Tim and I had an amazing, comprehensive tour of the Orkney Islands when we were here in 2022, so Tim decided to take a sea day today. I had so enjoyed our previous visit that I joined the included excursion, “Highlights of Historic Orkney,” to experience the scenery again. This was the description:
Pass through gentle rolling landscapes into the Heart of Neolithic Orkney and visit a charming seaside village. Meet your local guide and embark on a scenic drive to the Ring of Brodgar, the finest known circular stone ring from the early Bronze Age. This ceremonial circle of 27 remaining standing stones is almost 5,000 years old and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After time to ponder, continue your journey to the quaint village of Stromness; after a brief orientation, spend free time exploring the picturesque harbor and pretty flag-stoned street of this seafaring town. Visit the beautifully refurbished Pier Arts Center, with exhibitions by both local and international artists, or explore the craft shops selling local knitwear, pottery and artwork. Return to your motor coach and continue on this circular route, following the coastline of Scapa Flow.
As we drove through the Orkney countryside, we began to see the starkly beautiful, treeless landscape of rolling green hills, farmland, and stunning coastal scenery that characterize the islands. And sheep, lots of sheep and cows everywhere. Local stone has always been the preferred building material, due to availability and its ability to withstand the harsh weather, and we passed stone building, both old and new.
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| Scenes from the Orkney Countryside |
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| Stone Buildings |
We stopped in Stromness, where we were given time to explore on our own. Stromness is known for its charming maritime townscape with narrow streets and stone buildings. I wandered along the main street and climbed one of the many narrow lanes that led to the residential area, which offers beautiful views of the bay.
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| Stromness |
Once back on the motorcoach, we began our tour of Orkney’s Neolithic past. The “Heart of Neolithic Orkney,” which has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, includes a group of Neolithic monuments that constitute a major prehistoric cultural landscape. The sites here date back 5,000 years. I’m glad that Tim and I were able to spend time at all these sites in 2022. I knew that we would have just a brief overview today, which was just fine with me.
As a matter of fact, I did not even take the long walk up to our only stop, the Ring of Brodgar, and just viewed this large ceremonial stone circle from the parking lot. We then drove past the Stones of Stenness, a second ceremonial stone circle; the Barnhouse Stone, a single megalith; and Maes Howe, a chambered tomb and one of the largest in Orkney.
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| The Heart of Neolithic Orkney - Ring of Brodgar (top), Stones of Stenness (middle), Barnhouse Stone (bottom left), and Maes Howe (bottom right) |
While we were at the Ring of Brodgar, I was distracted by all the swans, including two sitting on a nest. What beautiful animals they are.
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| Elegant Swans |
After returning to the ship, Tim and I headed to the Pool Grill for another of Chef Alastair’s special culinary delights. Since we are sailing the British Isles, he felt that a Fish and Chips Station would be appropriate. We started with a deconstructed Caesar salad, and then the crispiest and most flavorful fish I’ve had in a long time. Even the mushy peas were good. Restaurant Manager Antonio made sure that everything ran smoothly, as it always does.
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| Fish and Chips Station, with Restaurant Manager Antonio |
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