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Waiting for the ferry, hood up incase things got a little rough, needn't have worried, flat calm and wall to wall sunshine for the entire one hour crossing. I'll post more pics if this is successful.

Typical, I couldn't get the pic to attach, now it's there twice 🤣

Looking like a great trip .... the rocky coast reminds me of the NE down past Boddam and the Bullers .... you've made me think that someone should compile the cruise-ship itineraries and make a website like a 'Cruise-Ship Forecast' .....


"Today .... Stromness will be quiet with scattered tourists ... this will change by 10.00am Wednesday when storm P&O arrives bringing a deluge of pavement-blockers and may cause a temporary shortage of cafe tables ... clearing again by Thursday to give more pleasant conditions."

It's an app I'd have on my phone for sure! 😀

Looking forward to seeing the pics of Skara Brae



K

Our accommodation has the cruise ship arrivals along with invasion numbers posted in reception and I also downloaded it from the harbour board website. Albert, our host described them as lemmings🤣. The whole thing is quite badly managed apparently but obviously the small businesses love it. I gave Albert a spin around Kirkwall in the Morgan last night and I think we have a convert, he loved it! On return there was a Porsche parking up in the next space and he said " weel, I ken fit aene I wid rather hae"

" weel, I ken fit aene I wid rather hae"

I suspect it is just a case of Horses for courses Gordon, horses for courses...

Thanks for posting tales and pics of your trip, Seems like you are enjoying better weather than here in the West..

The rock formations images are interesting indeed, as of course are those of your Morgan.. Seems the bird populations may be suffering a bit like us humans given they too have a pox to deal with which is affecting the population unduly..

Skara Brae was the first history subject I was taught in primary school.. I watched a TV prog recently that pointed out that far from being a remote and isolated spot when Skara Brae was inhabited it was likely to be far more central given transport by sea was the norm linking the Norse population all others down the Western seaboard of the UK Ireland France and Spain. Also think they determined that Skara Brae was older than Stonehenge.

K, many years ago we bought into the idea of off-peak days and times in the day for most visits to historic places and meal times while on holidays. I remember driving the Mog along the causeway to Mont San Michelle as the tour buses were all leaving, we entered an almost empty car park, and walked around the streets and almost empty shops to then enter a similarly empty restaurant where the staff were grabbing a bite before the next onslaught. As in comedy and ignition, it seems timing is everything...

Enjoy your trip and nice Morgan!

Thanks Reno, enjoying the trip so far. Hasn't been as sunny today but no rain, plenty wind though. Certainly not Malta temperatures.

Apologies George, I was trolling and it worked. . To be fair the Porker was no match for your one as you can see in the last pic.


Here's a couple of Skara Brae. Took loads of snaps but the internet is very slow in Stromness so I'll limit how much I post. You get admission to the house in the background as well which is worth a look.




Stopped in past the standing stones at Stennes on the way.


Heading North we came across Barony mill and took the guided tour. For me it was the most interesting bit of the trip so far and highly recommended. I'll post some pictures of the house and the mill when I get faster upload speeds.

Up in Orkney and Shetland on A small ship (Freds Balmoral) the other week and the local businesses love it with welcome signs in the windows - one bloke in the shop queueing before me spent £200+ on fair isle jumpers

A few more from yesterday.


These guys were at Skara Brae. Spotted them again in Stromness



The mill wheel in action. Mrs D had the honour of starting it up.



The three sets of milling stones for different grades.



"Windy miller" explains the drying process to Mrs D in the drying loft. A fire below made of the husks from previous millings dries the grain for the next batch.



The re-creation of house 7at Skara Brae, it was the most complete and is roofed over now to protect it so you can't see the original.



Some of the items found by the farmer when the site was exposed , these are on display in his house.


The main staircase in his house and a dinner set with some interesting history.



And a couple more from inside the house 7 re-creation

Great photos. If you get chance this is worth a visit Stonehenge at the British Museum

Agreed, we went earlier in the year. It inspired us to book our holiday to Orkney in October (and to book a cheeky return visit to Stonehenge on our way to Cornwall in July). We both trainied as archaeologists so have a bit of a passion for the prehistoric.

Gordon, don't leave until you have taken some detailed shots of an Orkney Chair so you can build one once the boats away.

We bought one as a retirement present for one of our Decca Navigator colleagues who married an Orcadian and lived in the large granite house in Stromness just by the ferry terminal.
Her family where part of the Hudson Bay Company, lovely people and that sing song accent is easy on the ears.
He was born and raised in Sidbury but travelled well.