Lichen on cobbles
I’ve been inspired by seeing how limpets have colonised a crack in a rock from year to year. I think I might …
Limpets and gypsum pseudomorphs
A fine day means the chance to walk the Westray coast: The blues are spectacular and the rocks are fascinating In the …
The Fulmars of Backarass
We’re walking down past Backarass on Westray. It’s a special landscape of shattered rocks and still pools: The weather is fabulous and …
Westray Coast 50 – Day Five
My adventures on the fifth of five days walking the entire coast of Westray.
Westray Coast 50 – Day Four and a Half
My adventures on the four-and-a-half-th of five days walking the entire coast of Westray.
Westray Coast 50 – Day Four
My adventures on the fourth of five days walking the entire coast of Westray.
Westray Coast 50 – Day Three
My adventures on the third of five days walking the entire coast of Westray.
Westray Coast 50 – Day Two
My adventures on the second of five days walking the entire coast of Westray.
Westray Coast 50 – Day One
My adventures on the first of five days walking the entire coast of Westray.
They say ‘Take only pictures, leave only footsteps’
They say ‘Take only pictures, leave only footsteps,’ but we decided to take a footstep home. I just need to draw a …
Rapness rolling rocks
Rapness has some of the most interesting rocks on Westray. There are lots of rounded red sandstone pebbles. These rocks were dragged …
Green pools
Westray’s coastline has magnificent layers of sedimentary rocks. In places there are folds and cracks: A crack in the rocks leads to …
Flagstones and Slaters
Looking into the cracks in the flagstones I see what looks to be a freakishly large Woodlouse. It’s a Sea Slater…
Up, across or down?
The Westray coastline is so beautiful on a glorious day it’s hard to know whether to look up, look across or look …
Never a dull day
The weather on Westray may be dull, but there’s never a dull day on Westray.
A white blanket of cloud shrouds the island but life continues as normal for the incredible menagerie which inhabits the shores of Westray.
Westray wearing high heels
Westray wears its working clothes most of the time. It has an endless supply of beautiful green garments which it accessorises with …
Rock ledges
The sedimentary rock on Westray breaks into hundreds of ledges where the layers of time wear them away.
Lines and circles
Rock lines and circles surround us in a sea cave on Westray.
Boulders on my border
The mini-boulders on Westray’s beaches are a never-ending source of stripes and spots of beautiful muted colours.
Cracks in the paving
I could stand and stare at the stone Orkney beaches for hours; and I sometimes do.
Drips
Drips of water run down the cliffs on Westray.
Green pool
Walking along Westray’s rocky shores through a rock arch and into and out of caves we come across this dripping waterfall with …
Westray sea cave
Wandering along the coast of Westray it’s sometimes hard to tell what’s in the cliffs below. Only when there’s a promontory can …
Wrinkled and cracked
The exposed rocks of Westray are endlessly fascinating even if you’re not a geologist.
Fish scales at Snaky Noust
‘Scattered fish scales of Osteolepis are common at Snaky Noust.’ From the wonderful Westray Heritage Centre.
Wet pebbles
The pebbles are beautiful and wet inside the mouth of this sea cave on Westray.
Diamonds under your feet
I love the way Westray’s flagstones break naturally into diamond shapes over their surface.
Rock rings like tree rings
Orkney used to be a lake. Most of its rocks are from the mud at the bottom of that lake or from …
Boulder clay
These small red cliffs on Westray look just like Boulder Clay to me. I loved studying physical geography as a child, after …