Around West Mainland (and Stromness) ....

I was out and about the other weekend and thought I'd share a few random pictures!  Above is the small island of Eynhallow, in front of the slightly higher island of Rousay.

And the other end of Eynhallow!

And this is up on the moors above Dounby looking back towards Eynhallow Sound (I think!).

There are quite a few wind turbines popping up around Orkney.  Some are small domestic turbines for individual homes.  These in the pictures below are medium sized turbines providing money for commercial companies, and feeding into the national grid.  There are also plans for much larger wind turbine "farms" which are proving very controversial in Orkney which is a hub for renewable technology.  Controversy is over not only the scale of the wind turbines in relation to the landscape, but also the additional infrastructure, pylons, cables, and sub stations that are needed.  Mostly it is commercial businesses making money.  Although many of the larger islands have a community wind turbine which at least provides income for the island.  A high proportion of the Orkney population is in fuel poverty and I think there would be some mitigation if the increase in wind turbines addressed this.  But at the moment that doesn't look as though that is part of the (many) plans, unfortunately.

And here is the gorgeously rounded shape of the wee island of Gairsay rising out of the sea.

Earlier the same day I was in Stromness and it was much cloudier.  I went searching in vain for damselflies at a burn (stream) up above Stromness.  Nice views though!

Bog cottan was very prolific and in the middle here somewhere is the pool that is thought to be the breeding ground for large red damselflies.  Behind Stromness homes and the Hoy hills in the distance.

Bog cotton galore!

The thistles were artfully draped in the cotton!

The cotton grass has an ephemeral beauty .....

And looking back towards Graemsay and Hoy over the rooftops of Stromness

This blog post is in reverse order as I wanted to start with the sunshine photos first! Coming into Stromness Harbour.....

The wee town nestled in the bowl of the hills.....

But the sail over to Stromness from Graemsay was lovely and calm.

Hoy High lighthouse

Hoy High and Sandside....

Garson & Quoys.....

Hoy Low Lighthouse....

Hope you enjoyed your trip out!