Praying for a nice day, wishing I could catch the bus

 If there is one place I absolutely adore its the Orkney Islands. I've been there a couple of times and each time there is a feeling of coming home.

We started entering the straights at around 06:30 and by 07:25 we were passing the small island of Shapinsay.

As we passed the lighthouse, Balfour Castle came into view and with the binoculars I had a really good view. Saddened I didn't have a decent zoom on my camera, I attempted to take a photograph, but it was rather grainy.

Next time!

Coming into dock I noticed the flags were out. We were the first ship to dock since covid hit. Although we wouldn't be able to contribute to the shops wealth in Kirkwall itself, we were employing most of their guides and coaches to get us about.

Rolling hills, open waters and small unassuming bridges lead us towards the standing stones of Stenness

As if on cue, seals lifted their tails and arched their backs as we arrived in the layby. Two bikers were just leaving as we arrived..

 

The farmer who owned the land on which this stone circle sat, was sick of so many people coming to his land. He took the matter into his own hands and before anyone realised he was setting TNT into the stones and blowing them to kingdom come. Fortunately, he was heard, spotted and stopped before all the stones went. He was quite upfront as to why he did it. What he didn't accept was the archeological significance of this circle - the oldest on the island with records going back to early Viking when the centre stone (which had a large hole in the centre of it) was used to settle disputes, arrange marriages and all legal stuff which needed addressing in the islands.

 

The lichen grows thickly on everything on the islands - a sure sign of the cleanliness of the air there.

Burial mounds such as this litter the skyline. This one has been researched and restored and is now open for people to venture inside. Like many of these mounds they had been robbed back in the day by a group of trophy hunters breaking in through the top. All grave goods had been taken but the bones were left pretty much in situ.

A typical build on the islands utilising the local stone for the walls and slate for the roofs. The trees are recent imports probably planted by the house to offer a degree of shelter from the wind which is constant on these islands.