Seaweed, limpets, riots and arsenic
Burning seaweed on Westray used to be quite an industry. The island is still littered with low kelp-drying walls where the tangle …
When I first visited Westray I was amazed to see that everything was tied down. The wheelie bins; tied down. A static caravan; tied down. A trampoline; tied down, with a couple of helfy concrete blocks for good measure. When the wind blows here it blows to teach everyone a lesson.
I’m told that my friend who has the relatively high-sided box van no longer needs an inspection pit to view any problems with the axles or the exhaust. It has been laid on its side; by the wind. → 6 July, 2016
Addicted to Fulmars
Yes, it’s true; I’m addicted to Fulmars.
The Church of Scotland
From the air, the Church of Scotland Kirk looks just as imposing as it does when on the road below. I can …
Use your imagination
People of the past have left traces of their ancient lives all over Orkney. The beautiful Brough of Birsay is no exception.
Making waves at the Brough of Birsay
The Brough of Birsay on mainland Orkney was a Viking stronghold 1,000 years ago. 380 million years before that it was a huge inland lake in the Southern Hemisphere. Here are the fossilised ripples to prove it.
There used to be a floating bank which visited the outer Orkney islands. Now the banker gets the plane and a tour of the Northern Isles is more likely to be a rare example of a ‘stag-do’ pub crawl by motor launch. How cool is that? One pub per island and miles of water in between. That’s one occasion you definitely need a designated driver. → 5 July, 2016
Beautiful Pierowall
Pierowall is Old Norse for ‘Small Bay’. We seem to have forgotten that in modern times so Pierowall Bay means Small Bay …
45 degrees. No, that’s not the temperature in Fahrenheit. It’s the angle at which people have to walk in this wind just to keep upright in Orkney. If there’s ever a still day, there must be people falling over all over the Islands, with nothing to keep them upright. → 3 July, 2016
Shelter
I’ve spent two entire days of my life crawling up the seashore measuring the height and diameter of limpets. The conclusion? Limpets …
Orkney Ferries
On board.
928 tonnes
The MV Varagen was built in Selby in 1989 and weighs 928 tonnes unladen. I’m currently thanking Archimedes that it floats.
Fragile and immortal
The Italian Chapel on Orkney’s tiny island of Lamb Holm is so fragile. These are not bricks; this is not plaster; those …
The words in his pocket
Oh let men, overcoming individual and national egoisms, recognise themselves as brothers, may they refrain from discord, may they love and help one another…
1944
Orkney’s Italian Chapel was completed in 1944. Stonemason Domenico Buttapasta laid cut and polished stones in Roman numerals to celebrate its completion. …
The Earl’s Palace, Birsay
The Earl’s Palace in Birsay was built between 1569 and 1579 by Robert Stewart, the illegitimate son of King James V of …
These boots were made for walking
A rock arch on Westray, at Backarass.
Beware of Bull
Beware of Bull? That’s strange. I didn’t see any politicians on the way here.
Rock pool
Westray is full of wonderful rock pools. There are over 1,000 species of Sea Anemone on Earth. This looks like Actinia equina. …
The Italian Chapel – book launch in Moena
We are in Moena in northern Italy at the book launch for La Chiesetta Della Pace – Orkney’s Italian Chapel by Philip …
Making a mark
Coriolano ‘Gino’ Caprara and Roberto Pendini were Italian prisoners of war in Orkney. They helped build the Churchill Barriers which created causeways …
900,000 tons of concrete and rock
Roberto Pendini was held prisoner on the Orkney island of Lamb Holm during the Second World War and worked as part of …
The Miracle of Camp 34
I’m spending time with Coriolano ‘Gino’ Caparara. He’s now 96 and as smart and as funny as he ever was. He talks about his experiences as a prisoner of war held by the British in Orkney as if they were yesterday when “I learned English 70 years ago,” he says “And I never get chance use it.”
Bistort
Bistort in flower in the garden at Einar.
Wheeling Steen
It’s a thrill to fly over Westray and see everything from a completely new perspective. I recognise the Wheeling Steen gallery below.
Water and ceilings
I think the rain may have been getting in, don’t you?
Trivia – where three roads meet
The scientific name of the beautiful Groatie Buckie is Trivia arctica. Its name comes from the Latin trivia, the plural of trivium …