Friday 5th November 2010 - Journey Home

An early start at a God awful hour saw me collect my breakfast from the 'fridge and, closing the door quietly behind me, I set off for the ferry terminal and the morning sailing to Scrabster. The morning darkness picked out the shadowy shape of the Old Man of Hoy as the ferry sailed across the relatively calm Pentland Firth and the awaiting bus that was to take me to Thurso Station and my connecting train to Inverness.

The journey down was a chance to nod off and catch up on my sleep with the occasional awakening to admire the scenery as the train made its way south.

A change at Inverness and it was on to Perth before joining the busy train from Aberdeen on the final leg to Glasgow. An argument with a passenger over my reserved seat was the highlight of this leg of my journey. Rather than hold up proceedings on a crowded train, I sat on the available seat across fom her, but before disembarking at Glasgow I pointed out her 'supposed' ignorance of the seat numbering system. Whether she was well aware of this, I couldn't really tell but I suspect she was. I was in a hurry to catch my connection back to Carluke and I couldn't be arsed anyway.

I just made it on time and was home about 10 hours after setting out from Stromness. A great wee break and one I intended to repeat perhaps in the summer.

If you want view my photo gallery for this click here and then click the slideshow icon.

Thursday 4th November 2010 - Kirkwall, The Italian Chapel And Stromness

After another hearty breakfast it a case of paying my bill and walking back into town. I spent the best part of the morning walking about and exploring nooks and crannies that I had somehow missed.

Groatie Hoose

St Olaf's Kirk Door

The Peedie Sea, The Causeway And Kirkwall Bay

The Big Tree In Albert Street

Ba Game Plaque



At 11 o'clock I was back in St Magnus' Cathedral for my guided tour of the roof. The next hour was spent in the company of a small band of others and led by an informative and enthusiastic guide.

St Magnus' Cathedral



Looking Along West Nave From Roof

View Over The Town And The Peedie Sea



View Of Doorway In West Nave



From such a height a different perspective of the magnitude of the cathedral itself and the layout and development of Kirkwall as well can be better appreciated.

This interesting hour was followed by a lovely light lunch in a cafe next to the Cathedral before heading to the bus station and catching the bus to St Margaret's Hope. I was going to have a look at the famed Italian Chapel out by Scapa Flow and the Churchill Barriers. The day was becoming more windy with blustery showers and after asking the bus driver how long I had before he was to make the return journey, I was dropped off at the track leading up to the Chapel itself.

The Italian Chapel



St George & The Dragon

View Towards Altar

Tabernacle



It was deserted and to think of the history behind its construction was incredibly moving. Not only did it provide shelter within from the elements on a day such as today, but it also provided a place to contemplate while the storm raged without; much as it did after its construction during World War II by the Italian prisoners of war who found themselves held there while the war raged far beyond the islands' shores. How they achieved the creation of such a thing of beauty is a remarkable story indeed.

Warning Sign Approaching Causeway



Catching the returning bus back to Kirkwall allowed me enough time to catch the connecting Stromness bus back for my last night in the Asgard B&B.

Yes! The door was open and I walked into my room and had a shower prior to going out to explore the town before it got dark. On the way out, I bumped into Dawn, joined later by Harald, and we chatted for half an hour or so before I left for my last wee lock around Stromness. Stromness is a lovely wee place and worth another visit. I discovered many of its hidden secrets but didn't have enough time to take in it all. Definitely worth another visit.

The Street

Anchor

Hudson Bay Company's Watering Well

'Liberty' Cannon

George Mackay Brown's House (Last Blue Door On The Right)

Pier Arts Centre (Former Hudson Bay Company Agency And Store)



The evening was rounded off by a drink in the Ferry Bar before the walk back to the Asgard and my bed. It was an early start the next morning and Dawn was to leave a packed breakfast in the 'fridge for me to take the next morning.

Wednesday 3rd November 2010 - St Magnus' Cathedral And Highland Park Distillery

After breakfast, it was down to the St Magnus Centre and an opportunity to view an introduction to the story of Saint Magnus by way of an interesting video. The Centre is a great wee place to have a cup of tea or snack and browse the wee gift shop for souvenirs to take home.

A short walk across the road brought me to the Earl's Palace which, like the adjacent Bishop's Palace, was unfortunatley closed at this time of year. A walk around the grounds was, however, rewarded by several information displays explaining the story behind both of these medieval remains.

Earl's Palace, Kirkwall

Tower Of Bishop's Palace With Statue Of Bishop Reid





The Cathedral of Saint Magnus was my next port of call and I spent the next hour exploring this impressive building which is the resting place for the remains of the man himself. I booked a tour of the Cathedral tower for the next day at 11 o'clock and set off to explore Kirkwall further.

West Nave

Inside The Cathedral - A Reminder That Time Is Running Out!

The Resting Place Of The Man Himself









It was at this point that the rains returned once more and I sought shelter in Trenable's Bistro for a light lunch and drink whilst waiting for it to blow by.

When at last it did, I spent a short while in the Kirkwall Museum which contains a wealth of information of the town and Orkney itself but I had to hurry as the Highland Park Distillery was next on my list. I had to take a taxi as time was short and the last tour of the day was about to start. I arrived just in time and found that only one place was left for the tour, so my luck was in!

Entrance To Highland Park Distillery

Malting Floor

Maturation In Sherry Casks







I have been on that many whisky distillery tours that one is just the same as the other. Many on this particular tour were German divers - presumably on holiday exploring Sapa Flow and the remains of the scuttled German fleet from the First World War. They seemed to enjoy themselves especially when we returned to the Visitor Centre and our wee tasting of the product. The rest was the usual ripoff of souvenirs and such like.

I walked back to Lavrockha' B&B and a wee snooze.

A walk into town that night saw me eating a pleasant meal in Helgi's by the harbour before a couple of drink's in the Ayre Hotel and the Orkney Hotel and then a walk back up the road and my bed.

Tuesday 2nd November 2010 - Skara Brae And Maes Howe

A lovely, hearty breakfast and chat with Dawn and Harald (the owners) and I took my leave of Asgard to search out a cycle hire shop. I soon located the premises and hired a bike for the day. I came to an agreement to leave my rucksack in the cycle shed and then I set of on the six miles to Skara Brae hoping that the wind would be in my favour. It was lovely and sunny and soon I was speeding along quiet roads towards these amazing neolithic remains. The wind was not too much of a problem and within 45 minutes I had reached my first port of call for the day.

Flock of Birds??1



Skara Brae is in the most beautiful setting at the edge of the ocean. The sun continued to shine as, after watching an introductory video, I walked the short distance to the village remains overlooking the sea. It was amazing to think of the both the story behind the discovery of these remains and the fact that it was a view into the life in these parts so many thousands of yeas ago.

Bay of Skaill



As I walked back to the visitors centre, I could see a dark weather front moving in from the sea and it was only just in time that I reached the warmth and comfort of the small cafe to be heated up by a lovely bowl of broth as the wind and the hail battered down outside.

Skara Brae



I decided to make a break for it as the sun came out once more but I was only halfway to my next port of call - the Ring of Brodgar - when the hail returned once more. There was nowhere to shelter and it was just a case of keep on moving on. With minutes I was soaked but once again the sun returned as I reached the standing stones themselves.

The Ring of Brodgar



A wide panorama was afforded by the exposed outlook between sea and loch. In the distance I could see the standing stones of Stenness and beyond the burial chamber of Maes Howe. After a walk around the stone circle, it was onto the bike once more and after the briefest of stops at the huge stones of Stenness, I turned to head for the visitors centre for Maes Howe.



Maes Howe



I had the kind people at Skara Brae to 'phone ahead and book me on the last tour of the day of this fascinating chamber. My arrival was greeted by an invitation to heat and dry myself by the warm radiator before being taken across the road and a personal tour of this ancient burial chamber. Constructed by the megalithic people of ages past and raided by the Vikings themselves, it has survived thousands of years to be marvelled at by the modern visitor like myself.

The sun was rapidly beginning to dip in the sky and shine its light along the narrow entrance deep into the chamber itself as I listened to story behind the Howe and studied the runes left by the maurauding Vikings of centuries past. Amazing!

The setting sun was also an alarm call for the lone cyclist to turn once more for Stromness. I was beginning to tire as I turned to take the shorter route back. Ha! It was by way of what I had been told was a wee hill!!! It was also to be in the teeth of a gale of a wind. And yes!! It started to batter down with hail once more. I was never so glad to see Stromness stretched out before and the rapid descent quickly led me back along the street to leave the bike and collect my rucksack before heading to the ferry terminal and wait for the bus to Kirkwall.

I was nice and warm in the ferry terminal and I got chatting to a lady from my neck of the woods - Ravenstruther - but who had lived in Orkney for many years down at the Hope - St Margaret's Hope. She promised to let me know when to get off the bus as it left Kirkwall and near to where I was to stay the next two nights. It was easy to find but no one was at home. Like my B&B in Stromness, the door was to be always unlocked and I collected my keys along with a welcoming note at the reception desk. A lovely hot shower soon refreshed me and I walked down the hill back into town and a meal at Kirkwall Hotel before a Drink in the Harbour Bar where I watched the first half of the Rangers game against Seville. I had to leave when Rangers went a goal down as I was wary that my smile might show and give the gemme away in what was obviously a Teddy Bears' pub. I sought refuge in Helgi's along the road before taking myself back up the road and my bed.

Still no one about! It was like the Marie Celeste!

Oh....... Happy Birthday Michael A.

Monday 1st November 2010 - To Orkney

An early rise saw me catching the 8.10 train from Carluke to Argyle Street Station. I stopped off at Primark to buy a warm top as I had forgotten to bring one with me. A visit to Sainsbury's to get a sandwich etc for the train journey was next before a quick walk up to Queen's Street Station where I collected my tickets from the ticket machine. (A Club55 ticket from ScotRail meant that the return price from Glasgow to Thurso was only £18.)

The train left on time and a lovely day through beautiful scenery soon passed before I arrived in Inverness and my change for Thurso. The next part of my journey seemed to last forever. Perhaps it was because of the early darkness but it took what seemed like an eternity before I arrived in Thurso to be greeted by rain and wind.. I asked a fellow passenger about a connecting bus to Scrabster Ferry Terminal and, as I suspected, there was none, so we agreed with another passenger to share the cost of a taxi. We were at the Terminal in 5 minutes.

Checking in was easy and it wasn't long before I was onboard and the MV Hamnavoe was setting off for Stromness. I was starving so I quickly found myself in the self-service restaurant with a plate fish and chips and small bottle of white wine while the ferry crossed the Pentland Firth towards the shadow of the Old Man of Hoy.

An hour and a half later and I was disembarking in a windy but dry Stromness and searching out my lodgings for the night - the Asgard B&B. I was to pass by the house and found myself having to backtrack, but with only a little time wasted, I was soon settled in to a comfortable and warm ensuite room.

A wander back out around the town was finished with a drink in the Royal Hotel before returning once more to my room and bed at the end of what had been a long and tiring day.