We continue with our first full day on Orkney as Sandy did so much research and loved getting into The Italian Chapel.
On the afternoon of our first full day in Orkney our hotel host recommended we go see the Stones of Stenness Circle and Henge.Step back in time over 5,000 years at what may be the earliest henge monument in the British Isles which is part of the Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site. The enormous stones are all that remain of a great stone circle on an ancient ceremonial site.Today there are only four upright stones in a circle that originally held 12 stones. In 1814 a local farmer Captain W MacKay who leased the land, destroyed some of the stones to clear land for plowing and building, causing a public outcry. The community was so angered by his action that they attempted to burn his house down twice. The event was significant enough that the Stones of Stenness were taken into state care in 1906.This gives an idea of how massive some of these stones are.Our next stop was The Ring of Brodgar which is an enormous ceremonial site dating back to the 3rd millennium BC. A massive stone circle, originally consisting of 60 stones of which 36 survive today along with 13 prehistoric burial mounds.Again, Sandy is dwarfed by the stones.
This is a video we took which shows how expansive it is.A Scottish geologist visiting in 1846 wrote that the stones “look like an assemblage of ancient druids, mysteriously stern and invincibly silent and shabby”. We would agree with that description.We finished off our first full day with a visit to Skara Brae which is also part of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site. It is older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids.In the winter of 1850 a wild storm lashed the Bay of Skaill. As great gusts of winds roared along the shore, they ripped the grass and sand from a high dune known as Skara Brae. What was revealed was one of the most remarkable discoveries of our time. Beneath the dunes lay the ruins of a 5,000 year old farming village.There is no evidence to say where the villages came from or why they left. We were able to explore the nine surviving prehistoric stone houses that still contain dressers and boxed beds. The dresser is the stones against the back wall and the boxed bed is on the far right. The homes varied in size and were close together indicating a close knit community that lived in harmony together. Archaeologists estimate that 50-100 people lived here at any given time. It is believed they chose this location as the land was fertile for farming and foraging and the bay provided fish.Bay of Skaill.
Video of the waves crashing on the beach. We were told that this whole bay is due to beach erosion of the last 5,000 years. The two headlands shown used to be connected.Skaill House is the finest mansion in Orkney and the original home of William Graham Watt, 7th Laird of Skaill. He is the man who discovered Skara Brae. The home was built in 1620.Major Malcom Macrae the 12th Laird of Skaill house inherited the property in 1991 and opened the restored home to the public in 1997.Who of you had a pink bathroom like this in your family home?Walter Scarth was the only son and heir to Henry Scarth, 11th Laird of Skaill. Walter would have been the 12th Laird but at the age of 15 he was fatally injured in an accident with a horse in a field of the estate.Heading home after a very busy first day.This is 7am the next morning on our way to catch another ferry. The fog was quite dense.The bow is wide open welcoming us in.Our little VW Polo.
A video of the narrow one track but two way road on Hoy. Jim likes when there is another car ahead of us and speeds up to keep behind it.Starting our hike to the Old Man of Hoy.Jim just liked this green house in the middle of fields and heather.We are headed for that tiny cliff face seen above Sandy’s shoulder.You can see it better in this picture.She ain’t scared of nothing.Intrepid cliff edge hiker.We need these poles for this rocky trail.First good look at the cliffs of Hoy.And then our first glimpse of the top of the sea stack known as The Old Man of Hoy.We are still a long ways away but this picture gives an interesting perspective. Looks like they are next to it.But no, it is a good ways away from our cliff edge.Just a reminder of how this Sea Stack looked from our ferry on the ride to Orkney.Looking north at the cliff faces.Looking down at the seastack.Standing on the edge of the cliff.Heading back to our car. It was quite a rough and rocky hike.This was the worst spot with large stone steps. We went up much faster than the down route.Sandy finally got a close up of a lamb who inspected us as we walked by. The sheep are skittish but also quite curious of people as they walk by.Jim also liked this house with its roof covered with moss. Sandy liked it because it was the end of our rather challenging two plus hour hike. We hustled to get back to make the ferry back to the mainland.
We have now had two exhilarating days on Orkney which we would highly recommend to anyone for a visit.
Dear Jim and Sandy,
We’re loving hearing about your adventures in Scotland. You guys are traveling everywhere!! One question—what happened to only staying in places with a narrow temperature band? You guys are bundled up!
David and I are finishing the North route of the Camino—not as social as when we were hopscotching with you guys, but still fun. Are you still planning to go to Mexico this winter?
Stay healthy and adventurous!
Bonnie and David
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