Photos and the City

Tag: my scottish summer

Earl’s Bu and Church

Back on “mainland” Orkney I made one more stop before going back home and visited the Earl´s Bu and Church in Ophir. During the early period of Norse ruling, Ophir was a centre of power.

The Orkneyinga Saga, dating to about 1136, tells of a great Yule feast given by Earl Paul at his bu, or residence, in Orphir. It describes a ‘large drinking-hall’ next to a ‘magnificent church’. The remains of that church survive today. (Historic Enviroment Scotland)

The Earl´s Bu and church are strongly connected to the Orkneyinga Saga.

The saga is an account of the history of Orkney from its capture by a Norwegian king in the 800s until about 1200. (Historic Enviroment Scotland)

Ophir is one of only two round medieval churches in Scotland, the remains of this church are still visible today.

Ophir might have been a Pictish settlement that was overtaken by the Norse.

Another connection to the Saga, after killing St. Magnus his cousin and co-ruler, Earl Hakon Paulson went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. After his return in 1122, he built the Round Kirk.

Ophir also offers stunning views over Scapa Flow and towards Hoy, again under a cloud. There is a lovely walk along the coastline.

30/06/2022
More about Hoy

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.

28/06/2022
Isle of Hoy

Hoy – the island that always had a cloud on top. I was late booking a ferry and only got a return in the afternoon, so I didn´t have that much time to explore it and just have to come back another time to walk to the Old Man of Hoy and also visit the Scapa Flow Museum, which was under renovation.

Today around 400 people live on Hoy but during WW2 13.000 people were stationed on the island. There are still a lot of reminders of that time. But let´s start at the beginning.

Betty Corrigan’s Grave

While on the way to Rackwick beach I stopped at this little grave of a Betty Corrigan next to a hillside loch and near a tiny forest, an unusual sight in Orkney. But overall Hoy reminded me more of the Highlands than the other Orkney, which seemed so much softer with its rolling hills.

The story of Betty Corrigal is a sad one. In the 1770s, at the age of 27, she was unmarried and pregnant; the father of her child had run away to sea. In a time when this was frowned upon, she tried to take her own life by walking into the sea. She was rescued but went on to hang herself a few days later. Her body was buried in the hills, on unconsecrated land between the parishes of North Walls and Hoy. (Northlinkferries.com)

Rackwick Beach

I continued my journey towards Rackwick valley, which is just picturesque. Surrounded on three sides by hills and a white beach on the fourth side.

It was once populated by crofters and fishermen who lived in crofts with evocative names; Scar, Groups, Crow’s Nest. These crofts were abandoned and have since been rebuilt as holiday homes for Orkney folk who visit Rackwick at the weekend. (Northlinkferries.com)

A lovely bothy next to the beach, ideal for a quick stay for a night.

After a long walk on the beach, it was time to head the same way back and visit another grave, more about that one next time!

23/06/2022