Orkney

Orkney never fails to deliver for us.  We've been here almost a week (where does the time go?) and the spirit of the place has captured us all over again.  

We stay at the same place each time we come.  It suits us well, we know where everything is, and the view from our lounge window is stunning, looking out across the Bay of Firth.  The backdrop constantly changes according to the time of day and the weather, so we never tire of it.  The wildlife comes and goes - this morning we spied several seals on the shingle spit, which pleased me no end!

So, what have we done so far?   We visited the incredible Maeshowe, a quite awesome Neolithic chambered cairn, part of the UNESCO site on Orkney which also includes the Ring of Brodgar henge and the Standing Stones of Stenness.  I was fascinated by the runes carved into the stone interior of Maeshowe, an example, it seems, of Norse graffiti!  I have a feeling that the runes and the carving of dragons lend themselves to being incorporated into a quilt.  

We've done a lot of walking, especially along the cliffs at Marwick Head and the Brough of Birsay to see the multitude of seabirds nesting.  We can watch them wheeling, being held up by the winds, swooping for fish in the sea and coming in to land on just the few inches of cliff edge available to each one for hours.  N is very keen on wildlife photography, and will inch ever-closer to the cliff edge for the best photo.  I just click away with my little Nikon Coolpix, hoping for a few reasonable shots.  BTW, I will add photos on my return home, as the iPad has all N's photos.  

Friday and Saturday we had tickets for events in the Orkney Folk Festival, and did we have a great time at them.  On Friday we went to the Ceilidh at Finstown Community Centre, and enjoyed some wonderful music and superb Orkney hospitality.  Saturday evening found us at the Pickaquoy Centre in Kirkwall, for The Isles Gathering, a wonderful feast of music by the very best from Orkney and Shetland Islands.  It was just fantastic and we were blown away by the sheer joy and enthusiasm of the musicians.

Orkney has a pull for N and I and every time we visit we fall in love with the place yet again.  The 'big' skies and sweeping landscapes make for drama, the locals we have always found to be very welcoming, the wildlife is all around, and the 'homebakes' are the best!  We have seriously considered moving here (and still do), and even if we don't, Orkney is somewhere we will return to again and again.