A miniature rock stack
There’s a miniature rock stack on the east coast of Westray. It’s slippery as I make my way across the rocks to photograph it at dawn.
The Castle o’ Burrian
The Castle o’ Burrian on Westray is famous for its Puffins.
Nousts
The outrageous thing about several of these nousts, designed to provide protection to boats pulled up onto the shore, is that they …
The more you can see the horizon…
The more you can see the horizon, the more you can see the arc of your whole life and think about what’s …
A glorious day
When you have a beach to yourself.
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 …
Beautiful Pierowall
Pierowall is Old Norse for ‘Small Bay’. We seem to have forgotten that in modern times so Pierowall Bay means Small Bay …
These boots were made for walking
A rock arch on Westray, at Backarass.
Beware of Bull
Beware of Bull? That’s strange. I didn’t see any politicians on the way here.
Pebbles, Cobbles and Boulders
I’ve always loved the Westray beach with “The really big pebbles.” I recently discovered that a pebble can’t be any bigger than 64 mm. I think this one must count as a cobble.
Jackson Pollock
The sea spray at Grobust has an abstract expressionist moment, frozen at 1/1,600th of a second.
Waves crash at Grobust
There’s just time to say goodbye to Grobust on our tour round the Island.
Danger
You have to watch out for those vertical cliffs on Westray. They’re far more dangerous than horizontal cliffs.
Thrift
Thrift on the cost of Westray.
Sand-between-the-toes
When the sun shines on Grobust beach, it’s time to do what AA Milne described and get sand between the toes. When …
Love’s Crashing Waves
The sea spray at the Scaun on the northernmost coast of Westray is like tiny glistening jewels today.
Rise and look around you
On a clear day on Westray you can see for miles. I’m told you can even see the Fair Isle if you …
Catching the late ferry
It’s Sunday so it’s the late ferry from Kirkwall to Westray tonight. It’ll be dark when we get there. I walk on …
White foam and intense blue
A panorama of Grobust beach on Westray.
Sunrise
Broad horizons. Breathtaking clouds. Constantly changing skies. That’s the view of Westray from my window.