Roadmire
Running past I see that Roadmire is for sale. It looks amazing in this weather, especially overlooking the Bay of Tuquoy. Roadmire …
Do you ever dream?
Do you ever dream of having a different life? Do you ever dream of moving somewhere where you can savour each day? …
Magnificent battlements, gunloops and ravens
Noltland Castle is a ruin that was never finished built by a paranoid man who placed defensive positions everywhere; it has walls 7 feet thick and 71 gunloops to shoot at attackers.
Blown away by a windmill
I was completely blown away by Sangar Mill. It’s incredible that’s it’s survived so intact, with the windmill mechanism still visible and …
Sitting in a stall of hay at Quoygrew
A dirt floor. A stone hearth. An open fire. No glass or windows. A turf roof. Stone stalls with hay bedding. What am I describing?
Down the garden path at Quoygrew
My favourite part of the ruined house at Quoygrew is the garden path of the 13th to 16th Century house. What a …
The fifteen hearths of Quoygrew
Quoygrew is a 1,000 year old house on Westray which was lived in by Vikings from 950 AD, shortly after they arrived …
The Bay of Skaill
It must be shell sand below for it to be so beautifully pale and for the water to be so turquoise. The …
Breck o’ Aikerness
The language that estate agents speak is not English as we know it. Breck o’ Aikerness was for sale recently. It may …
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 …
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.
The Kelp Store
One of Orkney’s most important exports used to be the ash from Kelp, the seaweed which is regularly washed ashore by storms …
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 …
The Sails of Sangar
Evidence of Westray’s long-established drive to harness the energy of the wind is seen in this ancient sail-less windmill at Sangar (Old …
Vegetables at Noltland
The kitchen garden at Noltland is green and fertile as dawn  breaks over the ruin.
Noup Head Lighthouse
Noup Head Lighthouse stands magnificent and alone on the cliffs; a brilliant shining warning of the skerries below.