Up North - Orkney Isles

Blow Hole
see all photos »

Caught the train up to Thurso today and the weather turned on the best blue skies that I have yet seen in the UK.  The train trip up was filled with different scenery from coastal views to lochs to inland through fields and mountains and woods.

I arrived at Thurso at 11 and not wanting to wait an hour for the bus decided to walk to Scrabster.  As it turned out this was a great decision as I found a walk along a clifftop path that took me the whole way to the ferry terminal.

Scara Brae
see all photos »

From Scrabster I booked my ticket and waited a few minutes for the ferry (barge really and rather huge).  Expecting something similar to the Straddie Barge I was most surprised to walk on boasrd and what into looked like a five star hotel.

The boat ride across the North Sea had a large swell and Russ mate you would have been sick but aside from that the cliffs and view were increadible.

I'm at Stromness now and about to get some dinner before heading to a B & B for the night.  I'm living it up tonight.

One of the stones in the ring of Brodgar
see all photos »

The B&B was great a roaring fire and full breakfast.  Probably the best brekky I've had in a while.  WEnt wandering along the beach which is a rock beach and is so different to our Aussie sand beaches.  As you walk along I stopped to listen and could hear rice bubbles crackling but really loud.  It was the rocks been washed as the waves went out.

I've also been around all the Neolithic sites this morning.  Scara brae, the Ring of Brodgar and a tomb (will check the name). They date back to 3500BC.  Its strange to comprehend something that old.  Older than the pyramids.

Old Man of Hoy
see all photos »

The weather is holding for me and the sun has been out most of the day so I've been in luck.  Think that I've taken more photos of rocks or some form of another today, than in the rest of my life.

I'm off to a different Island tonight Sourth Ronaldsay I think.

Stayed the night at St Margarets Hope.  I arrived in town around dusk and wandered around looking lost for a couple of minute before a local came up to me and said "you must be the person staying at the backpackers tonight we heard that someone was coming, come on down this way".  Aparently its very much a novelty to have someone there at this time of the year so all the locals came out and I had a very enjoyable night at the pub.

Thurso
see all photos »

I left early to head back to the mainland and down to the Isle of Skye.