Scotland Spring 2016 #3: To the Orkneys

Arctic Tern

       In the last post on this blog site I told you about time we spent in Durness in the far northwest corner of mainland Scotland.  In this installment we go even further north to the Orkneys Islands.  The islands are an archipelago of 70 islands (20 of which are inhabited) ten miles north of the Scottish mainland.  The islands are populated with Neolithic and Iron Age sites rather than people—the population of the islands is just over 21,000.  We spent our time on the main island, called Mainland, with its two major towns, Kirkwall and Stromness.  

       In the two and a half days we spent in the Orkneys we visited some ancient sites we’d been to before and a few sites new to us.  The most impressive ancient site on Mainland is Skara Brae, a Neolithic village which lay hidden under sand for over 3000 years until a major storm in the 1850s swept away the sand and revealed the buried village.  

The dwellings were built into the ground for protection from the weather and were quite sophisticated for having been lived in from 3000 to 2400 BCE—stone beds, cupboards, central heating, etc.  We walked above the structures and marveled at the designs of which early people were capable. In the northwest corner of the island we next went to the Birsay Bay Cafe for lunch.  

The cafe is literally at the end of the road at the end of the island, and you’d think you were at the end of the world except for the crowds.  The cafe with its homemade sweets and locally grown products is so well known that both days we had to wait for a table.  

Anne at the Earl's Palace in Birsay village.

After lunch we toured the Earl’s Palace, a castle belonging to a former Earl of Orkney, and now an interesting ruin.  Since the tide was out (low tide) we took the opportunity to walk

The causeway to Birsay Island at low tide.

The Brough of Birsay and view back to Mainland.

Birsay Lighthouse

over the causeway of cement, stone, and sand to the tidal island of Birsay.  Here we wandered the remains of foundations of an Iron Age brough (small agricultural village) and then climbed to the top of the island for a look at the Birsay Lighthouse.

      On our second day we took the morning tour of Highland Park Distillery in Kirkwall, the capital of the islands and where we had booked our B&B stay (Avalon House, a great B&B just out of town along the bay).  

The tour guide shows us peat which is burned to dry barley and to add flavor to the whisky.

Highland Park pot stills

Coal fire also used to dry malted barley.

A little too expensive for my taste, although I'd love a taste.

The Highland Park whisky is considered by many to be the best of Scotland’s single malt whiskies (with the awards to back up the claim).  The tour was conducted by a very knowledgeable guide (engineer-type) who also gave us a guided tasting of the distilleries most popular malt, the 12 year old.  After our bit of liquid refreshment, we drove out to   Barnshouse, the remains of a Neolithic village near the Stenness standing stones and Ring of Brodgar.  

Sternness Standing Stones

Part of the large stone circle (as big as a football field) called the Ring of Brodgar.

Barnshouse Iron Age village.

The village was interesting, but I was fascinated by a herd of swans [That’s the official group name for swans.  Personally, think they are too graceful to be called a “herd.”  That’s for cows, not swans.] in the nearby loch.  

The rest of the afternoon was spent in a tour of Maeshowe, a Neolithic chambered cairn and passage grave.  

Anne walking out to Maeshowe Chambered Cairn.

Our archeologist guide.

Built around 2800 BCE, Maeshowe along with Skara Brae was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.  We walked the quarter mile out to the tomb and then took a tour of the interior guided by an Historic Scotland archeologist who obviously loved her job.  

     Our last full day in Orkney was spent first playing golf at the Stromness GC and then touring the Broch of Gurness.  

The broch is the remains of an Iron Age (500-200 BCE) broch village, a defensive structure indigenous to Scotland.  The structure, besides the broch tower itself, shows some of the same constructions we saw at Skara Brae.  

Kirkwall Harbour at sunset.

That evening as we wandered around Kirkwall harbour, we were treated to a grand sunset over Kirkwall bay.  A fitting end to our three day stay on Mainland Orkney.

A fence of wool.