Lovely morning for a sail.....

I'd been over to the Orkney Mainland on Saturday and stayed with friends overnight after a lovely meal out at a local restaurant in Kirkwall (The Lynnfield).  Anyway that meant a sail on the ferry home at 9.30.  It was a glorious morning. No wind, and a highish tide providing wonderful reflections.  Above is the harbour in Stromness.

Below, one of the dive boats sailing out of the harbour....

Looking West where a bank of cloud is coming in - the West Mainland of Orkney.

Hoy Low lighthouse on Graemsay, with the remains of the WWII gun emplacement.

And a slightly more atmospheric photo of Hoy Low from further offshore.....

Having stopped off at Moaness on Hoy to let some of the walkers and locals disembark, we then headed for Graemsay....

Ward hill looking magnifence with the sun playing on the heathery summit

The valley that leads through to Rackwick.

Ward hill is really a snoozing dragon.....

Hoy - it means high island and has the highest hills and cliffs in Orkney. Actually over on the other side of Hoy, St John's Head has the highest cliffs in the UK I think....

And heading to the Graemsay pier and Hoy High light, with Stromness in the background.

One of the creel fishing boats....

Fishing boat with the wee house at Clett, on Graemsay, in the background.

Getting closer....

That was a lovely way to spend 45 minutes on a Sunday morning I think you will agree.