Sunset Stones

We toured just about every corner of Mainland island today. We first went to Orphir and bought a painting from a very friendly artist in her studio. We tried and failed to spot otters where someone recommended we look. 

Then to Kirkwall to see if there were tickets to a folk music concert (no, sold out), so we popped into the 12th century St. Magnus Cathedral. Then stopped at Cuween Cairn (5100 yr-old burial chamber), which was fabulous. Crawling on hands and knees to get to the interior, which still has a vaulted ceiling over 2.5 m high, and four side chambers.  Then to the Broch of Gurness, an Iron age village (c. 2500 yrs old) - see first extra.

After that we drove to Birsay, to see a Viking village ruins across the causeway at low tide (it sits on a small island that is connected at low tide). We had been advised to try spotting puffins here, but to no avail - they had all flown off to their summer fishing grounds somewhere else in the world! We did see a marvellous blue jellyfish in the tidal pools, and lots of lovely wildflowers along the clifftops (see extras).

We stopped at our local beach (Bay of Skaill), then went into Kirkwall to have dinner at the Kirkwall Hotel on the harbour (last extra). And, finally on our way home, we were passing the Stones of Stenness again just as the sunset was at its best, and I couldn't resist!

A busy but very fine day out.