Orkney, Shetland

The message <[email hidden]>
from The Reids <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

Having just received sheets 1-7 from Stanfords, any advice
re the islands. Accomodation and food in particular.
--
Mike Reid

It is 11 years since I lived on Orkney Mainland so things
may have changed. For what it's worth:

Food:

Seafood is a must on Orkney. Local crab, lobster, Scallops
and Spoots (razorfish) are all wonderful.

The Creel Restaurant at St.Margaret's Hope, South Ronaldsay
is probably the best in the whole of the Orkney Isles but
not cheap.

Plenty of eating places in both Kirkwall and Stromness.
Stromness Hotel is a decent place for a pint of Real Ale.

Pub meals available at most bars throughout the Islands but
mostly only average frozen stuff.

There is a Safeway and large Co-op at Kirkwall for supplies
for sandwiches etc..

Orkney cheddar made at Swannay Farm and farm shop situated
on A966 at HY295291 Other lcaol cheeses include
Grimbister, available at a small shop on the main street
near the harbour in Kirkwall. Spoots and local fish also
for sale here.

Accommodation:

Accommodation is plentiful if you like B&B or hotel.
Campsites at Kirkwall and Stromness and wild camping
possible in some places throughout the isles.

Things to see:

North Isles:

North Ronaldsay has a wall around the beach to keep the
sheep out of the fields so that they feed on seaweed. These
sheep fetch better prices at market and many are exported.

Flight from Westtray to Papa Westray is the world's shortes
scheduled flight at something like 1 minute in the air. A
tee shirt is available to commemorate your flight.

Stronsay and Eday offer little to the walker. There are some
walks available but nothing very taxing. Some coastal
features may be worth looking at on Stronsay.

Shapinsay has Balfour castle, open to the public some days.
Historic house with walled garden, ferry from Kirkwall.

Wyre and Egilsay have little to offer, being just small, low
lying mounds offshore, populated by crofters. St.Magnus
church worth a visit but may be a long wait between ferries
- Julie once stranded here overnight due to ferry being
unable to return to pick her up in poor weather.

Rousay has a good broch at Mid Howe, Westness. Accommodation
at the Inn at Tratland. The road circuit is about 14 miles
and easily do-able by bicycle. Walks up on the moors are
possible too. Access to Kitchen Hill used to be (as I
remember) from the path alongside Trumland House. Good track
up to Peerie (Orcadian for small) water and Muckle water.
Ferry from Tingwall.

Mainland:

Tons of archaeology here. Brovh of Gurness, Neolithic
village at Skara Brae, Maes Howe burial cairn complete with
Viking graffitti, Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar stone
circle, plus much more.

Viking cathedral in Kirkwall is a must see, can't miss it,
it's in the centre of town.

Covenanters' memorial on East of mainland, Churchill
barrieres and Italian P.O.W. Chapel on Holm near the village
of St. Mary's (Where I used to live).

Walks mainly just a few miles. Good one from the Gloup to
Brough of Deerness and continuing around to the Covenanters'
memorial. Car Park at HY590079

Walk from Stromness around shore to Brinnegar. Walk at
Marwick Head where there is a memorial to Lord
Kitchener, who was shipwrecked here during WWI. Walk to
Brough Head NW of mainland. Bishops Palace here is a
ruin and open to public.

Wideford Hill and Burgar Hill both decent walks, situated
central mainland.

Much more but now for South Isles:

It is possible to walk around the island of Glimps holm on
the beach. Watch out for nesting birds along the pebbly
beach. Eider ducks nest here along with many other sea
birds. Look out for the Bonxie whilst on Orkney. The Skua
(Bonxie) will attack you if you are too close to its
breeding patch.

Excellent beach at the Bu of Burray and other good beaches
on South Ronaldsay. Tomb of the Eagles worth a visit on
South Ronaldsay.

Day trips on passenger-only ferry from South Ronaldsay to
John O'Groats.

Switha is uninhabited, Flotta is an oil terminal with a
resident population but not much to see and do.

Graemsay is reachable by ferry from Stromness.

The main south Isle is 'Hoy and Walls'. Two islands joined
by an ayre and serviced by a ferry from Houton to Lyness.

The Scapa Flow naval museum is well worth a visit and is
situated almost at the ferry terminal.

Cantick Head is a great place to watch Dolphins. Sit on top
of the cliff below the lighthouse.

B&B at Lyness and Longhope.

It is possible to walk the moors all over Hoy but usually
very boggy and pathless. Good walk from Moaness pier
(Passenger ferry from Stromness) to the cliff by the Old Man
of Hoy sea stack.Walk through Glens of Kinnard and follow
marked path from Rackwik over the head to the Old Man.

Ward Hill is the highest point on Orkney and is accessible
from almost any point around its base.

Martello tower at Hackness might be worth a visit. I've not
been there but was told it was good.

Mellsetter House near Saltness is said to be one of the best
houses for seeing William Morris (Art & Craft Movement)
design left in UK. I believe it is owned by the district
nurse and a phone call will arrange a visit (I must see this
place one day).

As a final note remember that Orkney is a farming land,
more so than Shetland and much of the fencing is barbed
wire. This means that any walks must be planned taking this
into account.

That should keep you busy for a day of two. If you need more
email me direct at [email hidden]

--
Cheers,

Compo.

If vampires can't see their own reflections, why is their
hair always so tidy?

"The Reids" wrote
| Having just received sheets 1-7 from Stanfords, any advice
| re the islands. Accomodation and food in particular.

Unless you're into free-flight parascending, don't bother
taking an umbrella.

Owain

"The Reids" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Having just received sheets 1-7 from Stanfords, any advice
re the islands. Accomodation and food in particular.
--
Stayed over on mainland Orkney for May day bank holiday.
stayed at the

Ferry Inn in Stromness. accomodation , food and atmosphere
superb and might i add,not expensive.

Westray: The west coast walk is a must.. Huge seabird
colony, great views anc cliff scenery and stiles! A real
Westray luxury as Westray is Barbed Wire Central.

Hoy: Big Cliffs, the Old man is just the start, carry on up
to the big stuff beyond and then finish over Cuileags and
Ward Hill returning to Rackwick. One of the best hill walks
I have done in "Scotland"

Take a stick, as this is the Worlds no. 1 Bonxie breeding
area. This is essential!

Richard Webb

Following up to compo

Quoted message said:

Stronsay and Eday offer little to the walker. There are
some walks available but nothing very taxing. Some coastal
features may be worth looking at on Stronsay.

thanks both for the info! We have already noted "Creels" as
a front runner and like the sound of trying seaweed fed lamb
somewhere.

Sanday is high on our list, we like the look of the
geography, the beaches mainly. We are not expecting to do
any taxing walks, as you say crofting land is not the
easiest for the walker. If Carols back isnt cured it will be
pottering about birdwatching and photography and searching
for lunch!
--
Mike Reid "Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London
"fellwalk.co.ukfellwalk.co.ukOpen ↗" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "fell-walker.co.ukfell-walker.co.ukOpen ↗" <-- dontuse@
all, it's a spamtrap

compo <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

Rousay has a good broch at Mid Howe, Westness.
Accommodation at the Inn at Tratland. The road circuit is
about 14 miles and easily do-able by bicycle. Walks up on
the moors are possible too. Access to Kitchen Hill used to
be (as I remember) from the path alongside Trumland House.
Good track up to Peerie (Orcadian for small) water and
Muckle water. Ferry from Tingwall.

Compo's summary of Orkney is pretty comprehensive so I'll
just add one or two things, and then a bit on Shetland:

Dont miss Rousay! The coast between the ferry and Midhowe
Broch has superb views across Eynhallow Sound, and loads of
archeology. Above the road there are several small but
unusual chambered tombs. Blackhammer and Knowe of Yarso are
worth a visit, but Taversoe Tuick is amazing. It's on two
levels and you climb down into it from above through a
hatch! then there's a coast path back which has some viking
remains (farmhouses, boat noosts etc).

Allegedly there's more archeology on Westray than anywhere
else in Orkney. But much of it has not been excavated as the
local farmers cover it up without reporting it when they
find something (cists and such) to avoid the intrusion of
organised digs. How do I know? I come from a line of Westray
crofters and fishermen!

Quoted message said:

Mainland:

Tons of archaeology here. Brovh of Gurness,

Discovered by my mother's cousin, Robert Rendall. One of
Orkney's most celebrated sons! Fell into it when
painting, then did the initial excavations! Just thought
I'd mention that :-)

Neolithic village at Skara

Quoted message said:

Brae, Maes Howe burial cairn complete with Viking
graffitti, Stones of Stenness, Ring of Brodgar stone
circle, plus much more.

It's worth visiting the earth house at Grain - just outside
Kirkwall. It's a suterrain (underground chamber at the end
of a passage) right in the middle of a trading estate.
Borrow the key and a lamp from the shop that maintains it
(sorry, I've forgotten the details), go down the steps, and
you're alone in the deep past! When we did it the batteries
in the lamp were almost flat
- which just added to the mystery of the place. The
construction (as with all these places) is amazing.

Quoted message said:

Martello tower at Hackness might be worth a visit. I've
not been there but was told it was good.

Yes, it is. There are two. Seems an odd place for a
fortification we associate with Napoleonic defences. These
were built as a pair to defend the narrows against American
Privateers.

Some thoughts on Shetland (on the basis of one visit only):

Sumburgh Head (at the south end) is quite special. Jarlshof,
nearby, is like Skara Brae but more extensive - and you can
walk around it with less restriction. There's another broch
nearby, at Scatness, which is a current excavation project
(of Leeds University I believe). They have some "living
archeology" (I think it's called) where they reconstruct
replicas of the buildings nearby and have people
demonstrating the use of the artifacts they find.

For archeology you wont find a better broch than Mousa.
Anywhere! It's over 40 feet high and virtually
complete. Dont miss it! You can also get boats over
there at night when the Storm Petrels that live in the
stonework are active.

In Lerwick there's a replica Viking Longship that takes
people up and down the sound some evenings. OK - it's
touristy (and initially propelled by motor) but when they
get out there and raise the sail it's an evocative
experience. A few weeks before we did it they had tracked
a group of Orcas (Killer Whales) and managed to approach
very close.

Orcas are common off Shetland - but we didn't see any.
There seems to be some network that passes the word when
they are around.

Make the northernmost islands of Yell and Unst a must. On
Unst walk over to the bird cliffs at Hermaness then north to
Muckle Flugga (the UK's most northerly point). There's a
much greater sense of approaching the edge of the world than
at Land's End. Fabulaous for Gannets and Puffins, which you
can approach very close. Go before mid-July (I think it is)
to see them in numbers.

Near Lerwick there's a nice castle at Scalloway. Collect the
key from where the notice says and wander it's passages
alone for an hour or so!

Otters are very common indeed on Shetland. Ask the locals
where they frequent then sit and watch! One famous place is
around the pipes at the entrance to the oil terminal at
Sullom Voe - but I can think of nicer places to watch them!

Shetland is very different from Orkney. Much more rugged and
open, and much less farmed. They're both exceedingly
appealing places but don't think that if you've seen one
you've seen the other.

Finally, there's a bus shelter you must see. Yes, you did
read that correctly! It's on Unst, and it has its own
website at unstbusshelter.shetland.co.ukunstbusshelter.shetland.co.ukOpen ↗

For accommodation we found that we could hire cottages
instantly through the tourist office in Lerwick, at the
height of the season, and cheaply. The letting periods are
very flexible too - as visitors cannot so easily arrive and
depart on Saturdays given the remoteness of the place.

Best memories? On deck on the ferry sailing up the east
coast as the sun rose, then entering Lerwick harbour to find
a sea of masts - the Cutty Sark Tall Ships were in (1999).
Two weeks later, hugging the coast down to Sumburgh Head
then sailing in close under the cliffs of Fair Isle in the
"gloaming" just after sunset under a cloudless sky! That's
off the normal route, but there were Fair Isle people on
board who pursuaded the captain to take a detour. Everyone
on board was on deck, transfixed!

Enjoy your trip!

Stuart

One place that is definately worthy of mention is Marwick
Head on Mainland Orkney. It is like a tenement block of
puffins, guliemots and razor bills. It is on the West
Cost of Minland Orkney. Also not too far from there is
Yesnaby, which is renouned for having primula escotica
growing wild there.

I lived in Orkney for 5 years. Can be very windy, but a very
very interesting place!!!

"therebel" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:orIyc.719$wT2.575@newsfe3-gui...

Quoted message said:

"The Reids" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Having just received sheets 1-7 from Stanfords, any
advice re the islands. Accomodation and food in
particular.
--
Stayed over on mainland Orkney for May day bank
holiday. stayed at the

Ferry Inn in Stromness. accomodation , food and atmosphere
superb and

might

Quoted message said:

i add,not expensive.

The message <[email hidden]>
from The Reids <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

Sanday is high on our list, we like the look of the
geography, the beaches mainly.

Sanday is exactly what it says - Sandy! It is a very low
lying sandy island with no real features except for beaches.
However, there is a shipwrecked WWI destroyer at Lopness
beach and seals surf through Ayre Sound near Start Point at
certain states of the tide. On a clear day it is just
possible to see Fair Isle from Start Point. There is a hotel
at Kettletoft, the former ferry terminal village. Some
Viking archaeology turned up on Sanday a few years back but
I cannot now remember what exactly was found although I do
know that a number of bone combs have been discovered along
the beaches in the past.

Wherever you go in the Orkney Islands you will find the
local people very friendly.

Not sure whether you will be able to get North Ronaldsay
lamb in Orkney, it mostly used to go for export.

The tourist office in Kirkwall will send you an information
pack. TEL:01856 872856 Orkney Ferries Ltd., for the north
isles and Scapa Flow times/prices/bookings TEL: 01856 872044

--
Cheers, Compo

Following up to Stuart Mann

Quoted message said:

Finally, there's a bus shelter you must see. Yes, you did
read that correctly! It's on Unst, and it has its own
website at unstbusshelter.shetland.co.ukunstbusshelter.shetland.co.ukOpen ↗

that goes on the list of must dos!
--
Mike Reid "Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London
"fellwalk.co.ukfellwalk.co.ukOpen ↗" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "fell-walker.co.ukfell-walker.co.ukOpen ↗" <-- dontuse@
all, it's a spamtrap

Following up to compo

Quoted message said:

Sanday is exactly what it says - Sandy! It is a very low
lying sandy island with no real features except for
beaches. However, there is a shipwrecked WWI destroyer at
Lopness beach and seals surf through Ayre Sound near Start
Point at certain states of the tide. On a clear day it is
just possible to see Fair Isle from Start Point. There is a
hotel at Kettletoft, the former ferry terminal village.
Some Viking archaeology turned up on Sanday a few years
back but I cannot now remember what exactly was found
although I do know that a number of bone combs have been
discovered along the beaches in the past.

we do like a nice beach for photography etc. Isn't having no
features almost a feature in itself?

Quoted message said:

Wherever you go in the Orkney Islands you will find the
local people very friendly.

like Hebrides no doubt, after a while I got used to waving
to everyone on Uist.

Quoted message said:

Not sure whether you will be able to get North Ronaldsay
lamb in Orkney, it mostly used to go for export.

I think we have seen a place that does it, but at the moment
we are looking at so many things I cant remember where. Once
we have the ferries structured and accommodation we can look
deeper at all the attractions. It seems we may go for
Aberdeen ferry and work our way north to Unst.
--
Mike Reid "Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London
"fellwalk.co.ukfellwalk.co.ukOpen ↗" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "fell-walker.co.ukfell-walker.co.ukOpen ↗" <-- dontuse@
all, it's a spamtrap

[email hidden] said...

Quoted message said:

we do like a nice beach for photography etc. Isn't having
no features almost a feature in itself?

It certainly can be. I've got a photograph somewhere of my
4 yr old daughter running down to the sea at Oxwich Bay.
Emily herself is barely visible (just as well really
because she's also 'barely' dressed <g>😉 and surrounded by
nothing but beach. You'd never believe it was taken on a
hot weekend when the other end of the beach was full to
bursting with people!
--
Fran If you need my email address please ask.