St Magnus Catherdral, Kirkwall

A much photographed site I’m sure but it needed taking to record a fine, distinctive building and an interesting history stretching over many centuries making for an excellent visit.

Earlier we’d managed to squeeze in a visit to the Neolithic Maeshowe. No tickets were available online until July! However, daily tickets could be purchased for an 11.00 am or 3.00pm slot. I was fortunate to get tickets for us all for 11.00.

We must have taken a hit for most of the country today with the weather. Lowering cloud, mist, keen wind and intermittent drizzle were the order of the day. It was still the same when we left the Ferry Inn this evening. The weather conditions enhanced the air of mystery Maeshowe.

Being part of the Orkney World Heritage Site Maeshowe is an incredible place both for its origin and subsequent temporary use by Vikings. Both Skara Brae and Maeshowe engender a sense of being closer to the people who built these structure but in the case of Maeshowe being no nearer understanding of why they built it.