It’s time for a trip to the Mainland. No, not the mainland of Scotland, the Mainland of Orkney. Mainland is an hour and a half away by ferry and this morning, braving the seas, it’s the Earl Thorfinn. There are three Earl Thorfinns. There’s Thorfinn Turf-Einarsson, Earl of Orkney, better known as Thorfinn Skullsplitter who [...]
Orkney is a plural. It’s acceptable to say ‘the Islands of Orkney’. It’s fine to say ‘Orkney’. Saying ‘the Orkney Islands’ won’t raise an eyebrow from me either. However, say ‘the Orkneys’ and I will shudder. Orkney is a plural and refers to all of the islands here. You wouldn’t say ‘the sheeps’ would you? [...]
The ferry from Westray to Orkney takes over an hour to make the journey to the Mainland of Orkney. It’s easy for the visitor to get confused about places when talking to locals. ‘The Village’ means Pierowall. ‘The Island’ means Westray. ‘The Mainland’ doesn’t mean mainland Britain at all but the mainland of Orkney. Everywhere [...]
The Earl Thorfinn is a smooth ferry ride today and sails easily over the still waters between Westray and Mainland Orkney. I watch as Westray fades into the distance, with Fitty Hill still visible.
The Orkney Ferries‘ ferry Earl Thorfinn arrives from Kirkwall into Rapness on Westray ready for the journey back to the mainland.
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