Day 10 - Neolithic Orkney

We arose and broke our fast with what has come to be the expected fare. I had what is now my usual - a bowl of porridge which I top with a package of Alpen Muesli. With our bellies full, we began a day that would be a trip short in distance but deep in time.

Orkney possesses an abundance of Neolithic sites that date from over 5000BC. (This is in contrast to the Egyptian pyramids that date to just over 2600BC.) As we approached our first stop, we passed one of the oldest and more notable structures - Maes Howe. Some of the Standing Stones of the Ring of Brodgar. In the background are the hills of the Island of Hoy. Dating from 3000BC, Maes Howe is a large chambered mound built for housing the dead. While we did not stop, I had visited this site several years ago. It has a long, low entrance way that does not lend itself to the passage of aging folks of stature. Enough said.

We proceeded to our initial stop at the Stones of Stenness. This is the first of a group of surviving stones that lie along the isthmus between Loch Stenness and Loch Harray. We proceeded on to the much larger and more complete Ring of Brodgar. Along the way we passed a number of individual guard stones. Two such were located in the yard of one of the residence who was in the process of trimming his grass around them as we passed. We were assured that, where these individual stones were located on private property that they were properly cared for and preserved.

The Ring of Brodgar originally consisted of 60 stones, though only 36 survive, arrayed in a circle approximately 315 feet across. Believed to have been constructed in 2000 to 2500BC, it is one of the largest henges (circular enclosures) in Britain, dwarfing Stone Henge at a mere 284 feet across. The Ring is thought to have been a place for ceremonial gatherings, though the center may have been especially sacred and limited to only certain people.

From the Ring, we proceeded along the isthmus past the Loch of Skaill until we came upon one of the oldest sites on the island - Skara Brae. Dating back to 5000BC, Skara Brae is a large stone-built Neolithic settlement that lay hidden until 1850. One of the dwellings at Skara Brae with Skaill House in the background and the Bay of Skaill to he left. In that year, a severe storm stuck Britain, resulting in wide spread destruction and over 200 deaths. Along the Bay of Skaill, the storm stripped the earth from what had been known as a large howe, or burial mound, and unearthed an intact village. The site lay exposed and uninvesti-gated until 1927 when it was turned over to the University of Edinburgh. Today it has gained the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

On the day we visited, the weather was rather Scottish-like which gave us a feel for what those ancient peoples lived with. Though it seemed somewhat bleak on this day, at the time it was constructed and inhabited, the bay would have been an inland fresh water lake giving them access to both potable water and the bounties of the sea.

As we walked among the houses at roof top level, our guide, Claire, explained that, though what we were seeing was bare rock, the beds, tables, etc., they would have been lined with bracken or other natural material to make them quite comfortable. Each dwelling averaging just over 400 square feet, seemed quite cramped by today’s standards but, I am sure, were considered both cozy and adequate by the folk in their day.

Leaving the Neolithic dwellings, we traipsed up for a tour of Skaill House (skaill being an old Norse word for hall). Built in 1620, Skaill House is the finest mansion in the Orkneys. It was the 7th Laird (Lord) of the Manor, William Graham Watt, who discovered the nearby Skara Brae after the storm had passed. In all, there have been 12 Lairds of Skaill House, all related and all of whom have contributed to its grandeur. The Cliffs of Yesnaby We spent the next bit of our time exploring the house and the artifacts that had been collected all the way back to the 17th century. We were surprised to learn that, at one point in the tour, we were standing on what had been an early Norse burial ground. Thus enlightened, we hastened along on our tour.

Leaving Skaill House, we traveled south along the west coast towards Stromness where we were to take lunch. On the way, we made a brief detour to view the towering Cliffs of Yesnaby. Renowned for its Devonian geology, the cliffs of crumbling rock are also the home to Puffins, that elusive bird that Amy and I have pursued from Nova Scotia to Scotia, all to no avail. Perhaps someday the fates will be on our side and we will actually witness one in the wild. While the Cliffs possessed their own majesty, they came up short of the Irish Cliffs of Mohr with which I want to liken them. We also spent some time scouring the approach to the Cliffs looking for the Primula scotica, the Scottish Primrose, a small flower of rare beauty and even rarer to find near the Cliffs of Yesnaby.

From the Cliffs, we proceeded on to Stromness for lunch. For me, I had an excellent bowl of Steak and Ale pie while Amy dined on Fish and Chips and Beer (Tennents, of course). In case I have not explained (or even if I have), Tennents is a pale, golden lager, often considered to be Scotland’s National Beer. Contrary to the general belief that all “British” beer is served warm, Tennents is always served cold. Brewed at the Wellpark Brewery on the East End of Glasgow, it has been wetting Scottish palates since 1740. The logo is a large orangish T that could easily be mistaken for a University of Tennessee power T (though the color is just a little reddish). I consider a plate of Scottish Fish & Chips with a pint of Tennents to be THE standard noon fare whilst in the Land of the Scots. And, while the quality of this dish does vary around the country, I find the worst to be excellent and the best to be beyond description (much as I have heard sex described). If you travel to Scotland and do not eat the Fish & Chips, you did not really experience the culture. And if you, by chance, travel in the East Neuk of Fife, you must stop at the Anstruther Fish Bar for the best Fish & Chips to be found anywhere.

After our meal, we made a final stop at Sheila Street Jewelry for a little shopping spree. We also had a most fascinating tour of the production facility to find out just how such jewelry is hand crafted. I found it quite fascinating to watch the craftsmen (in this case, talented young ladies) apply enamel to the piece. Because the enamel colors are hand mixed as they are applied, no two pieces will ever be exactly alike.

Proceeding back to the Kirkwall Hotel, we had some time before dinner. Wanting to stay in touch with the world, Amy took my laptop to the bar to connect to the free Internet. It was later that night that my laptop went south (and I now sit here typing). I do not know for a fact, but I suspect that she may have picked up a bug from this act. This should be a warning to be sure that you are well protected before exchanging pc data with a strange wifi. I do keep my pc immunized but still, it is difficult to protect against every eventuality. The Kirkjuvagr Ceilidh Band with Tina, Dawn and Kathleen Wood

After dinner, we were treated to some excellent local talent that had been arranged by Claire. The Kirkjuvagr Ceilidh Band consists of the family members Kathleen (mother and guitar), Dawn (fiddle) and Tina (accordion) Wood. Absent was father and drummer Johnny. Their repertoire included traditional tunes, “A Hundred Pipers”, “Cock O’ the North” and “Crossing the Minch” as well as “The Peedie Westray Wifie”, a song written by Tina which refers to the Neolithic stone carving “Peedie Wifey”. Found on the Orkney island of Westray, it is the oldest carved human figure yet discovered in Britain.

As I talked with the Woods after their performance, I mentioned that I was from Tennessee, a state that is also proud of its indigenous music. On hearing I was from Tennessee, they offered to perform “The Tennessee Waltz”. How could I turn this down? With the words “I was waltzing with my darlin’” in my head, I repaired to my room for the night. On the morrow, we take leave of the Islands as we return to the Highlands and their capital city, Inverness.

Arriving at St. Margaret’s Hope, the Orkneys

Preparing to disembark at St. Margaret’s Hope

Arriving at the Italian Chapel

The Italian Chapel

Our guide, Claire Burger, describes the Alter of the Italian Chapel

Saint George slaying the Dragon

One of th Churchill Barriers viewed from the Italian Chapel

The Kirkwall Pier

across from our hotel

Touring the Highland Park Distillery. The Highland Park is the northern most Scotch Whisky distillery.

“Malting the Barley”

The “Peating” process

The “Wort” fermenting in the “WashBack”

The Pot Stills – most distilleries will not allow photos of their pot stills. Much of the unique taste of the whisky is attributed to the shape of the still.