Orkney - Day 1

Saturday - first day in Orkney

We had a very nice ferry ride from Shetland to Orkney but didn’t get into Kirkwall until 10:30 at night. Luckily we had ordered a cab to pick us up so we were in our room in the hotel by 11.  Nice hotel and nice room.

Today we had scheduled a tour of Papay - a small island north of the main island in Orkney. Population 75. It took two ferries to get there. The tour was done by the “ranger” on the island - a nice guy named Jonathan. Turns out that we were the only ones scheduled that day so it was a private tour.

Susan was not that interested in going so she stayed back in Kirkwall - I think the fact that the royal wedding was today was a huge factor. Apparently the TV coverage in the UK was over 5 hours.

So I met up with the ranger and we explored the island.  It is primarily known for three things: Birding, neolithic settlements, and a magnificent coastline. They have a small airfield and three planes a day. One runway is paved and the other two are grass.

Landing markers

First we headed to the St Bonifice Kirk. It wasn’t that old but when they started to bury people on the north side of the cemetery they found that it was on top of an old monastery and that was on top of an even older structure. One of the burial stones is rumored to be for a viking lord, or witch, or just a guy that found it on the beach - your choice.

The bustling downtown has an elementary school, their school farm, a hostel, general store and a post office. I guess with only 75 people you don’t need much.  The big event tonight was a “baked potato social.” And I found out that the hostel has a pub but it is only open on Fridays from 8:00 to 12:00.

This is the island gas station

Naturally every Scottish island has a golf course. It was impossible to tell where the green was just a flag.

We then went to the neolithic site that was discovered when two mounds were excavated. Originally there wasn’t much interest but then 30 years later the archeologists dated it to the neolithic age. They are sure there are other structures under the nearby mounds but it doesn’t seem worth it to continue. There has been very little reconstruction so it is pretty much as they found it.

After a lovely lunch in the Papay information center we headed up to the preserve at the north end of the island. This is where people go to look at birds. I had Susan’s good binoculars so I was set.

lobster cages right outside of the visitor center

We wandered over the beach and cliffs to see sea birds. A couple of seals followed our progress but every time I tried to take a picture of their little bobbing heads they took a dive - apparently too shy or they believed that old wives tale that the camera steals your soul.

We did see a number of birds nesting in the cliffs and pecking along the shore but we could not find the elusive Puffin.

We had tea and then Jonathan dropped me at the ferry for the long two island trip back.  There is a bus that takes people between the two ferry piers on Westray (the interim island) and that bus driver was chattttttty. He was most interested in talking about our excuse for a president (I can’t make myself capitalize that word).  Oh - on the bus ride earlier this monk had been on board - there are three of them visiting Westray.

Got back to the hotel around 8:00 - had a bit of dinner, a glass of wine and watched the highlights of the wedding with Susan.

CDN and SXM