Einar was a school in 1874 and here’s the report by the headmaster written on 29 August 1874:

School in again all this week. As usual, lessons given in usual order but progress not so satisfactory. Seemingly the scholars are longing for the vacation.

Not much has changed.

Malcolm tends to the pigs at Steenyha’.

The bones of wind and wave washed cattle litter the sand dunes of the Links of Noltland. Here are a couple I brought home.

Nancy remembers the Hall as it used to be; a school. So does Catherine. “It’s the first time I’ve been in here since I left 60 years ago,” she says. There’s so much history and memory surrounding the building because generations of Westray folk went to school there, firstly in the peedie (small) end and then in the big end of the two-room school. The great news is that three books are planned on the three schools on the island – and the first is on the Skello School or the Skelwick Academy School which is now Einar. Not many people have books written about their houses. I feel priviledged. Making measurements, drawing plans and recalling their memories, Nancy and Catherine reminisce about their days. “The toilets were a bucket with a wooden lid. And we had to use newspaper, everybody did. The newsprint rubbed off. It’s a good job I wore navy knickers!”

Times have changed, but given the state of the house now, not by much.

The Church of Scotland Kirk has a wonderful sign of the Saltire and the burning bush painted on a Westray stone flag outside the entrance.

Tommy is very kind. He’s decided I should have some of his green and some of his purple Curly Kale. Tommy’s garden is at Dead Man’s Nose, a small point on the bay where a ship’s officer was washed ashore many years ago. The lady of the house cut off the buttons of his tunic thinking they were gold before burying him. Whenever the high tide disturbed the grave, it would be covered over until a storm washed it away. The Kale was beautiful steamed.

The Westray Industrial Show is nearly upon us. It’s when folks here get competitive over cabbages, but not Tommy. He says more people should enter and not be afraid of entering.

The problem is that when your cabbage looks as good as this, there really is no competition. We talk for half an hour about life, competition and cabbages before Tommy has to go. His wife is baking – for the Westray Industrial Show.

With this kind of treatment, Malcolm’s Steenyha’ pigs will never be under the weather, whether it rains or shines.

Piglets are such tricky blighters to photograph; even when you hold them they wriggle. Here’s Malc with one of Molly’s litter. All together now, “Ahhhhh.”

Westray Pork on sale at Inverness Farmers’ Market on September 3. Orders now being taken for whole and half pigs and freezer packs – call Malcolm on 01857 677577

Several days into my Westray trip and I need a shave. Molly the pedigree saddleback pig is nice and bristly this morning. She’d make a lovely shaving brush.