Kirkwall, Orkney Islands

Kirkwall, Orkney ,Scotland.
Orkney is gently rolling country and almost treeless ,and made up of many Islands ,most inhabited to a degree, 22,000 ,the main Island is the Port, changed a lot in the years since we came, new and larger Cruise terminal, and they will have 170 visits from ships in the year ahead… Main industry is Farming, which is what Orkney is about really, Cattle since Neolithic times ,really..they have a climate that is not as cold as you may imagine, in winter not below 5o,and summer around 16 o..like everywhere though, that is been changing and this year had temps in the high 20’s. The fields are brilliant green, a patchwork, they grow Oats, Barley and rye, a special kind of ancient crop ,called Bere ,a barley ,brought here by the Vikings, and making a comeback, used for special cakes.. The cattle are Angus ,and a Simental type ,huge animals. They have many cows and calves, called the suckling herds, who are left with their Mothers all summer, and do particularly well…no surprises there.. A landscape without trees ,is so different, a green, unadorned landscape, but many Lochs, and waterways , huge beaches, buildings that have lasted thousands of years ,austere as they are..the Farm houses, are simply grey ,huge, and some are quite low to keep from the wind and lack of wood ,to make roof beams another problem. Newer ones two stories. No paint to be seen ,newer ones are a fine pebble coat.
This is also a huge centre of renewable energy ,they have studied it since 2003,and it is a place of learning for many, on this subject, last time here, they were going to trial the tidal flow energy, that is very successful, and with wind, and solar ,they have too much now ,to pass back through a cable to the mainland. They are going to make that into a Hydrogen system, and in future Cruise ships will be managed in some way with this… Beyond me…
We saw it at its best on a lovely sunny day, almost warm..
Our trip today was to the Ring Of Brodgar ,Skara Brae ,and Skaill House,.
A lovely walk around the Standing Stones of Brodgar, each one said to represent a person, in that you brought you own stone ,how, unknown, they are huge, ringed by hand dug moat, full of Heather, and a pretty plant that is a type of cotton. They know little of what these represent, but they are from the Neolithic age. [Older then Stonehenge ] The ancient settlements here are amongst the very oldest in Europe, some wonderful finds, a new one just opened ,which promises to over take all previous finds. We saw the beginnings of the digging, the straight stone walls being unearthed.
On to Skara Brae, which you will have heard of ,the best preserved Neolithic village in Northern Europe, uncovered in the 1850’s after a huge storm ,and remarkably intact ,its origins are in the times of 3200 and 2500 BC. We walked all through it ,able to look down ,into all the rooms ,workshop ,connecting passages. It is right on the beach, some has been claimed by the sea, but this is intact, it has so much that you can see, their beds, their fire pit, the huge stone dresser, remains of pots, clay, and stone, remembering they didn’t have iron at all, but an amazingly sophisticated society ,in many ways. They had cattle, were farmers, way back then, birds eggs, crabs, cockles, and mussels. A waterproof tank set into the floor. Well made implements of bone ,and such things, jewellery , beads of clay They think 40 to 100 people may have lived there, and then simply left the site, they think on account of the climate changing for the worst.,it was in a very exposed Atlantic facing place.. Fascinating, and so, so long ago, much to research, I think related to the Picts. The Vikings were here too, and had long houses and more things yet to be uncovered, this is a place of different civilizations , dating almost unbelievably ,far back in time.
Skaill House was a very austere place, on a windy site , near the coast ,adjoining the Skara Brae site .The Queen Mother came to stay ,humm, cant imagine why, but it had a pretty dining room, and not much else ,very cramped and crowded today., the garden was struggling ,and it was quite bleak, after yesterday we skipped off for coffee ,and a scone in the Visitors centre Our guide was English, lived here for 30 years, and passionate about the History, with a touch of humour, Annabel was very good. On such a good day, with a bit of a breeze, washing drying, on many lines ,she spoke of that, I said quietly ,they don’t know about such things… On a recent tour ,an American Lady demanded loudly, of our guide” Why did people have things hanging outside ,did they not own dryers.”??? He said ,bemused of course they do ,for winter ,she had never heard of such a thing ,as a clothes line, Florida was her home… So in a group of maybe over 40 today..it was hands up who hangs clothes outdoors, maybe there were 3 of us..! Fancy that..…
Our journey back was via Scarpa Flow, stories of the war and some preventable disasters, that took many lives, and the scuttling of a whole fleet of German Ships…Of great interest to many ,they like a war or two… They now dive on the wrecks, though many were removed.
We later went into Kirkwall, close by, and walked in the nice little town centre, very old ,but many galleries and nice things to see, St Mangus a huge solid church, quite lovely inside. It was so warm and sunny.
Everything is very solid in the Orkney’s.! A very short growing season ,but who knows that maybe changing. Gardens are not such a great feature.
Independence day today, so a few celebration planned…burgers mentioned and other US treats..] They are excited, wearing ties of the flag and silly hats.!
Tomorrow we are at The Isle of Skye, very excited about that, and have a private tour ,which will be better than today, 2 buses of over 40 people, quite a crowd. We notice such a difference to when we last came to these parts…and it’s not for the best…
After dinner and our Show, which was so very good ,a nice Flutist ,who has played on tour ,for several years, with Andre Bocelli, Stephen Clark, I went out to see John O Groats, and the bottom of Orkney, the Is of Hoy, which has a huge cliff, so not all Orkney is almost flat.. opposite each other as we sail down to the Hebrides.
More tomorrow…Phew.. I am tired, you will have taken a break.!Read more