It's been a while.....

 

It's been a while since I blogged last.  No specific reason, lost my blogging mojo, and motivation generally.  The weather for May has been so disappointing!  Cold, breezy, some rain, cold, grey, did I mention cold.....  I have ventured out and about and met up with friends on the Orkney Mainland, but frankly with grey skies and cool temperatures (did I mention it was cold?) I wasn't inspired to take photographs.  Ho Hum.... we are forecast better weather this next week and as I type the sun is finally shining. Yay!!!

In other news, Orkney is in Level 1 of covid restrictions so pubs, hotels, and most businesses (apart from night clubs and the like) are open.  Only one case in Orkney for some weeks, and lots of folk have had their 2nd vaccinations so things are feeling more stable here.  Though there is a bit of concern once more visitors arrive and of course many Orkney folk travel out of the county too.  But there is cautious optimism about.  I'm still being very cautious as, even though I have had 2 vaccinations, my lungs are fragile and I don't want to take too many risks.

Anyway back to Graemsay - the photo at the top of this post is by Charlie Groundwater who lives over in Stromness.  He goes out for his daily walk and often has photos, using his telephoto lens, of Graemsay.  This one is of Hoy High lighthouse, and the MV Graemsay ferry coming into the Graemsay pier.  It's the 8.10 service, bringing the post (spot the red van), and also the school run taking children to school in Stromness.

These two photos of Graemsay were taken from a light aircraft heading off into the wide blue yonder  but over Graemsay.  Photos taken by John Ross Scott of Kirkwall.

Cat, hens, beach.....

 

Weather is still changeable but we make the most of the sunshine when we can!  And in other news, from Monday Orkney, along with other islands (except Skye) drops to Level 1 in the Covid Restriction model, Moray stays in Level 3, but the rest of Scotland drops to Level 2.  Confused - join the club!  In Level 1 it seems most things can open with a few exceptions and there are various permutations of numbers to meet in homes, hospitality and outdoors as well as weddings etc.  Not a lot will change for me, though I am out and about more, but I plan to stay in Orkney for the summer and just see how things go.  

Anyway back to cat, hens, beach..... Always said Button was a white cat in a full bat suit...

Mmm best to keep an eye on Gimpy Hen....

Never turn your back on an apparently snoozing cat....

Glad someone gets to use the bench!

Keeping a watchful eye on those pecky beaks!

A sulking Button as Gimpy Hen is guarding the entrance to her palace.... she dare not pass...

Oh dear what are they plotting now!

Random tulip!

Down on the beach.....  Button has a roll...... I'm sure she was a dog in a previous life...

Covered in sand....

I think she fancies a paddle?

Spot the cat....

Low tide.....

Thrift on the old pier, Sandside Bay, with Hoy Hills in the background....

Creels on the old pier....

And that evening sky again....

Adventuring round Orkney Part 2 - Birsay, the village

 

This burn runs through the village at Birsay. The day I was there, sand martins were flitting over the water.  

The village is small, it has a local shop/post office, plus petrol pumps, a kirk, artist's gallery just outside the village and a tea room.  What more is needed!  

The important bit - coffee cake and tea.  At Birsay Bay Tea Rooms.  Even before Covid regulations it was necessary to book as it was so popular!

Love their lighting too - and the decor...

And just down the road this lovely old stone bridge (with those sand martins again)

With a lovely walk alongside - we thought the sand martins were perhaps nesting along the bank here

The burn leads out to the sea....

The St Magnus Way also has a section through Birsay with waymarkers.  Worth doing even if you don't with to be a pilgrim!

On the outskirts of the village there was a small flock of horned sheep (yes there was more than one otherwise it might just be a flick of horned sheep?)

And also on the edge of the village is the Earl's palace (16th Century ruin) I mentioned in yesterday's post

Fireplaces everywhere!  Well it can be chilly in Orkney in Winter... and Summer.... and Autumn....and Spring...

In the absence of trees.....

Hmmm a bit precarious?

And through the round window - well it's not a window. Not quite sure what it was really? Several of them around (no pun intended!)

Adventuring around Orkney Part 1 - Birsay

 

Well ok it was a drive out with flask of tea, and a meeting up outdoors and one or two meets in a cafe with cake!  But after a year of lockdown that equates to adventuring for me!  These photos are from a trip out to Birsay in the West Mainland.  It's one of my favourite bits of coastline and has a lovely wee village with a great tea-room.  There's quite a bit to see and do if touring about so well worth looking up what's available if anyone plans to visit!

Anyway here are a few photos.....  Above is the Brough (pronounced Broch like Loch) of Birsay, a tidal island with a lot of history. Info available here

You can see the causeway in this photo and (checking tide times) you can walk over to the island, and up to the lighthouse at the highest point

Or stay lower down and explore the remains of a Pictish village (managed by Historic Scotland) which is just off the causeway (the stone building in the ticket office/shop for the site.

Or walk along the edge (not too close!) and admire the wildlife, wild flowers etc. as well as the view of course!

From here you get a view of one of the larger of the Orkney islands - Westray. It's a lovely island and well worth a visit.

You can just make out the lighthouse at Noup Head.  A large gannet colony there which I just love watching!

Meanwhile back at Birsay looking along the coast....

And at my feet a carpet of celandines (er there was more than one - honest!)

And back the way I came - towards the village in Birsay.....

And Marwick Head and the Kitchener Memorial - click here for some of the history  Marwick Head is another spot to enjoy watching the seabird population that summers in Orkney to breed.  Kittiwakes, guillemots, puffins, and others.  The sound and smell is quite something!

The village in Birsay. I will share photos of that in another post.

The village and the ruin of the Earl's palace

And this lovely cottage called Zanzibar. Made "famous" after appearing in an episode of "Top Gear" in 2009.  The challenge was to try and beat the post where a First Class Letter was posted in the Scilly isles to the cottage.  And the team had to race against Royal Mail in a Porsche.  I'm delighted to say the Royal Mail won!! The film has most of Orkney laughing when shown as they were showing shots out of sequence so if you knew the route from the ferry to Zanzibar you were going back and forth all the time - no wonder the post beat it!  Sadly the "team" were also very grumpy when "fans" met them at the airport as they flew south.  Not their finest hour then...

So that's The Brough of Birsay and the coast...... next stop the tea shop for cake!