Sun
I’ve seen the sun rise, orange and luminous over the ocean from my bedroom window and now it’s time for me to see it set behind Fitty Hill. A glorious day.
Watching the world turn
There’s just time to wander down to Taftend on my bike to watch the sun set behind Fitty Hill.
Slate
On the roof two slates have cracked and fallen. I have a box of replacements ready, because on Westray one slate missing …
Rough grazing
Wind and weather conspire together to make Westray’s grass rough and tough. That’s essential for the ponies in my field. When the …
Driftwood and whalebone
The lack of trees on Orkney has meant that generations of people have relied upon driftwood and whalebone for building materials. Orkney’s …
Rusting metal buoy
Westray’s beaches are full of interesting finds. Whether it’s a groatie buckie (or Cowrie) on the tideline or the skeleton of the …
The view from my window…
… is of nothing but fields and clouds and ocean.
Summer Visitors
It’s wonderful to see that the Swallows who visit Orkney in the Summer to breed have done so well. There are at …
Westray is an Island with a sense of community. Large extended families live here, with a high possibility of seeing distant relations on a daily basis. That’s one of the factors that leads to a low … → 8 September, 2010
Big pig excitement
There’s big excitement at Einar as Mr Pig arrives with news of the piglets. Little Kim has produced in the night. There …
Links to our past
Coastal erosion at the Links of Noltland leaves scattered stones over a neolithic settlement quicky disappearing with the wind.
Wind Swept Away
The dunes at the Links of Noltland show their erosion by the wind – the grass tufts left are six feet above …
A 5000 year old necklace
I’m standing next to a 5000 year old house looking at a bead from a 5000 year old necklace. It was made …
Pierowall is the name of the only village on the Orkney island of Westray. The problem I had was how to pronounce it. The Westray accent is beautiful and soft and difficult to understand without extreme … → 29 August, 2010
Urban Dictionary: dreek
It means bad weather. The kind of weather which makes you miserable: dull, grey and wet. If it rains hard and water runs down your neck it’s dreek.
Ripples in the sands
Wind blows the sands into ripples and threatens to engulf the vegetation.
Competition Cabbage
Today is an important day in the social calendar of Westray. It’s the day of the 75th Annual Westray Industrial Show. Entries …
I have a life driven by time. The time on my watch, the time on my phone and the time on my computer. Time to meet, time to arrive, time to leave, time to eat. Time, … → 28 August, 2010
Not Boaring
A quick trip out this afternoon to visit Mr and Mrs Pig the neighbours, their boar Alfie and their heavily pregnant sow …
Filling Up
There’s now only one source of petrol and diesel on the Island – and this is it. We’re on bicycles for a …
Cattle at Inga Ness
This afternoon there was time to cycle to East Kirbest and walk to Inga Ness, skirting Skea Hill and to look out …
The deserted village
Cycling to the Westside of Westray I can see the Netherhouse in silhouette. A series of dwellings built up the hill, the …
Second place is nowhere
The most important archaeological find of last year was found on the remote Orkney island of Westray; or at least it was …
Sunset over Grobust
Grobust is one of my favourite beaches on Westray. Here it is at sunset.
Sunset over Grobust #2
Grobust is a place I could (and do) go back to again and again. Being up before dawn and going to bed …
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 …
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 …