Back in May....

No I have no idea what I have been doing to get so behind with photos and blogging.  I haven't left the island since March.  Sigh.... Well clearly I am not a high achiever, nor an influencer (whatever one of those is).

Though to be fair Lockdown hasn't been much different for me as it hit before summer, when I probably only left the island once a week to go shopping and meet up with pals.  Summer would have seen me off island more at festivals and meeting up with fol, plus exploring more of Orkney.  But.... not this year due to COVID-19.  Hey Ho.

Lots more restrictions are being lifted in Scotland, and shielding/cocooning comes to an end on 1st August.  However, on medical advice, I am still continuing shielding.  The virus hasn't gone away, and there is as yet no effective treatment or vaccine so.....  I shall try and stay as safe as I can on Graemsay.  I'm ultra cautious not just because of my health, but because I'm also a tiny cog in the big wheel of COVID-19 research, collating evidence etc.  Many people in Orkney and the UK seem to be acting as though it is all over - well sadly that is unlikely to be true.

Anyway, back to May.... it was a lovely evening when I took a walk and snapped some pix from the old sail shed near the shore.  The sail shed would have held the sails (obviously) plus other "gubbins" used for the sailing yoles (small sail boats renowned in Orkney) which would have been pulled ashore just below the shed.  It has no roof, door or windows but is a lovely sheltered spot to watch the sunset!

The photo above is the gable end and chimney from what would have been an old dwelling house many years ago.  Just 4 walls left of it now and this one looks like it's about to end up on the shore below! Having said that it's been leaning like that for a few years now...

Below looking through the window of the sail shed along the shore.

The children of the family that lived her up until the mid 1980s carved their names on the sandstone in the shed.  Ian, Maureen..... can't read the rest....

This is an old drain that runs under the building next to the shed.  My previous cat, Fitzi, got stuck in this hole once.  It took me an hour to slowly and carefully pull him out backwards! 

What is left of the shed....

Looking over the shore to Stromness

Looking straight out to the mouth of Hoy Sound.

All the old buildings would be repurposed.  Starting out perhaps as a house, and ending up as a byre.  You can see what looks like a window blocked up int the shed from what was definitely and old house many years ago, then turned into a byre.

Cobbles laid in front of the entrance to the old house.... Imagine the work that went into finding the stones and "planting" them to make a sure footing (flagstones could get quite slippery with moss and lichens when wet).

Sunset

Mist below the Hoy hills.  Looking across Sandside Bay.  This is the "main road" round the island - single track.

The old Manse in the shadow of the Hoy hills.

Mist over Hoy, the green building is our community hall...

Sandside - you can see why it is so named!

Sunset in May

Pink glow over Stromness - the white "blob" is the ferry that sails to the Scottish Mainland. In harbour for the night.