St Magnus Cathedral

We arrived in Kirkwall last night at 11pm after a 6 hour stately and smooth passage from Lerwick.
The sun shone all the way after a drizzly start, and Andy Murray won his tennis match as we watched- all's right with the world!

It was fascinating to pass close to FairIsle and see all the thousands of seabirds nesting and wheeling round the precipitous cliffs. Another Stevenson lighthouse was passed at the south end.

We saw the sun setting over the Orkney landscape at 10:15pm and could cycle along the seafront in Kirkwall at 11 o'clock without front cycle lights and without getting killed in the process.

We've spent this morning sussing out the lie of the land in the town and pinpointing the most desirable coffee houses.

We visited St Magnus Cathedral, which was begun to be built in 1137 by the Norse Earl Rognvald to honour his uncle, Earl Magnus of Orkney.
It is an imposing edifice, built with red sandstone from near Kirkwall and grey sandstone from a quarry on Eday, and with the most beautiful stained glass windows and vaulted roof.
It's amazing that something so huge and beautiful should be found on islands so far north.

Across the road from it, are the grey stone remains of the Bishop's palace built for the first Bishop of the Cathedral, William the Old, and Earl's Palace, which is generally thought to be the first renaissance building in Scotland.

This afternoon we are renewing acquaintance with friends I met when their daughter and my daughter #2 went on a year's exchange with schools in America.
It's about 12 years since we met, so I hope we are instantly recognisable.

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we are hoping to cycle to the Italian Chapel at Lambholm.

The difference between Orkney and Shetland is very obvious;a much gentler landscape here, with trees and farmland, and hopefully hills that don't make you wish to die before you reach the top.