Stones

We did a little light shopping in Stromness - including a print of a lovely watercolour by Tim Hatton. Later we returned to Kirkwall and found St Magnus open to visitors; what a wonderful building. We then headed around the northern edge of the mainland to have a look at the Brough of Birsay, although by then the weather had become rather dreich and misty. We returned via the Ness of Brodgar, where they were still working hard at the dig although they'll be covering it up for the winter by the end of this week.

We passed by the ring of Brodgar but didn't stop as it was being approached by a coach party - instead we stopped at the Stones of Stenness, which were much less crowded. The Watchstone in the distance is at the start of the Ness of Brodgar (the strip of land between the two lochs). The cluster of vehicles beyond that are at the dig site. Wow, what a place this is.