Orkney August 2015: Part the Fifth.

Something different for Wednesday - a trip to one of the northernmost islands of Orkney, Westray. There we joined a guided tour hosted by Graham Maben of Westraak, who turned out to be extremely personable and knowledgeable about all aspects of the island's history, wildlife and social fabric. He added enormously to a very enjoyable day. And our impressions of Westray? Well worth visiting but windy.

An early start to get the 7.20 am ferry from Kirkwall to Rampness on Westray. It's about 30 miles and takes just under 2 hours. Sailing conditions were good but visibility somewhat limited by mist.

Our first stop was at the 10th century Norse settlement of Quoygrew. A collection of houses associated with a nascent cod fishing industry that exported the catches to Scandinavia because of their quality. The house shown was extended end-on-end over the years and the last building was occupied until the 1960s.

Noltland Bay. The significant factor here is the sand. Why? Because at regular intervals bad weather picks up the sand and dumps it elsewhere, resulting in significant coastal erosion.

One place where the sand was dumped was on top of the adjacent Bronze Age domestic settlement called the Links of Noltland. Another site being actively excavated and there were 10 - 15 archaeologists hard at it. The buildings being uncovered were of typical 'Scara Brae' design and seemed to be enclosed within a circular stone wall.

For some reason this site was abandoned by its occupants and, in the process, there seems to have been a ritualistic 'closure' of the area. They didn't just leave and let the elements take over. Items of value and significance were left behind and then, as we've seen elsewhere, the site was covered with domestic refuse called midden., This midden is wonderful stuff as it contains all sorts of artifacts that excite the archaeologists. They love a bit of stratification and will scrape away happily for hours with their tiny trowels and fine-hair brushes. 

And here are just a few of the items that one of the archaeologists had uncovered the morning of our visit. There were shards of grooved-ware pottery, stone skin scrapers and an axe head. At least that's what the archaeologist told us was there: to the uninitiated, it all looks like a handful of muddy stones.

One of the diggers getting to the bottom of something interesting.

But probably not as interesting as this sandstone figurine uncovered a few years ago. This is the Westray Wife and is thought to be the oldest/earliest depiction of a human form found so far in Europe. It's only about three inches tall but is impressive despite its diminutive statue.

A few old stone walls? How interesting. Actually, yes, they are because they are the remnants of an industry that was once very important to the economy of many of the islands - seaweed or kelp gathering. From the mid 1700s to the mid 1800s seaweed was gathered from the foreshore and burnt in shallow stone lined 'kilns'. The resultant strongly alkaline white ash, rich as it was in sodium and phosphate, was shipped down south to Newcastle to be used in the soap and glass making industries. This activity declined but was replaced by the use of the stalks of the kelp being exploited as a source of agar. And this is where the low walls come in. They are called 'tangle steeths'. Tangle being the dialect word for kelp (Laminaria and Fucus species were used) and steeth the word for wall. The kelp was draped over the walls so that it would dry and was then stored until a boat from the processors came to pick it up. Apparently this went on until the 1980s.

A grey seal chilling out on the beach at Pierowall, the 'capital' of Westray.

The lighthouse at the Noup Headland. The view without the mist would have been fantastic. And have I mentioned the wind? The ever present wind?

One of the reasons for coming to Noup was to see the birds nesting on the cliffs. Unfortunately we were at the back-end of the nesting season and the only birds remaining were gannets, fulmars and a few predatory skuas. In season, the cliffs are jam-packed with razorbills, kittiwakes, guillimots and puffins. But there were enough birds remaining for us to be treated to some spectacular flying displays and the pungent whiff of guano. And have I mentioned the wind?

Adult gannet - amazingly agile birds and accomplished divers for food.

Fulmar in an undignified pose.

Almost the last place we visited was Noltland Castle. Dating from the 16th Century, it was built by Gilbert Balfour but was never really finished. Gilbert's life was quite colourful and his downfall was his involvement with Mary, Queen of Scots. He was found guilty of treason for supporting her and was forced to flee to Sweden where, in 1576, he was executed for his part in an attempt on the King of Sweden's life. Seems like he never chose the winning side.

Sunset on the way back to Kirkwall. Mainland to the left and the island of Rousay to the right.