May 29, 2016 - Scotland 2016
- Jae Wiens
- Nov 22, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 3, 2022
So on with the Scottish tour as promised....
Tuesday was our wildlife tour of Orkney. We traveled to the north part of the island to hangout at a bird sanctuary and do some bird watching. We were not disappointed. So many beautiful birds nesting or flying in. They were so gentle and graceful. However, when a Harrier Hen floated in on the breeze, they all went into protection mode. Lots of commotion and a flurry of activity!
A Harrier Hen is similar to a hawk - in size and ferocity - especially when hunting. In this particular case with an abundance of newly hatched eggs in view, this predator became quite hostile and daring. Definitely a great deal of excitement and pandemonium ensued until the other ducks, geese, oystercatchers and gulls averted birthing disasters by running the Hen off. Whew,...bird drama can be exhausting!
We then headed off to Marwick Head, which is an area known for sightings of Puffins. These birds look like a cross between a Toucan and a smaller version of a Penguin, but can actually fly.
The rugged seaside here is so beautiful with its natural jagged and layered cliffs. And it was obvious that the wildlife thought so too - plenty of it - as we made our way up to the peak of the cliffs. The gulls seemed to hover right in front of us within arms reach then suddenly dive into the sea for fish.We heard many tales that during times of hardship, people would supplement their meals by hanging out on the cliffs to catch birds as they flew past. And as you can guess, there were plenty of hunters ("Craigies", as they were called) who never tasted these agile birds because they leaned out too far and fell to their deaths.
At the top of the hill stands the Kitchener Memorial which commemorates the loss of 737 sailors of the HMS Hampshire captained by Lord Kitchener. According to various sites and books regarding this subject, on June 5th, 1916 while on their way to Russia, maneuvering through stormy seas with gale force winds, they hit a German mine. Only 12 sailors survived this disaster off the north shores of the Orkney Islands. The memorial built to commemorate this tragedy stands 45 feet and overlooks the sea so it can be seen far and wide.
Find out more on this website: www.orkneyheritagesociety.org.uk/projects/the-kitchener-memorial-and-hms-hampshire- commemorative-wall/
Off in the distance to the southwest, I could also see the island of Hoy and the Old Man of Hoy, which is a monumental stone tower standing about 450 feet tall. Even in the mist and rain it seemed really impressive despite being so many miles away. Another site to visit at another time.
On Wednesday, we took a 30 minute ferry east to the island of Rousay from the small port of Tingwall. This island is considered the “Egypt of the North” for its many archeological sites - 166 of these are found on Rousay.
We went to Midhowe Broch and Chambered Cairn, which was also a farming community of many generations, and their final resting place. This burial chamber was built around 3500 B.C. When this Neolithic burial tomb was excavated in the 1930s, it was discovered to be the resting place of 25 individuals in separate chambers.
The farm at this site is linked to the Vikings, as well as descendants of the Stewart Earls from the late 1440's.
Nearby there is also a site known as The Wirk, (Old Norse for “Stronghold”), or Westness Castle. There is a debate on its age. Some archeologists tend to date it from the 12th and 13th centuries, while others put its age closer to the 16th century. Either way, it is an impressive area to visit. Its moss covered remnants of the crumbling stone church stand beside a dilapidated graveyard, where the names are fading and weathered from the salty mist that settles in from Eynhallow Sound. It seemed so mystical!
We also visited another tomb called Taversoe Tuick, which is a sacred two storied burial tomb for a farming community dating back 4500 years.
More information about Rousay can be found at: http://www.aroundrousay.co.uk/rousay.shtml
That evening we hosted Dr. Simon Hall, who is a local author/historian/language expert and teacher on the native Orcadian spoken in the Orkney islands. He has a PhD in Scottish Literature from the University of Glasgow.
It was intriguing to hear how this language formed over the years. It was almost lost over the years as the government attempted to punish students when speaking this
language in an effort to curb its influence and diminish the Orcadian culture. However, this language is now making a comeback in this fiercely, culturally proud area. Dr. Hall was very kind to sign my copy of his book, “The History of Orkney Literature” which is a fascinating read tracing the path and influences of Orcadian literature through history.
On Thursday, we visited another pre-historic site called Skara Brae and Skaill House. Skara Brae was discovered in 1850 by the Laird (Lord) of Skaill House when he went for a walk along the beach. After a massive storm, the sand was peeled back and this site was exposed.
Skara Brae dates back to 3100 B.C., 200 years younger than the Stones of Stenness. The challenge for archeologists is that they know how these ancient people lived, but objects are not able to "define their ideas and beliefs."
Leading to this site there are plaques tracing a 5000 year old timeline. I was captivated to "see" the major events in writing that have taken place over these years - how many battles, critical moments, monuments and influences that have shaped us all.
It reaffirmed for me that all of us must come from ancestors who were strong, courageous and resilient to overcome so much just so we could be here today. So, congratulations to all of us and a big "thank you" to our ancestors!
Please check out the websites for Skara Brae and Skaill House: www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/skara-brae/ www.skaillhouse.co.uk
We definitely lucked out on the weather for our time spent in the north of Scotland allowing us to make our nature explorations to “Middle Earth”. This is what the locals refer to the inner landscape. It definitely felt like a “Lord Of The Rings” adventure at times discovering new frontiers. And the jewellery makers in this area are so creative that I did buy a ring or two. Dragons, shells, trees...all represented in the local jewellers’ designs. So cool!
Our week started out with torrential downpours and cold temperatures which made it seem like we had ventured north to Winterfell as in “The Game of Thrones” series. Gratefully, no White Walkers in sight!! But unfortunately, no sign of Jon Snow either!! The weather warmed up slightly during the week.
Yes, we the great fans of “Game of Thrones”, had many other reminders of that show, especially when we started seeing dragons on monuments at sites which had been influenced by the Vikings.
The Orkney Islands are absolutely amazing and I would highly recommend a visit to everyone if you ever get the chance. Life changing experiences await you!!!
On that note, I will stop here. Be loving and gentle with yourselves. I will write again soon!
Cheers, Jae
Comments