One more look at the beautiful Rackwick Valley in Hoy and then I started my journey back towards the ferry port.
Hoy is the second largest island in Orkney and has the highest hill of all the islands that form Orkney. It somehow looks more like the Highlands than the rest of the softer Orkney with the rolling hills and lush greens.
Dwarfie Stane
A large stone that has been holed out during Neolithic Times.
Dwarfie Stane is a huge block of sandstone in which a Neolithic burial chamber has been cut. (Hoy Orkney.com)
It might be Britain’s only example of a rock-cut tomb, but then not all the experts share that opinion.
It is thought the chamber was carved out sometime between the Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age. Basing their dates on similar tombs found in the Mediterranean, archaeologists have settled on a date of around 3,000 BC. (Orkneyjar.com)
An Orkanian saga says that this was the home of a giant and his wife.
Scapa Flow
Driving along with beautiful views of Scapa Flow one can´t miss all the former military buildings from the time of World War II.
During the early years of WWII, up to 12,000 personnel were based in and around Lyness to support the defences of the naval anchorage at Scapa Flow and the ships that used it. (Undiscovered Scotland)
Unfortunately, the Scapa Flow museum in Lyness was still closed for renovations, so I only walked around the outside a bit.
Don´t Miss
On my way to Lyness, I passed Emily´s Tea Room and just had to stop for some coffee and lunch. Such a cosy little place with lovely food and a little souvenir shop. It is hard to miss this colourful house.
