Can Only Go Up From Here

The Highlands are a far cry from Edinburgh and Aberdeen.  Even Inverness, which is a fair bit north from both, hasn’t a patch on what I’ve seen on my way to the Orkneys.  It’s a bit of a jaunt to get here; almost five hours all told, including a forty minute ferry crossing from John O’Groats.  The name comes from a Dutchman who started the original ferry service, I don’t know when and charged a groat for the crossing.

Once I got to Kirkwall, things went downhill pretty quickly.  I headed to the St. Ola hotel to check-in, only to find that my booking had been balled up.  The Kirkwall next door had a room available, but at the not so cheap price of £ 90 per night.  I’m not Scottish for no reason and that was a lot dear for my pocketbook.  The place did have “free” WiFi, so into the bar I went, purchased a Tennants (beer) and fired up the laptop.  One of the places I had considered booking did have a room available, so arranged for that, hopped a bus and headed back to St. Mary’s, Holm to the locals, and checked in.  Wonderful place, the Commodore!  All the comforts and more than I got out of the Ramada in Inverness.

After getting settled, I meandered off down along the coastline, then down the Graemeshall Path.  The shore is all upthrust shelves of rock, black mostly.  On top, looking out to the North Sea are the remains of the World War II defences.  There are a series of barriers across four of the channels that would have allowed free access between the sea and the Atlantic Ocean prior to World War II, but were built to provide safe harbour for the naval fleets that anchored here.  Churchill had ordered the construction and Italian POWs built it.  There is an Italian Chapel that was put up for them on the far side of the barrier.  I haven’t crossed over to see it yet, but it is supposed to be a “not to miss.”

Today I’ll be heading back into Kirkwall and catching a “hop on, hop off” to tour around Stromness, the Bodgard Stones and Skerrabra.  Both of the latter are Neolithic sites and I am looking forward to it.  This posting and yesterdays are going to be up late, as WiFi access is hit and miss in this part of the country.