Orkney

I've just finished a long, moderately interesting book about Orkney, and now my thoughts take me to those islands where Britain ends and the North Sea meets the Atlantic.

Kirkwall, with the Cathedral of St. Magnus.

I almost went there, when I was in Britain, but my now wife and I decided on Paris instead. Glad I've seen Paris but hope I get to Orkney some day.

This 1654 map is good enough to show you the basic layout: Mainland is the big island in the middle, with the North Islands to the north and the South Islands to the south. The harbor of Scapa Flow is between Mainland and the South Islands.

For reasons I have never understood, Orkney has an amazing collection of Neolithic monuments. This is the famous buried village of Skara Brae.

Stone Circle known as the Ring of Brodgar.

Maeshowe. The medieval Saga of the Earls of Orkney tells how Vikings broke into the mound but found that it had already been looted long before. They left graffiti inside.

Medieval church of St. Magnus, Eglisay.

Amazing photograph showing the local farmhouse type, which is of Norse origin.

Some of the local sheep, which have adapted to eat a lot of seaweed.

Windfarm. Orkney is thriving right now, partly because electricity is cheaper there than anywhere else in Britain. There are lots of windfarms, there is tidal power, and there are not enough powerlines to get that energy to places that need it. Bad planning but nice for Orcadians.

Below, two lovely photographs by Ben Pentreath.