A rather cloudy start to the day and a little colder but it brightened up as the day went on. A deliberately relatively leisurely day. Most of the day was spent in the port/harbour town of Stromness, where we had a short walk along the shore to some WW2 gun emplacements (where one of our companion's father was stationed in the war). After all that fresh air, we pottered around Stromness, spent some time in the local museum and then visited a chambered tomb and the Ring of Brogdar. Here are a few comments and photographs:
1. Stromness is situated within the sheltered waters of Scapa Flow and is an important fishing port. This is the lighthouse across the water at one of the entrances to Scapa, the largest natural harbour in the UK and was of enormous strategic importance in both wars.
2. A redshank. This one forgot the Redshank Book of Etiquette and came close enough to be photographed.
3. Lots of red sandstone around here and I found the patterns in the dry stone walls fascinating. I like the contrast of the red of the stone and the green of the lichen. The stone seems naturally pretty friable so, I presume, would be quite easy to work with.
4. Another view across Scapa, this time towards the Isle of Hoy.
5. Just one of the colourful small fishing boats in the harbour. I think this one was a crabber.
6. I don't see Starbucks or Costa going in for this sort of display. More's the pity, say I.
7. Stromness High Street on a busy Sunday afternoon. Quiet now but in its heyday it was a bustling whaling ship port and the last port of call for many ships crossing the Atlantic to Canada. Busy it wasn't but it had a nice tranquil old fashioned atmosphere. It was refreshing to see a shopping centre, if it can be described as such, completely without the large multiple stores. Of course, I don't have to live there.
8. Lift up thine eyes and you'll spot the unnoticed - like these Viking inspired gable ends.
9. Good on Mrs Humphreys for her hospitality. A reminder of the hazards of long voyages without Vitamin C.
10. From a display in the Stromness museum, something definitely non-PC. Oh, what fun it was working in the hot cotton fields.
11. The RNLI lifeboat in Stromness harbour. The last one we saw was in St Ives, just exemplifying the cover they give from north to south. GIve generously, folks, the next time someone rattles a RNLI collecting tin in front of you.
12. An interior shot of Unstan Chambered Stalled Tomb. This is a rectilinear structure with bays separated by upright split stone slabs. The curved end bays also contained shelves. The concrete dome dates from the 1930s and is another example of a very effective style of conservation.
13. And finally, the Ring of Brogdar. The largest stone circle in Scotland and one enhanced by its location overlooking Loch Harry to one side and Loch Stenness to the other. It is just one part of the major archaeological site of the Ness of Brogdar. Discovered in 2008, more and more is being revealed each time the site is explored (at present the dig only goes on in the July and August of each year due to lack of funds and the weather) after being uncovered each season. We'll be coming back later on this year to see the archaeologists in action and, hopefully, take a few photographs.
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