The view from Hoy......

 

From the top of Ward Hill to be precise!  Thanks to Trish Avis for a) climbing the hill and b) sending me these photos!  Stromness is on the other side of Graemsay in these photos....

And a closer look at Sandside and Hoy High lighthouse....

The view from the Stromness shore

 

Charlie Groundwater,  who lives in Stromness, goes out for a daily walk and sent me these photos of Graemsay in the recent show. I thought you might enjoy them too!  Above is Hoy High lighthouse.

Sandside.... not much snow here....

Hoy High again..... doubt there were picnics on that particular bench that day!

The beacon just outside Stromness

Hoy Low.... with the Hoy hills in the background....

And another snowy breezy one of Hoy High and Sandside....

Random April photos......

 

The weather over the last couple of weeks can best be described as "changeable".  Regular British weather then!  I'm trying to venture forth once a week to the Orkney Mainland - weather permitting.  Orkney is currently in Level 3 and likely to remain so for some weeks to come.  However from this coming Friday we can meet outdoors with up to 6 people from 6 different households (a change from one other household with a number limit).  From 26th April travel will be allowed across Scotland (at the moment to and from Orkney is "essential travel" only).  And from 16th May then folk can travel to and from the rest of the UK AND we can meet a limited number of people indoors.  It's all a bit complicated but mostly won't affect what I am doing.  I get my second vaccination on 6th May (also polling day for Scottish elections).  I will mostly meet folk outdoors for the summer and just see how things go as everything opens up and visitors start arriving......

Anyway back to photos.... Blue sky over Hoy and Graemsay

Hoy High light and Sandside

Leaving Graemsay and heading to Stromness

A lovely sky over these small islands called The Holms which are linked by a causeway at low tide to Stromness.  The house  on the island was up for sale a while ago.  Not sure if it has been sold yet or not....

Over Winter boats are taken out of the water and given a lick of paint.  This one is now ready to be taken back into the water...

And a chance for takeaway coffee and cake at Julia's cafe with a pal!

And a run into Kirkwall to meet up with another pal for a picnic in Tankerness House Gardens (behind the Orkney Museum which is shown in the photo below).  

The gardens are a lovely quiet place to sit just off the main street (Broad Street) in Kirkwall.  It was a bit chilly this particular day but we had flasks and rugs!

The spire of St Magnus Cathedral between the rooves of the town....

The garden looks a bit sparse at this time of year.... still well maintained though!

In the garden is the relocated "Groatie Hoose".  This was moved from its original location in another part of Kirkwall.  It was a former summer house of one of the wealthier inhabitants of Kirkwall!  The "Hoose" was made from ballast from a notorious pirate's ship that was Pirate Gow when he was captured in 1725.  The roof was originally covered with tiny cowrie shells found on local beaches and known in Orkney as "groatie buckies".

Back at home the hens have been delighted to get out and about again after their own "flockdown".

They just love sunbathing, stretching out wings and legs to soak up the warmth....

And Spring brings new growth and flowers - some of which managed to weather the - er - weather...

Most of these catkins ended up on the grass in the wind and snow.  But new green leaves are coming through regardless....

Winter gales and snow showers - in April....

 

In Orkney it is called "lambing snow" - just as the lambs are due the weather seems to turn foul.  And this weekend we have gales (56mph average) and sleet, hail and snow.  The snow isn't settling on Graemsay or in the West but have heard it is drifting onto roads on some parts of the Orkney Mainland.

There are some lambs in the field in front of the house.  They seem to be doing OK.  Sheep have a knack of finding sheltered spots.  These (above) are sheltering in a dip which was for the old mill dam that used to be at Sandside.  The ewes get plenty of food and as long as the lambs get milk they are generally OK. There are hay bales around the field, plus a huge muck heap for the lambs to find shelter in.  Other neighbours are also getting lambs now, though some can lamb indoors or at least keep them in for a day or two.

Morning view - the snow showers come over the landscape in swathes, and then clear to blue skies and sunshine for a few minutes, then repeat.

Cat flap battened!  And a mini snow drift for her to wade through were she foolhardy enough to go out...

Incoming showers for Hoy High.....

Looking across to Stromness..... I should point out the windows are covered in salt etc.... not just dirty - hee hee.

Yup that's about it....

And a friend sent me this photo of a street in Kirkwall in the early hours of the morning! Sheet ice....