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.