Day 23: Kirkwall, Orkney - Friday, 20 September

Weather: 11º - 14º - Overcast, some misty rain and cold

Accommodation: Home on Orkney, Kirkwall 

We woke to a completely different day from yesterday with overcast weather all day. It was the type of weather we thought we would have all the time whilst on Orkney so we had the gear for it. As Alfred Wainwright (my walking hero) said, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” So, on came the Gortex jackets and, for me, I’ve put on my walking thermals.

We initially set out for Skara Brae, Europe’s best preserved Neolithic village at the Bay of Skaill about half an hour’s drive from Kirkwall. On the way we called in and saw the Stones of Stenness. Only four of the original stones have survived. In 1814 there was a local outcry when a farmer leasing the land started pulling the stones down, annoyed at having to plough around them. The local population was so enraged that they twice attempted to burn his house down. 

Skara Brae was amazing. Henk thought it was a lot smaller than he had seen in photographs but all the same it’s impressive and hard to take in that it predates the Stonehenge and the Pyramids dating back to 5000BC. 

The site was only found after a huge storm in 1850 when the grass and sand was stripped from the Skara Brae Knoll and the dry stone houses were revealed. The houses were sophisticated with  stone built furniture of beds, cupboards, seating, shelvling and storage boxes. There was a re-creation of the interior of one of the houses and it was remarkably similar to the original one. We could go inside the replica and experience what it was like and see the pottery and tools used.

There was only one building in the settlement that was not a house. It did not have beds or a dresser and it is thought to have been a workshop for making pottery and tools. We thought it might be equivalent to a “Men’s Shed”. 

As part of the entry ticket we could visit the nearby large Skaill House which was originally built in 1620 and has subsequently been added to during the centuries. The owner is the 12th Laird of Breckness. When he inherited the house and estate in 1991 it was in quite of state of disrepair. He also was a local farmer and chose not to move into the house. Instead, he repaired the house and opened it to the general public in 1997. It overlooks the Skara Braer Neolithic village and the Bay of Skaill. It can be rented as a holiday home. It would be a very comfortable one.

The dining room table was set with a Spode dinner service of the 1850’s just as it was when Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother came to lunch in 1970. They had Asparagus Mousse, Lobster Mayonnaise and Fruit Salad. 

We moved onto The Ring of Brodgar, the third largest henge in Britain and dates back to 4600BC. We were horrified to read on one of the signs that the site was used as an obstacle course for training purposes in WWII.

We made our way back to Kirkwall and parked at the harbour. It was a different looking harbour today with no reflections. I was keen to buy some North Ronaldsay Island wool. The semi-feral sheep on the island have evolved to live on seaweed and they are thought to be the only land animals to solely survive on seaweed. Once a year the small island community comes together and rounds up the sheep for shearing. The sheep are important for the economy of the island as they are used for not only for wool but for mutton and to attract tourism. I found a store which sold a range of the wool, both natural and dyed with local plants. I chose undyed natural wool.

Whilst in Kirkwell we visited St Magnus Cathedral, Britain’s most northerly cathedral. Work started on the cathedral in 1137 and it holds the relics of St Magnus. It is a significant landmark in the town as the tallest building. It is made of red sandstone which was mined near Kirkwall. 

We then proceeded to the excellent museum across the road from the cathedral and emerged with information overload and headed home for a rest before going out to dinner. 

Dinner was early at The Storehouse Restaurant. We could only reserve a table at 5.45pm so it was an early dinner for us again. I was given a traditional Orkney chair to sit in. We have seen them frequently since we have arrived and the design dates back hundreds of years. Some have hoods like the one I was given and others only have high sides to keep in the heat when sitting by a fire. Often there was a drawer underneath to store personal items. 

After dinner we walked through the quiet streets of Kirkwall down to the harbour. It was still light when we arrived back to our accommodation at 7.15pm.