The Island of Hoy

On this, the first day of our holiday we often have the saddest part. Maeve the Deerhound has to be consigned to the boarding kennels! In the last few years we have taken her with us on at least one week, but it isn't always possible. That chore complete and consciences ridden with guilt, we are set for departure.
On this trip we went West as far as Perth, then took the road North. Stopping for an early lunch at the House of Bruar, a top up of the fuel tank at Inverness, and Coffee at Dornoch, we eventually arrived several hours later at Scrabster to wait for the ferry to Orkney. The weather being fine the crossing was very comfortable and after coming off the ferry in Stromness we spent our first night on the Orkney mainland at a farm just outside of Stromness. We even had time to squeeze in a quick visit to the Ring of Brodgar after 10pm since it was still perfectly light.

The blip is a view of St John's Head on the Island of Hoy from on board the MV Hamnavoe as it heads North across the Pentland Firth.