Lunch with The Old Man of Hoy

A wonderful day, taking a ferry from Stromness to Hoy, an e cycle ride to Rachwick beach, back to the hostel, leaving the bikes there and a 3 mile walk to this amazing stack. We sat on the grass looking at 2 young men climbing the stack (and just heard on R4 of an 8 year old climbing it yesterday in aid of Cancer). We had lunch with a couple who moved to Stromness 2 years ago and loving the Orcadian way of life.

Back to the bikes and a look out for a Woodland mentioned in dispatches, and even now think we found the wrong track. Anyway abandoning the bikes again a walk through the heather hoping for a path to the woodlands. In the end John headed off through the heather, I would never have coped, by now feeling the aches. I’m still not sure what he found. On the bikes again the only thing on my mind was the cafe near the ferry for coffee and cake. And never ever in this world did we expect the woman running the cafe to say (after some chat) are you John the plumber from Mull? What? Yes! Johns half brother was on a forces site and mentioned his brother the plumber was visiting the Orkneys, this woman’s husband mentioned it to his wife who was keeping an eye out for him. Still can’t believe. From all the joints in the world.....

A brilliant day, loved the cycle ride on almost traffic free roads, meeting a volunteer RSPB woman who was keeping an eye on the first pair of white tailed eagles and as always the chat.