I’ve been thinking about Orkney’s ‘West Coast Walk’ for a long time. It runs from Stromness where we are staying along the coast up to Yesnaby. Slabbed coastal cliffs and a number of sea stacks are along the route. The plan was an early rise and solo hike back in time for lunch with the rest of the crew. Alas, monsoons & high winds early. I waited for a break then layered up with rain gear and headed out. Rainy, massive downpours & windy, but a great walk. Took a while to dry out the gear! – Dick
While Dick takes his walk, I attempt to get laundry done. There is nowhere to drop off and the only place to do it yourself is at the Ferry Terminal. I pack our stuff and take it over. There are only 2 washers and 2 dryers. 5 pounds per wash, 3 per dryer. I load up our stuff and 5 minutes later a local sailor came by and was very disappointed that both were in use, so he queued up for the next spot.
As I was folding the dried clothes, I realized that I was missing one of my socks. When you only have 5 pair, that’s a problem. The sailor comes back to put his wash in the dryers I was vacating, and I had to ask him to check if my sock was in his laundry (it was). We had a laugh and all was well. – Mary
We headed up to Skara Brae, a Neolithic stone settlement on the west coast of the island. It’s another UNESCO World Heritage Site and was occupied from 3000 – 2500 BC making it older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids. Made of stacked flagstone, the site contained individual living quarters with hearths and primitive sewer systems. The site was discovered after a large storm washed away the earth from what looked to be an earthen hill. Included in the admission was a tour of the ‘Lairds’ manor house which is still inhabited.
On the way back to Stromness we found ourselves pulling into the Orkney Brewery. How these things happen is a mystery. Sandwiches, Orkney beers for the passengers, and a diet coke for the driver (shudder).
Because of the zero tolerance laws in Scotland, we decide to eat dinner at the hotel again so Dick can enjoy himself as well. And, he did. The food is actually pretty good. Most entertaining were the bartenders, one of which wins the ‘Tallest Tender in the UK’ award. Great guys all.
