Tuesday and route to Stromness

 

We left at 9 in wind and rain, dropping in at the Baker’s for 2 more delicious made to order sandwiches in plastic bags this time.

 

We passed 2 oil platforms and then the route was fairly flat but wet, riding with the wind behind us. We turned for the Ring of Brodgar and it became more difficult. The rain felt sharp as if laced with ice. We stopped at the 4 massive Stenness Stones where workmen were erecting some information signs. They told us we could go back to Maeshowe for refreshments or on to Skara Brae. We didn’t relish going back in this weather so we pushed on, literally. We didn’t have time to visit Maeshowe which requires a tour slot of 45 minutes plus but would have been great to see the Viking graffiti and experience the famous tomb.

 

There were quite a few cars at the Ring of Brodgar and more visitors than we have seen anywhere so far despite the weather! We wonder why there are only toilet facilities for workmen fenced off and nothing here for the public. Surely a tea shop somewhere here would pay too. Drainage is being installed to help the site resist flooding and with poor visibility is seemed very bleak. On a fine day this would be splendid I am sure. We walked round some of the stones taking pictures. Twenty one stones remain from an original 60 standing amongst moorland heather. They are weathered and worn to different heights and thickness, some seeming angular. We hurried back to the bike rain dripping down our necks. At least those arriving in cars had somewhere dry to escape to. I like the car park being quite separate from the monument as then it doesn’t detract from the mystery of the place which even today was evident.

We pressed on to Skara Brae. Here there were coaches in the car park and people milling about all over the place. There were queues for the café and toilets. Here was certainly the most busy of anywhere yet this holiday! It was cold sitting in the café especially as we were wet through. The air conditioning was going! Against my better judgement I had lentil soup for lunch which mixed with the breakfast baked beans, later added stomach cramps to my discomforts. I had laughed when Bob put our winter gloves in the car when we left home but I had been very glad of the sheepskin which Bob tried to dry out with the hand drier in the Gents.

It was £4 each(concessions) for Skara Brae and Skaill House. The man selling the tickets said we could warm up in the house so we went outside first, experiencing the replica of one of the Skara Brae houses up close.

Life looked fairly comfortable compared with how I imagined, with plenty of food- deer,fish, grain and berries. There was a hearth, bed spaces edged with stone, cupboards made of stone and goods that may have been ceremonial. The actual Neolithic buildings are among and under grass mounds. The sea although close now would have been further away in Neolithic times. The site was discovered by the laird at Skaill House in 1850 during a storm that swept away some of the sand dunes covering it. There are steps to a higher walkway that enables you to look inside the buildings. We were warned to hold on to the rails because of the wind. The site is closed when it is too windy ( the next day as it happens). The poor guide had to stay on duty outside for 2 hours. I liked the way there were stones marking important events in history going back in time as visitors walk towards the settlement- passing the birth of Christ and ancient Egyptians. Skara Brae is certainly a special place that I will remember.

Skaill House was warm and it would have been nice to sit on one of the forbidden chairs and get cosy! It crosses a mixture of periods-1640 the Bishop’s room and 20^th century for the last lady of the house’s fairly garish bedroom. Bishops seem to abound in Kirkwall! The views were good from the windows and they let in a lot of light. Captain Cook’s dinner service is on show and had been donated by the officers of his ship. After Cook’s death they had been entertained here on their way back home.

It was 8 miles to go to Stromness but the wind was behind us making all the difference. Just after 3 we arrived at the Ferry Inn. Puddles formed on the floor around us and we decided to wait here till meals were served at 5 then go to the B and B. We spread ourselves out to dry while it was quiet and played a few games of cribbage. As dinner time drew nearer it was predicted to get busy. We compressed our designated space as it got nearer to 5. All I really wanted was a shower to warm up and a lay down so I didn’t eat much dinner. To be fair I had eaten my delicious crab sandwich under the shelter of the pub’s wall when we arrived. It was probably the quickest we have ever eaten and then we were off to find our bed.

Close to Argos Bakery and Orkney Fudge our B and B was full of shiatsus though kept away from guests they never bothered us. Our wet things were draped over every airy surface and we felt very warm for the first time today. It was a comfortable place and we had a good night.