been a workshop for the making of stone and bone tools and perhaps pottery. The excavation of Skara Brae led to many archaeological finds and discoveries and shed much new light on the day-to-day lives of early Neolithic farmers in Britain.

In the distance (in the above photo) is Skaill House, a 17th century mansion that is open for viewing on a joint ticket with Skara Brae. I had been looking forward to that visit but, mindful of my energy levels, I sadly decided to skip it. But, there was certainly time for a brief visit down to that gorgeous beach,

before exploring the exhibits in the Visitors Centre and then catching the bus to my next stop, the Ring of Brodgar. The Ring of Brodgar is part of the “Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site”, along with Skara Brae, the Maeshowe chambered tomb, and the Stones of Stenness. It is dramatically located on a narrow strip of land between two long lochs and is the third largest stone circle in the U.K.

Thought to have been constructed between 2600 and 2400 BC, the massive stone circle has a diameter of 104 metres and is surrounded by a henge (deep ditch). There are 36 remaining stones, of an original 60, and there are also 13 prehistoric burial mounds located in the nearby landscape.

I loved walking around the outside of the circle (the inner path is currently closed for restoration). The stones were each unique and beautiful and the setting was tremendous. But, bad weather was moving in quickly, more quickly than I expected, and after just one circuit of the stones I had to scurry away at speed, turning for one last photo that is blurred from the drops of water on my camera lens.

There was no shelter to be had anywhere, and the bus was still 40 minutes away! I had my rain jacket on, but not my rain pants (rookie mistake), and as I fumbled in my day pack for my small umbrella the wind-driven rain lashed at me and laughed at my efforts. Within minutes I was completely drenched and I looked as if I had stepped into a shower with all of my clothes on! There was no question of waiting it out so I begged a ride from a woman who was also scurrying away and she kindly rescued me from the deluge! (The weather here changes constantly. Sitting here as I write in the hostel kitchen, the scene outside the window has alternated between rain and sun at least four times this morning!)

Later that afternoon, the clouds magically cleared and the sun came out. At the hostel I had changed, rested, and had a hot lunch so I felt as if I had enough energy to make the journey to the Brough of Birsay, a small tidal island located off of the northern shore of Mainland. The island is only accessible by foot via a causeway for two hours on either side of the low tide. The bus dropped me off beside the ruins of the 15th century Earl’s Palace in Birsay,

and it was an easy 15 minute walk out towards the causeway and this stunning view of the island.

I made my way across (what fun!), and then rose up onto the island to look back at the causeway and Mainland.

It was so beautiful there! The island features early Pictish, Norse, and Medieval remains. The structure in the photo below is thought to have been a Norse sauna.

The small island has a rich history. It was occupied in the 5th century by Celtic Christian missionaries, and was a Pictish stronghold in the 7th century. Archaeologists have found Pictish brooches, rings, dress pins, fragments of glass, and also moulds for the creation of fine Bronze jewellery. In the 9th century, the Norse arrived and built a settlement here which lasted several centuries. The remnants of Norse longhouses, barns, a smithy, a church, and the sauna are all beautifully outlined by stones, deep green grass, and lovely wildflowers including bright yellow vetching, and (my favourites) deep pink sea thrift.

After exploring the ruins, I made my way uphill for a closer look at the lighthouse,

stopping often to catch my breath and to look back down the hill and over the causeway to Mainland.

What a charming lighthouse!

Just beyond it, the wind was blowing, and gulls wheeling, over sheer cliffs. I stopped and took it in for only a few moments as I had arrived to the island a bit late and the tide was steadily rising. Back down the hill I had enough time to walk through the Norse ruins again, and then sit and view the misty headlands and wild waves to the east where there is a coastal trail one can hike.

I was sad to leave such a beautiful place, but it was time to cross back over the causeway,

But not for everyone! This fellow decided to risk a quick visit, despite my warning him about the rising tide!

Up at the level of the car park, I glanced longingly at the trailhead for the coastal walk to the east. This walk had been on my itinerary because of the two hour wait for the return bus, but my energy was quickly waning despite the exhilarating surroundings and the bracing air.

I walked the road back to the Earl’s Palace and spent just a few moments touring its interior,

and then I was not too shy to ask for help a second time in one day. I begged a ride to Stromness from a couple as they were approaching their car and they kindly said yes so I was happily whisked home to my hostel for a lovely evening of rest. It had been a magnificent day in Orkney!