The first glimpse of Kirkwall
The ferry from Westray to Orkney takes over an hour to make the journey to the Mainland of Orkney. It’s easy for …
Watching Westray fade into the distance
The Earl Thorfinn is a smooth ferry ride today and sails easily over the still waters between Westray and Mainland Orkney. I …
Waiting for the bus in the sunshine
Today is exciting because I’m off to the big city. A city of 8,000 people. That counts as big in Orkney. I’m …
Always remove woodlice from the USB ports of your laptop before attaching USB peripheral devices.
Always zip up your washbag at night if you want to avoid getting woodlice on the bristles of your toothbrush.
Bike. Beach. Breathtaking.
Let me never be immune to the spell this Island casts.
Moving to Orkney
It’s sunny this afternoon, so it’s out into the garden to catch a rare photograph of the back of Einar in the …
A useful range of outbuildings
Whenever you look at property details in Orkney there’s one phrase that keeps on being repeated. Yes, the word ‘ruinous’ is used …
Death to Drosophila #2
Isn’t technology wonderful? The advancement of science never ceases to amaze me. Instead of bashing fruit flies with my precious copy of …
Mobile Madness
Teenagers. A month away with no cooker, fridge or washing machine is fine for the three of them. But a month without …
Lady Kirk
In 1136, Earl Rognvald went to church at Pierowall in Westray at the start of his campaign to subjugate Orkney. Or at …
Wheeling Steen
A morning trip out on [[Westray]] leads me to the Wheeling Steen gallery and tea rooms. It’s hard to believe quite how …
Bulls
It seems that in every field of valuable cattle is a magnificent beast – the even more valuable bull. Strange fellows, with …
Orange Glow
The side of Fitty Hill is bathed in the orange glow of sunset as I reach the summit at 169m.
Climbing Fitty Hill
A miserable grey day of rain and more rain. The Met. Office say it will clear later. What do they know? I’d …
In order to increase the light in your living room, get one person to tip the bowl-shaped lamp-shade to one side whilst the other uses the extension tube on the vacuum cleaner to clear the layer of dead woodlice from the bottom. It’s worth at least 5 watts of low-energy bulb.
Cash Pointless
Westray is small and remote but not that small and remote. It has hotels, B&Bs, restaurants (in the hotels) a takeaway (twice …
Always tip the woodlice gently from your slippers out of an open window to avoid a messy situation between your toes in the morning.
The Sands of Woo
Worm casts at the Sands of Woo.
The Bay of Tafts
The Bay of Tafts
Remember to always replace the lid of your slow cooker fully to avoid woodlice falling into your Orkney Beef casserole when the steam from below overcomes them. Although nutritious, their presence is an acquired taste for youngsters.
An afternoon with an Otter
A cycle ride to Mae Sands and a picnic of bread, cheese and water with a nice apple. Mae Sands is so …
Pitter patter on the window
It’s late at night and I’m sitting on the wide window ledge in the kitchen. The light is on and the curtains …
Emptying woodlice from your underpants before putting them on in the early morning leads to much greater comfort on the bicycle saddle by mid-morning.
The Knowe o’ Skea
Looking out from the Knowe o’ Skea Iron age burial ground across the skerries towards Rousay in the distance.
Running away to the circus
No, not that kind of circus. I mean Circus cyaneus, the Hen Harrier. Sitting in the window seat looking over the fields …
Will you still love me when I’m grey?
The wind whistles on Westray today and clouds shroud the hills as I hear the wind saying “Will you still love me …
Always buy a toilet seat that contrasts in colour and tone with woodlice in order to avoid sitting on them unexpectedly.
Making Hay
Yesterday was a wonderful sunny day so farmers were busy cutting the grass to make hay whilst flocks of gulls followed. The …
Noup Head Panorama
Noup Head is my destination by bicycle today, as it was yesterday. The crushed stone path is so rough that my bicycle …