Outstanding Orkneys

Bro and I decided to take a trip to the far north of the British Isles, to the Orkney Islands, somewhere I’d wanted to visit for years. Flying in via Aberdeen, we had a fantastic few days, with so much historically and archaeologically of interest to see. Made up of 70 islands, 20 of which are habited, they sit about 10 miles off the northern coast of Scotland.

The islands are bleak, barren and starkly beautiful, with lovely white sand, deserted beaches, huge cliffs, plentiful birdlife, large seal colonies and so many neolithic sites they are almost everywhere you look; standing stones, stone circles, burial mounds and chambers, archaeological dig sites, brochs, the Churchill Barriers and of course the unique, preserved village of Skara Brae.

We stayed in the capital, Kirkwall; a pretty little town with the large cathedral of St Magnus dominating the centre, and the remains of two ruined castles - the Bishop’s and Earl’s Palaces. We also hired a small red van which was all that was available, but which turned out to be very useful for changing in and out of wet coats and boots. We drove all around the main island, which was simple, straightforward and very quiet.

It’s a wild, beautiful, fascinating place and well worth a visit.

Outdoor Ramblings

‘The greatest adventure is what lies ahead’