The Orkney Islands (Sep 2017)
September 2017 - The Orkney islands are in a remote location off the North-east tip of mainland Scotland.
I've wanted to visit since I read about the amazing sites here, when I was doing my degree in archaeology.
Geese flying near Skara Brae.
The road ahead.
Moody clouds on the bus back from Skara Brae.
Fluffy clouds.
Rainbows and starlings over Kirkwall.
Sunset in Kirkwall, as viewed from the apartment I was staying in.
On the ferry to the island of Rousey.
The ferry can carry a few cars.
The two-storey chambered tomb at Taversoe Tuick. Excitingly, you have to clamber down a ladder to get to the lower chamber, where a skeleton was found when the tomb was opened in the Victorian era.
Light on the water, Rousey.
Someone had left a posey of flowers inside this Neolithic tomb. There was the withered remains of another posey nearby, so it looks like someone regularly does this.
Ruined croft, Rousey.
Big sky over Rousey.
I flew to another island, Papa Westray, in the far north of the Orkney Islands. The flight from Westray to Papa Westray is the shortest scheduled flight in the world - it took two minutes.
The plane has room for 8 passengers. Basically it's a minibus with wings.
Flying into the light.
Papa Westray airport!
Basically it's a hut in a field.
The oldest discovered Neolithic house in Northern Europe, at the Knap of Howar, Papa Westray.
A formidable old farm building.
Lichen on the dry stone walls.
Papa Westray fire station!
Some old contraption in a field.
A rather colourful bit of cord keeping a gate closed.
A ruined cottage - note the flagstone roof. All the older house here had roofs like this.
An abandoned homestead, complete with bird's nest and rather nice fireplace.
Another fireplace and bird's nest.
I wonder who had lived here. The wind was really howling outside, it was a distinctly spooky place.
Still curtains on the windows.
...and wallpaper on the walls.
Let there be light...
Yellow hubs and doors.
The old pier on Papa Westray.
An old sewing machine in another abandoned croft.
A nice view of the sea from this ruined building.
It was a beautiful day.
Fantastic beach - I didn't see another person.
In St. Boniface's Kirk, on Papa Westray.
A bleak but beautiful place to end up in.
