Sunday 3rd
August
Slightly later start today and a coffee and bacon roll from Argo's bakery, eaten outside St Magnus Cathedral - a fabulous structure and beautifully decorated.
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| St Magnus Cathedral |
Bus to Maes Howe and the
tour which was informative. Unfortunately,they don't let you take
pictures inside so you'll just have to make do with pictures of a
grassy knowe.
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| Maes Howe
Started walking back towards Finstown and Kirkwall with my thumb out on the off-chance and got a lift from a lovely guy from North Wales who had lived here for 10 years or so. When I told him I was trying to get to the Broch of Gurness (a must as it features heavily in Andrew Greig's 'In Another Light') he basically said he had nothing else to do so he would take me up there, wait and run me back. This was fantastic offer which I obviously accepted.
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On the way back, he took a detour and showed me a place that is not on the tourist itinerary but a real oasis of peace.
A local character, Edwin, lived in a small cottage (rent-free apparently), worked for the council but created his own haven, by planting trees round his house and stream, diverting the water to run his electricity supply, building paths and walkways through the trees,bridges and jetties on the stream.
When he died the owner of the cottage and land gave it to the council for £1 on the condition that the whole lot was maintained exactly as Edwin had left it. A lot of the materials Edwin used came from his work with the council (he seemed to specialise in things from the cemetery) and would be delivered free by his work colleagues as he couldn't drive. It's a great wee place, and it's called Happy Valley and I could feel why.
Anyway, Peter gave me a lift back to the hostel, with an offer of free accommodation if I got stuck.
In the evening, one of room mates and I had agreed to go to a storytelling evening and split the cost of a taxi. This was just as well as I hadn't read the directions and didn't realise it was right over the other side of the island. £30 taxi fare later we got there though.
The evening was being run by a couple who also operate a retreat and I did have a momentary flashback to the dodgy hippies I knew in Arizona but am pleased to report that it was a lovely evening and Lynn and John were just really nice people.
Thankfully, Laura got talking to an American couple at the event who were happy to give us a lift back to Kirkwall as I had been dreading the cost of a return trip by taxi.
About to run out of time again but I am afraid there is nothing of interest to report about Monday as I spent it in the pub!!! Oh but I did win quite a few games of pool and get bought more drinks!!
Tuesday, 5th August
Again, feeling remarkably un-hungover, despite the day in the pub on Monday, I was up and basically organised by 10am. This is highly unusual behaviour for me but is slightly enforced by having to vacate hostels by a sensible time of morning. Cath, the lovely warden at the Peedie hostel in Kirkwall (where I spent Monday night) let me leave my gear at the hostel while I went to the library to write my last note. I really must, if I haven't already, sing the praises of Kirkwall library, who made life very easy for getting back on-line.
After the pleasant hour typing, it was back to the hostel, pick up my stuff and wander to the bus station for the bus to Stromness and the ferry to Hoy.
Had a few hours to kill in Stromness, where I bumped into Aevar who I had met at the Hamnavoe Hostel during my previous stay. This proved fortuitous as the left luggage bit at the Stromness Travel Centre wasn't working properly and I had no intention of taking all my gear to Hoy for one night. Aevar, bless him, let me stash my stuff in his hostel room so it would be safe.
So with a much reduced load, it was onto the ferry for Graemsay and Hoy. This is a quick crossing, thankfully, as it's a tiny boat and I'm not very keen on them!!
Very relieved that I'd lightened the load when I saw the hill I needed to walk up to get to the Hoy Centre hostel, which is council run and very well equipped.
Had a quiet dinner and sat outside enjoying the evening with a glass of wine.
Wednesday, 6th August
Up, and out to the Dwarfie Stane on Hoy. This is a stone cut tomb on the hillside and thankfully, given it's cramped proportions, they seem to have decided it was a tomb and not a hermit's quarters!
I was full of good intentions to carry on to Rackwick Bay and possibly the Old Man of Hoy but my bloody knee started playing up to add to the original dodgy foot so common sense dictated that walking round the middle of Hoy on my own was probably not a good idea. Didn't really want to end up in a crumpled heap somewhere!!
So, reverted to type and had a lazy day sat outside with a book until it was time for the ferry back to Stromness.
Retrieved my rucksack from Aevar; thankfully Stromness is a small place and since he wasn't at the Hamnavoe hostel, I just sat outside the pub 'til he showed up (about half a pint in - told you Stromness was small!)
Back to Brown's hostel for the Wednesday night where I took the chance to get some laundry done and get organised for the journey back south.
(In case, I haven't already mentioned this, the main island of the Orkney Isles is called the Mainland, so the actual mainland of Scotland's referred to as south or Scotland.)
A local character, Edwin, lived in a small cottage (rent-free apparently), worked for the council but created his own haven, by planting trees round his house and stream, diverting the water to run his electricity supply, building paths and walkways through the trees,bridges and jetties on the stream.
When he died the owner of the cottage and land gave it to the council for £1 on the condition that the whole lot was maintained exactly as Edwin had left it. A lot of the materials Edwin used came from his work with the council (he seemed to specialise in things from the cemetery) and would be delivered free by his work colleagues as he couldn't drive. It's a great wee place, and it's called Happy Valley and I could feel why.
Anyway, Peter gave me a lift back to the hostel, with an offer of free accommodation if I got stuck.
In the evening, one of room mates and I had agreed to go to a storytelling evening and split the cost of a taxi. This was just as well as I hadn't read the directions and didn't realise it was right over the other side of the island. £30 taxi fare later we got there though.
The evening was being run by a couple who also operate a retreat and I did have a momentary flashback to the dodgy hippies I knew in Arizona but am pleased to report that it was a lovely evening and Lynn and John were just really nice people.
Thankfully, Laura got talking to an American couple at the event who were happy to give us a lift back to Kirkwall as I had been dreading the cost of a return trip by taxi.
About to run out of time again but I am afraid there is nothing of interest to report about Monday as I spent it in the pub!!! Oh but I did win quite a few games of pool and get bought more drinks!!
Tuesday, 5th August
Again, feeling remarkably un-hungover, despite the day in the pub on Monday, I was up and basically organised by 10am. This is highly unusual behaviour for me but is slightly enforced by having to vacate hostels by a sensible time of morning. Cath, the lovely warden at the Peedie hostel in Kirkwall (where I spent Monday night) let me leave my gear at the hostel while I went to the library to write my last note. I really must, if I haven't already, sing the praises of Kirkwall library, who made life very easy for getting back on-line.
After the pleasant hour typing, it was back to the hostel, pick up my stuff and wander to the bus station for the bus to Stromness and the ferry to Hoy.
Had a few hours to kill in Stromness, where I bumped into Aevar who I had met at the Hamnavoe Hostel during my previous stay. This proved fortuitous as the left luggage bit at the Stromness Travel Centre wasn't working properly and I had no intention of taking all my gear to Hoy for one night. Aevar, bless him, let me stash my stuff in his hostel room so it would be safe.
So with a much reduced load, it was onto the ferry for Graemsay and Hoy. This is a quick crossing, thankfully, as it's a tiny boat and I'm not very keen on them!!
Very relieved that I'd lightened the load when I saw the hill I needed to walk up to get to the Hoy Centre hostel, which is council run and very well equipped.
Had a quiet dinner and sat outside enjoying the evening with a glass of wine.
Wednesday, 6th August
Up, and out to the Dwarfie Stane on Hoy. This is a stone cut tomb on the hillside and thankfully, given it's cramped proportions, they seem to have decided it was a tomb and not a hermit's quarters!
I was full of good intentions to carry on to Rackwick Bay and possibly the Old Man of Hoy but my bloody knee started playing up to add to the original dodgy foot so common sense dictated that walking round the middle of Hoy on my own was probably not a good idea. Didn't really want to end up in a crumpled heap somewhere!!
So, reverted to type and had a lazy day sat outside with a book until it was time for the ferry back to Stromness.
Retrieved my rucksack from Aevar; thankfully Stromness is a small place and since he wasn't at the Hamnavoe hostel, I just sat outside the pub 'til he showed up (about half a pint in - told you Stromness was small!)
Back to Brown's hostel for the Wednesday night where I took the chance to get some laundry done and get organised for the journey back south.
(In case, I haven't already mentioned this, the main island of the Orkney Isles is called the Mainland, so the actual mainland of Scotland's referred to as south or Scotland.)
