Scara Brae and the ring of Brodgar

Monday July 20 2015.

Did the usual and then had a shower! We then hustled our buns and caught the tour bus to Scara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar.

 The tour company had two buses as there was another cruise ship in town. Both were double deckers one all enclosed and on only ½ enclosed.  We had to line up to buy our tickets and so did all the boat tourists!

Wouldn’t  you think that they could have collected on the ship, loaded the bus at the ship and gone off on the tour? Nope! Loaded a bus at the ship drove into the bus terminal got all the boat people off stood them in a line to buy tickets then made them and us by the way line up to get back on a bus! Good thing it wasn’t raining I tell ya!

So all the tickets were bought. Then the fun began, Everyone wanted to sit on the upstairs of the open bus. Not us for once we were smarter than normal. We waited patiently until the open bus was full and listened to a teenaged know it all tyrant rave on about the bus not leaving until it was full! The driver being a pretty smart savvy guy closed the door and left. Sally had some words with the tyrant and we boarded the second closed in bus and leisurely  made our way to the upper warm dry level picked a couple of nice seats made ourselves comfortable and off we went.

We drove some back roads and eventually arrived in Stromness where we stopped at the bus terminal to pick up a few more paying customers and then we drove off to Scara Brae.

Scara Brae is a Neolithic village site that was discovered after a particularly nasty storm. Not just your ordinary every day storm but a nasty one. That washed away some of the beach and bank (Not a money bank) It was and still is in quite remarkable condition after being underground for some 5,000 years.

We arrived and as it turns out we followed bus #1 all the way here! I don’t know why so don’t ask ok. We all disgorged at the same time which of course resulted in another long waste full time wasting line up for tickets! We actually had tickets for this site as we had bought the discoverers pass away back in Shetland so we gleefully jumped the que! (I didn’t even feel the least little bit of remorse). Entered the site through the full to the rafters with tourists museum.” Whoa”! Sally said “I’m outahere” so we found the nearest exit and went to the reconstructed house before everyone else! Smart girl that Sally! Looked around ooghed and awed and the n walked down to the real thing.

Whooppee no so many people yet though I can see them lining up in the distance better hurry so we did took some pictures and then clambered down onto the beach to see if we could find a treasure. No luck so then we went up to the lairds house for a tour and a coffee.

Back to the bus just as the rain started found our seats still vacant and watched everyone from the upstairs outside of bus #1 look for a dry warm seat! Smart we are! Eventually everyone got on and off we went to the Ring of Brodgar.

The ring of Brodagar is just another ring of standing stones only bigger and more complete then the standing stones of Stenness so I won’t bore you with a description ( Go see for yourselves). After 20 minutes the time allowed by the tour operators we left.

I spoke to the Driver about getting dropped off at Maeshowe which we did.

Maeshowe is a Neolithic chamber tomb discovered many many years ago. Actually it was never lost and has been known about for  ever. Anyhow we went into the Mill and inquired about the tour only to be told that the tours were all filled up for the day! “What the” ssaid I and Sally lit into the counter girl! This all resulted in us not going to gaol but being able to have a look see in the tomb. No photo’s please. Guess they figure the spirits won’t like it? Anyhow as tombs go it was OK. It even had some Runic graffiti left by some lost Vikings a long time ago.

We caught the bus returned to Kirkwall had a coffee and a pint at the Reel bar and returned to the harbour had a visit with the Norwegians on Anita and then back on board kalinka1

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Stromness and not just another pile of rocks

Stromness.

Saturday July 18/15. Slept in. what else are you going to do on a Sat. morning in a new port? Caught the 1000 o'clock Bus to Stromness  and enjoyed the drive in the lashing rain. Couldn’t see didliy out the windows so really just assumed the scenery was stunning. Arrived in Stromness at the bus terminal which was next to the Ferry terminal which was in the harbour. Went walk about and to the Chandler y where we bought the cruising guide to the Outer Hebrides because we were going there. Did a Geo cache had a nice lunch and pint and got back on the bus to Kirkwall. Could see more on this ride and we passed a bunch of neat stuff. Arrived back in Kirkwall, returned to the boat had dinner and then went back up to the centre of town.

The Kirkwall Pipe Band was doing an on street practice and it was free and we wanted to see it so we did. The town just closed off the centre and the band came out to play and put on a very nice show for about an hour to an hour and a half. Piping, drumming, marching and doing Pipe band stuff. After that was all over we returned to the harbour and had a visit on Sea Pilgrim.

Sunday July 19/15. Bacon and eggs for breakfast! Don’t get this very often so made the best of it and enjoyed. 1100 went up to the Cathedral for church. Two cruise ships were in and the town was full of tourists. Almost not let in to the church but said I was there for the service but the other three following me dressed in rain gear weren’t! The lady didn’t believe me so we all got in. Trouble finding seats as the place was full! A realiy nice service in a stunning setting especially when the sun came out and beamed through the stained glass window.

After church we caught the bus to the road leading to the Standing stones of Stenness and the Ness of Brodgar. We got off the bus. We did up our jackets, we put on our wooley hats, we put on our rugsacs and walked down the road. Left right left right left right a whole bunch of steps later we arrived at an animal keep out gate. I managed to figure it out and gained entry to the Standing Stones.

The Standing Stones of Stenness are 13 standing stones in a circle around a central herth(fire pit) erected by super beings called neolithics. They had to be super beings with magical powers or how else could they get the big stones to stand up? Took some pictures then wandered over to a community site. It consisted of 5 buildings made out of stone. (had to use stone as the BeforeNeolithics used up all the wood). Then Sally found an unexcavated village site. Yea Sally! Now called Sally’s undugupmaybe Neolithic site. We left there and walked.

To the Ness of Broddgar.

The Ness of Brodgar is an Archeological Neolithic site discovered in 2010 when the property owner wanted to put in a garden. The garden putterinners put a shovel in the ground and struck a stone. They uncovered the stone and found that it covered a grave!(scary stuff that finding dead people) Called in the authorities and viola so much for the garden a new Archeological discovery!

The Orkney’s are an Archeological Super store. You really really can’t dig a hole without striking something old, older, very old, Medieval, Viking ,Celtic, Pictish ,and then you get into the Ancient, Prehistoric , Neolithic and so far Beforeneolithics. They might even find something older than before Neolithic?

Back at The Ness of Brodgar. After the discovery the dug a couple of test trenches did a geofiz(magnetic, ground radar wizardry stuff) to determine the size of the site. It’s about the size of 5 football fields (Soccer to North Americans) Then they started to dig and uncover an enormous (really really big complex  of structures paved walk  ways, stone tools pottery and other stuff. They have now been digging for 6 to 8 weeks every year since. That’s all they can do without getting exhausted. They think it will go on for at least the next 50 years! Also they’re now calling it the Egypt of the North it’s that big and important.

After a whole lot of left,rights we arrived. To find a closed gate! “What the heck” I said to myself, not really I included Sally. So we stood there like a couple of lost souls(which we were because the bus wasn’t coming back for a long time). The allotted time came around when magically the keeper of the gate unlocking device appeared and let us in. The next thing that happened a tour bus arrived and disgorged it’s cargo of tourists who just got in the way of me taking some award winning photos. Then an Orkney ranger appeared out of her castle to guide us around and explain what we were looking at. This went on for a good hour and a half and by that time forget the bus it had long gone so we managed  or I should say Sally managed to get us a ride back into Kirkwall.(I think it was her legs).

We had dinner of Wine and left overs and then went for a walk on the pier and looked at the George Foch a full rigged Danish sailing school ship and spoke to some of the crew.

Kirkwall also known as Church wall doings

Kirkwall Doings.

So we arrived here on July 16 2015  at 1500 (3:00PM). We then spent the following 6 days penned in by heavy weather including gales and rain. Man (and of course including woman) I thought maybe just maybe the weather had changed finally to Summer! Nope right back to winter sailing. Even the hearty Scots were bundled up!

We did a walk up to the Tourist Office got all the Bus time tables had a quick look at the Cathedral returned to the boat and at 1830 the harbour Master’s assistant Neil arrived to collect the dues (#20.00/24hrs.) had a very nice visit and got a whole bunch of use full information and tidbits(local knowledge). He also offered to drive us to the Italian Chapel and the Churchill Barrier the next day (Fri.) We took him up on his offer.Neil returned later to tell us that he couldn’t drive us the next day as his daughter had had an Asthma attack. Oh well. He then came back later with his daughter Rebbecca who is the real harbour master. And said he could drive us. So we’re back on.

Fri. July 17 2015.

                Up early Big day planned. Hammering down rain! Cold as a witches ??????). Neil arrived as promised and off we went to the Italian Chapel. We first drove over the Churchill Barrier. The Barrier was ordered constructed by Winston (Winnie to his friends) Churchill) at the beginning  of WWII to block off  some of the entrances to Scapa Flow to avoid and hopefully avoid what happened during WWI when a German UBoat snuck in and torpedoed the Royal Oak sinking her with the loss of over 800.) At the end of WWI the German fleet was scuttled(sunk on purpose) in Scapa flow. The barrier consists of sunken ships and concrete blocking some of the passages between small islands on the East(Seaward)side of the harbour (150 miles big). It worked no ships were sunk there during WWII.

                We then drove to the Chapel where we were kicked out of the nice warm dry red (have I told you Sally’s favourite colour is Red if you all ready didn’t know that)car, and Neil drove away. (I could see him laughing with an evil grin as he accelerated down the road and into the fog). “I’ll get even” I said to myself.

                The Italian Chapel was constructed by,,, Yup Chinese  no no just kidding! Italian Prisoners of War,Captured mostly in North Africa and as punishment shipped to this cold wet windy Island.! Think they might have been quite happy not being shot at but I digress so. They got permission from the Camp Commandant (not Colonel Klink) Ask your parents or grand parents if you don’t know. Were supplied with a couple of disused Quonset Huts. And before you could say Jackie Robinson or Holy Cow(an Indian Bovine)The Chapel  was built and decorated inside. The disagreement ended the day after construction was completed and it’s now a must see tourist attraction on the main land. (Mainland is actually the name of the main Island in the Orkney’s. We took the obligatory phot’s and headed for the winery at end of the road and waited for the local bus to take us back to Kirkwall.

Got off the Bus at the Lidle Store did a shop and then walked to the Saint Magnus Cathedral for a look see. A Very nicely constructed house of worship built from red and yellowish Sandstone in the 12^th century. Magnus was a priest who became a Saint when he was killed by a single sword blow to the top of his head by a nephew. They found his Skeleton with his skull sliced open in the church so that’s really what happened not a made up story to scare little kids though it might anyway. (could probably still be used if your kids are being bad. Just trying to be helpful here. Not implying that anyone’s offspring are bad.) Also ever sincethat little family dispute People with head aches come to the church to be cured. More to follow.

Fair isle to Orkney or two sunny days in a row!

Wed. July 15 2015.

Fair Isle UK

0700 did the usual morning routine that you all should know by now. Our friends on Sea Pilgrim left at about the same time. We left at 0800 and set a course down the East side of the Island before heading S/W to the Orkney Islands. We left against the tide knowing that it would turn in our favour when we turned the corner(At least it should? We have been wrong before) It was a motor boat ride and when the tide did change we were making 6-7 knots over the ground. (Not really over the ground because we don’t  have wheels! But over the bottom of the sea. However, I suppose that if the Sea were to dry up then it would be over the ground so maybe I was right?)

So after a rather nice day under blue skies we arrived in the Orkney’s. On Sanday specifically at a town called White hall. We rafted alongside Sea Pilgrim (all ways smart to follow someone else into a strange port if you think you might be rafted onto a rough concrete or stone wall) Our days run was 40 miles.

We clamored over Sea Pilgrim and went for a walk in the village found the Hotel went in for a pint and stayed for dinner. I had fish and chips and Sally had a Sausage pie. She won and since it was here birthday dinner out I payed! The bill was #16.00. (I used # because computer doesn’t have the UK pound sign just in case you were wondering) Returned to the good ship Kalinka1 and now it wasn’t a clamor up over BIG Dirty Old tires but How am I going to get all the way down there! I didn’t use the Mark Fawcett solution (Ask Him) but gingerly climbed down without doing myself an injury had a Cape rounding libation upon my success and toddled off to bed. Sally joined me.

Thursday July 16 2015 white Hall Sanday Island (Orkney’s).

0700 the usual plus a walkabout and small shop, Sally found chocolate covered ginger cookies oh and some instant coffee. We ssaw one lonely Big Seal in the Harbour. Have seen lots of Seals this year sunning themselves well drying out anyway as sunny days have been in short supply. We cast off and left at 1100 motored out of the harbour and at 1150, 10 seconds we switched the engine off and had a wonderful sail all the way South inside the Islands to Kirkwall. We reached speeds in excess of 8 knots at times. As we were entering the harbour area of Kirkwall we saw the Danish School Ship George Foch anchored. So we sailed over to her and took a couple of pictures. All the crew had they’re laundry hung in the rigging to dry. Must be a wet boat. Then the wind really decided to Blow about 25 to 30 so we dowsed the sails lickety split (really, really fast) surfed in through the Z entrance into much calmer water quickly looked around and made for a finger on the first pontoon. Secured the boat, congratulated ourselves on another successful voyage helped Sea Pilgrim tie up. Days run 23 miles in 4 hours.