Stenness sheep

We’re at the Standing Stones of Stenness when a sheep stares at me.

There are only four of the twelve ancient stones left. This sheep is busy rubbing itself against this one.

I suppose it’s safer to use sheep to crop the grass here than use a ride-on mower. You wouldn’t want a vehicle crashing into a 5,000 year old stone circle, would you? I walk up to the stone and see that it’s covered in a layer of sheep grease on every part of it that can be rubbed. It reminds me of when I went to an evening talk by a former-employee of Rentokill and he showed a slide of the black grease trails left by rats.

We look across the horizon and a strange shape appears. I think it’s a cloud at first. Then I realise it’s the hills of Hoy.

It’s another island. Not a gently sloping island like this one, but one with steep slopes.

What an exceptional glimpse into another world.