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Westray Geology

the geology of Westray

Barnacles - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Tracing the outlines

I’m tracing the outlines of a barnacle city on the rocks of Westray’s shore. The outlines remind me of looking down on …

Papay Sheep - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Scenes from the sea

It’s all about perspective. Looking at familiar scenes from a different place always makes you think more deeply about them. Similarly, seeing …

Grobust - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Grobust

Grobust is one of my favourite beaches on Westray. Can you see the bodyboarders with their bright boards? I love the slightly …

Westray pebble - The Hall of Einar - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Pecked

This cobble has been tumbled by the waves until it is not quite smooth. It has been ‘pecked’ by crashing against other …

Slip - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Slip

It’s hard to see that cliffs are dangerous from the top of them. Seeing the Island from the sea gives a completely …

Westray - The Hall of Einar

The pool

There’s a rock pool fed with fresh water fram a tiny waterfall on the west coast of Westray. I love how green …

Raven - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Ravens and rocks

The west coast of Westray has some of the best walking in the islands. There are fossilised remains of ripples on the …

Bridled Guillemot - Westray - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Flutterings

Coronavirus has destroyed my livelihood. I’ve had all my work cancelled for a year and will have absolutely no income. I’m also …

Lichen on cobble - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

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 …

Westray - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not 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 …

Rapness Rocks - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

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 - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

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 …

Sea Slater - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

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…

Westray coastline - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

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 …

Risso's Dolphins - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

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.

High Heels - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

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 …

Ledges - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Rock ledges

The sedimentary rock on Westray breaks into hundreds of ledges where the layers of time wear them away.

Boulders on my border - The Hall of Einar - photograph (c) David Bailey (not the)

Boulders on my border

The mini-boulders on Westray’s beaches are a never-ending source of stripes and spots of beautiful muted colours.