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The last issue of The Orcadian this year brings news of this event which is to happen in April. Orkney is wonderfully attractive at all times but this sounds extra special. 
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Conor, on the other hand, was rather more impressive. I wanted to go to the Ba' in Kirkwall but wondered if the wind would let me. (It certainly wasn't letting the Pentalina sail – crossings cancelled all day!). So I grabbed my things and set off. Got a salt-water carwash at No.4 barrier between South Ronaldsay and Burray and made my way to No. 3 barrier, where I stopped to take some photographs.  Heavy-bevvy salt-water carwash in operation The waves were constantly bashing into the barrier and I decided that, alhtough not officially closed for safety reasons, i would probably give my Kirkwall trip a miss since glimpses of No. 2 barrier in the distance looked even worse. The sea was beautiful though.  This was happening at a rate of about one every second or so Having decided to chicken out, I thought I had better do something. The wind direction told me that Burwick ought to be rather exciting, so I made a U-turn and set off in the opposited direction. And Burwick was wonderful! Here are the pics.    The pier was taking a battering  The air was misty with salt spray  No checking creels today  I wonder where the seals go in this sort of weather  And my best shot last! I took all the pics standing in the lee of my car, or of these concrete blocks piled up for a pier enlargement as otherwise it would have been difficult to stand. I had wanted to go to the top of the cliff to look out further over the Pentlnd Firth, but there was so much spray whipping up over the clifftop that this would have been impossible.
I went out on 24th during Storm Barbara to see the rough weather. But in fact, down here on South Ronaldsay, the only real difference between this and a normal winter's day was facefulls of stinging hail. Also a certain difficulty in opening and retaining car doors and standing still enough in the wind to get a photo (I had forgotten to take my monopod.)  Dark and stormy it was, but no less lovely for that  Loooking out to Brough Ness  Burwick, where I got my first facefull of hail.  Overlooking Sandwick. (This house is for sale, I believe)  Sandwick Bay. I love the lonely standing stone in the middle of a field.  Some blue sky started to appear as I stood at the Sand of Wright. The weather changes fast when the wind is 100kph or more.  The waves are so even in this bay.  The dark cloud was being blown away...  ...and a few seconds later, I was in full sunlight as the storm clouds were pushed North-East   Photo locations circled in green
Last Sunday, son William and I picked a promising road-end to ride to and set off, out to Finstown and then right on the A966. We went here (the Bay of Hinderayre, https://goo.gl/maps/AZTwYANWTM12) and the reward was super. A beautiful beach, views back to Kirkwall, and a wonderful, little lost cemetery, made all the more special for us as it held some Loutit graves.  Parking up at The End of the Road  The view towrads Kirkwall  The lonely cemetary on its little promontary  Ruined church and graveyard  Wonderful lichen and moss  Wonderful lichen and moss  Wonderful lichen and moss  We find a William Louttit resting here  One William Loutit on, and the other in, the hallowed ground  Yesterday was bright and lovely. Son and I rode into town on our bikes, aiming to hit a film at the Pickaquoy after lightfall and before that explore some more places where the road ends and views begin. For that day, we had picked two possibilities from the OS Landranger – Car Ness, the peninsula sticking out East of Kirkwall and Inganess Bay. Car Ness was a failure for us when we reached a 'Private' sign and a gate with the road continuing beyond. Since that put paid to that idea, we turned round and roared off to Inganess Bay and the Sands of Wideford, a road-end where we struck gold. in the form of a beautiful beach, bay and romantic wreck.  The limpid water of the wide bay and its decorative rusting wreck made for a perfect view for our picnic.  Here is the map for the failed Car Ness jaunt  and here is the way to the Sands of Wideford  PS – on no account go to see the film Arrival. It's turgid, sub-moronic dross. Still, we only went after dark, so it can't be said we lost time enjoying views.
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AuthorI like to take photos and am fond of clichés - so I'll say I find them to be worth a thousand words. Archives
November 2020
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