John Edward Cooper’s Notes

Date of Tour:	14/06/2016
Country:	United Kingdom
Port:	Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
Excursion Code:	113005A
Excursion Duration:	4hrs
Departure Time:	09:00
Return Time:	13:00
Adult Price:	£42

Tour Description
On this discovery, your impressions of Orkney will be of greenness, combined with a feeling of space, where soft countryside merges with sky and sea into a delightful confluence of nature coupled with rich history and archaeology. You will first head for a photo stop at the Standing Stones of Stenness, before continuing on to their nearby neighbour – the Ring of Brodgar. The four remaining Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar were thought to be part of a ceremonial way, possibly a burial route, or they could have been a lunar observatory. The Ring of Brodgar - a perfect stone circle, which retains 27 of its original 60 stones, erected with mathematical precision some 5,000 years ago, is one of the finest stone circles anywhere. This great monument is superbly situated surrounded by the agricultural heart of Orkney and here you can speculate on their original use as you capture on film these unique prehistoric remains.
Next, you head for a photo stop at beautiful Yesnaby, located on the west coast of Orkney mainland and south of Skara Brae. Yesnaby is renowned for its spectacular Old Red Sandstone coastal cliff scenery which includes sea stacks, blowholes, geos and frequently boiling seas. Take some time to absorb the stunning views on a photo stop here. You then drive south from Kirkwall along a coastal road overlooking historic Scapa Flow, a great inlet surrounded by protective islands. You continue along the road to cross the first of the Churchill Barriers, linking the Mainland to Lamb Holm, where you will find the Italian Chapel. A short photo stop will show you this unique Chapel, built by the Italian Prisoners who were building the Churchill Barriers. This heart-stirring little Chapel was created out of Nissen huts by the prisoners in their spare time. It is a miracle of faith, with delicate wrought-iron tracery, and frescoes, whose artist, Dominico Chiocchetti, returned in later years to restore the original work. Your tour will then return to Kirkwall.

Important Notes
By coach/on foot. Min 35/Max varies.
Please note: There is approximately 300-400m (1,300ft) of walking on this tour at the Ring of Brogdar with uneven ground, gravelled paths, grass terrain and inclines. All other walking is at guests’ discretion at the photo stops. Weatherproof, warm layered clothing and flat, non-slip shoes are essential. There are limited toilet facilities on this excursion. This tour does not include a visit inside the Italian Chapel, it is a photo stop only.

“Your daily programme”








We got up ca.7.15am — breakfast, etc. We went ashore and boarded the coach for the “Ring of Brodgar and Orkney Discovery” tour, which set off a few minutes ahead of its scheduled 09:00 departure time. We were moored at the Hatston Ferry Terminal on the north-west corner of the Bay of Kirkwall, two miles from the town centre. Our journey did in fact take us through the centre of Kirkwall, past St. Magnus Cathedral and the Bishop’s Palace. Our guide, Steve, was English, but had moved with his family to live on the island of Hoy.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:00:48
Views from the coach: St. Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:01:32
Views from the coach: Bishop’s Palace, Kirkwall

From there we went 8 miles approximately southwards, crossing the first of the Churchill Barriers to visit the Italian Chapel on the island of Lamb Holm. The four Churchill Barriers were constructed from the Mainland in the north to the island of South Ronaldsay in the south, via the small islands Lamb Holm and Glimps Holm and the larger island Burray, to prevent the entry of German U-boats into Scapa Flow, following the sinking in 1939 of the Royal Navy battleship HMS Royal Oak. Much of the labour was provided by Italian prisoners of war who had been captured in the desert war in North Africa, and transported to Orkney from early 1942 onwards. The prisoners at Camp 60 on Little Holm built the ornate Italian Chapel there from two Nissen huts joined end to end, with a concrete façade.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:17:12
Views from the coach: view west across Scapa Bay, a northerly inlet of Scapa Flow into the Mainland


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:23:08
Views from the coach: approaching Churchill Barrier №1


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:28:46
Italian War Memorial, including a statue of Saint George, outside the Italian Chapel, Lamb Holm


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:30:18
Italian Chapel, Lamb Holm


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:30:44
Churchill Barrier №1, seen from Lamb Holm; and beyond, the Bay of Ayre and the village of St. Mary’s


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:31:14
Italian Chapel, Lamb Holm


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:34:16
Churchill Barrier №1, seen from Lamb Holm; and beyond, the Bay of Ayre and the village of St. Mary’s


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:46:22
View east from the north of Lamb Holm

The next part of our excursion took us some 26 miles more or less westwards along the southern coast of the Mainland to Stromness, Orkney’s second most populous town (the first being Kirkwall) — essentially a toilet stop before we continued on to the cliffs at Yesnaby. The route initially took us back to Kirkwall, and as we were entering the town, Steve pointed out on our left one of the island’s two distilleries, Highland Park; then shortly afterwards, after we’d turned left towards Stromness, he pointed out over to the left the other one, Scapa Distillery.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 09:52:50
Views from the coach: looking west across Scapa Bay


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 10:23:18
Views from the coach: looking west across Clestrain Sound (left) to the island of Graemsay, and along Hoy Sound (right)
The nearer lighthouse is Hoy Sound (High) and the just-visible father one is Hoy Sound (Low)


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 10:23:18 (detail)
Views from the coach: Hoy Sound (High) and Hoy Sound (Low) lighthouses on the northern extremities of Graemsay


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 10:24:06
Views from the coach: another view of Graemsay


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 10:46:20
Stromness


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 10:47:08
Stromness


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 10:51:40
Stromness


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 10:52:40
Stromness

It was ca.6½ miles north-northwest from there to the Atlantic-facing old red sandstone cliffs at Yesnaby on the west coast of Mainland Orkney.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 11:18:50
Old red sandstone cliffs at Yesnaby


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 11:19:06
Old red sandstone cliffs at Yesnaby


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 11:19:18
Old red sandstone cliffs at Yesnaby


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 11:19:56
The island of Hoy and the Old Man of Hoy away to the south


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 11:20:42
Old red sandstone cliffs at Yesnaby


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 11:20:56
Old red sandstone cliffs at Yesnaby


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 11:22:14
Old red sandstone cliffs at Yesnaby, with Hoy and the Old Man of Hoy in the far distance

Then we went some 5½ miles east to a large neolithic henge and stone circle, the Ring of Brodgar, situated about midway along an isthmus separating two lakes, the Loch of Harray to the north and east, and the Loch of Stenness to the west and south.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:00:58
Ring of Brodgar: the encircling ditch, carved out of the solid sandstone bedrock


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:01:14
Ring of Brodgar: (looking back towards the Loch of Harray:) the encircling ditch


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:01:50
Ring of Brodgar: one of the standing stones
Background: Loch of Stenness


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:02:16
Ring of Brodgar: standing stone
Background: Loch of Stenness
Nearer background: mound called “Salt Nowe” on the Ordnance Survey map


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:02:30
Ring of Brodgar: standing stone
Background: Loch of Stenness
Nearer background: mound called “Salt Nowe” on the Ordnance Survey map


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:03:16
Ring of Brodgar: standing stones
Background, left: Loch of Stenness
Background, far left: Loch of Harray


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:03:58
Ring of Brodgar: mound


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:13:32
Ring of Brodgar: standing stone, split by a lightning strike in 1980
Background: Loch of Harray


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:13:50
Ring of Brodgar: explanation of the shattered stone


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:14:28
Ring of Brodgar: standing stones
Background: Loch of Harray


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:15:04
Ring of Brodgar: standing stones
Background: Loch of Stenness


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:16:02
Ring of Brodgar: standing stones
Background: Loch of Harray


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:16:40
Ring of Brodgar: standing stones and ditch


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:17:50
Ring of Brodgar: standing stones


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:19:10
Ring of Brodgar: standing stones


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:20:36
Looking toward the Loch of Harray


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:21:40
Loch of Harray


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:23:38
Looking toward the Loch of Harray: white flowers

Back in the coach, we continued east-south-eastwards to the end of the isthmus, crossing a bridge between the two lakes, then slowed to look at, but did not visit, the Standing Stones of Stenness to the left just there.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:33:06
View from the coach: Standing Stones of Stenness

Turning right onto the main road for the remaining 9 miles back to the ship terminal, we passed Maeshowe, a neolithic chambered cairn and passage grave, on our left. The whole journey this morning was ca.58 miles.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:36:46
Views from the coach: Maeshowe


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:40:26
Views from the coach: mid-19th century Binscarth House, a category-B British Listed Building

Because the ship was moored some two miles out of town there was a free shuttle bus from the terminal to Kirkwall town centre. When we got back there was one waiting, so we boarded that; we didn’t return to the nearby Marco Polo first. We might as well have done, though: as Janet wrote, “We… departed about half an hour later after the driver had his lunch.”


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 12:56:16
Marco Polo and the shuttle bus

We were deposited at the bus station, where there were toilets. We walked from there the length of Castle Street — just a couple of blocks — to the town centre (the end of Castle Street is seen in “09:00:48”). Where to go for refreshment? There was a pub in front of us, The Reel, but was there somewhere else better? We turned left and walked down narrow Albert Street, lined with shops, boutiques, banks, etc. (We’d been told that there WAS only one shopping street to speak of, so we guessed that this must be it.) Janet hadn’t had a drink since last night so was putting pressure on me to make my mind up where to go. I’d had fruit juice at breakfast, so wasn’t desperately thirsty. On the corner where Albert Street bore left and became Bridge Street, there was “The Brig Larder”, a grocer’s / butcher’s / fishmonger’s / delicatessen / liquor store, which saved the day, because Janet went in there and bought two cans of Pepsi Max. She also bought a miniature of Highland Park whisky, which she presented to me later. I continued down Bridge Street to its end opposite the harbour without finding a suitable-looking hostelry, before finding Janet at The Brig Larder. We bought some postcards on the way back to The Reel.… The Reel looked slightly in need of refurbishment within. Janet had a Diet Coke and I a pint of the local Swannay Brewery’s Scapa Special “Flagship Pale Ale”, 4.2% a.b.v. It was agreeably bitter.

Then we visited the mediaeval Cathedral (strictly speaking, not a “cathedral” since the 16th century Scottish Reformation, for the Kirk is presbyterian).


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 13:57:38
St. Magnus Cathedral


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 13:58:56
St. Magnus Cathedral

We entered the War Memorial archway to the graveyard. The pink granite archway was surmounted by a statue of an angel holding a torch, with wreaths carved in relief to the left and the right of the arch containing the dates “1914” and “1919”, and with names of the World War I dead inscribed on the buttresses below them. Flanking the archway were two pillars inset with pink granite plaques: the upper plaques were carved wreaths, one containing the date “1939” and the other “1945”; below each of these was a plaque containing the names of the World War II dead. We walked around the Cathedral to the other side, where we entered it.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:00:20
St. Magnus Cathedral


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:02:26
St. Magnus Cathedral


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:04:46
St. Magnus Cathedral


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:05:06
St. Magnus Cathedral


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:06:46
St. Magnus Cathedral: nave, looking forward (east) towards the choir


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:08:24
St. Magnus Cathedral: south transept


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:08:48
St. Magnus Cathedral: choir (east)


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:09:10
St. Magnus Cathedral: north transept

The flag to the right in the above photo looks, not like the flag of Orkney,—

—but like the flag of Norway,—

—even though it appears beside the Union Flag.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:09:46
St. Magnus Cathedral: nave, looking rearwards (west)


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:10:04
St. Magnus Cathedral: rear (west) window


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:10:28
St. Magnus Cathedral: forward (east) window


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:10:28 (detail 1)
St. Magnus Cathedral: forward (east) window


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:10:28 (detail 2)
St. Magnus Cathedral: forward (east) window


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:10:28 (detail 3)
St. Magnus Cathedral: forward (east) window


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:12:36
St. Magnus Cathedral: north transept


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:13:06
St. Magnus Cathedral: south transept


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:14:04
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: St. John Baptist


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:14:48
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: Isaiah


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:15:18
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: the Good Samaritan


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:15:36
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: the Sower


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:15:54
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: King Solomon


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:16:12
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: King David


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:16:34
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: Isaac


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:16:56
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: Adam


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:17:20
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: “St. Frances” [sic]


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:17:44
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: St. Augustine


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:18:06
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: St. Nicholas


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:18:28
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: St. Christopher


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:18:46
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: Joseph of Arimathea


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:19:04
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: ??
The Scripture quotation and the cross (and perhaps the scroll; cf. “14:19:24”) suggest John the Baptist, but not the clothing: “John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist” (cf. “14:14:04”). The descending dove could suggest Jesus.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:19:24
St. Magnus Cathedral: stained glass windows: Elijah


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:20:48
St. Magnus Cathedral


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:21:36
St. Magnus Cathedral

I nipped out of the door by which we came in, to photograph the Bishop’s Palace across the road from there.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:25:42
Bishop’s Palace

Janet thought she’d lost me, but we met up again within the Cathedral.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:32:14
St. Magnus Cathedral: font

We went back to The Reel, where Janet had two Diet Coke and I a tot of Highland Park 12 year old single malt whisky, smooth, fairly sweet, peat-smoky, with a pint of the local Swannay Brewery’s IPA — Orkney IPA, I think — if so 4.2% a.b.v.

Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 14:40:04
The Reel

Strangely, the toilets were up a spiral staircase at the top of a tower.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 15:04:50
The Reel: staircase down from the toilets


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 15:06:48
Last look at St. Magnus Cathedral—


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 15:07:18
—and The Reel

We went back to the bus station and were quickly on a shuttle bus and on our way back to the terminal.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 15:16:26
Views from the shuttle bus: Peedie Sea and (right:) Model Yacht Lake on the opposite side (the south side) of the road from the Bay of Kirkwall


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 15:16:36
Views from the shuttle bus: Model Yacht Lake on the opposite side (the south side) of the road from the Bay of Kirkwall

“We went in a gift shop there,” Janet wrote, “and I bought a small jar of locally made rhubarb and ginger jam.”


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 15:25:26
MV Marco Polo

We boarded the Marco Polo and went to the cabin.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 15:34:04
Our Icelandic teddy Arne

My original account is confusing here: “Janet and I went to the Captain’s Club; she had two Coca Cola Light and I an “American” coffee (14:44, 14:51).” I wrote this, intending to add further details later. The original account continues immediately: “In the Captain’s Club Janet had a Coca Cola Light and I an “American” coffee (16:17).” The photographic evidence is that at 14:44 and 14:51 we were in The Reel, Kirkwall. So I’ll follow Janet’s journal here: “We boarded the boat, went to our cabin, then to the Captain’s Club where I had two Coke and [John] two Americanos. We returned to the cabin…” Transferred 90 photos from the camera to the WD Elements HDD (16:39–16:43). Rotated 27 photos that needed it (16:47–16:50). Our departure time from Kirkwall was scheduled for 17:00, and shortly after that I went out on deck and took five photos.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 17:23:16
Just past Saeva Ness lighthouse at the southern end of the otherwise uninhabited island Helliar Holm
A strait called The String (below on this photo) separates this island from the Mainland.


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 17:24:02
Pilot vessel and Saeva Ness lighthouse


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 17:24:12
Pilot vessel


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 17:24:34
Perhaps the Head of Work on the Mainland on the southern side of The String


Tuesday 14 June 2016 — 17:25:16
View astern somewhat to port: (right:) Saeva Ness lighthouse

From “We returned to the cabin…”, Janet’s journal continues: “…then at 5.30pm [we] returned to the Captain’s Club for drinks.” I had a Campari and soda in the Captain’s Club and then a Grappa, while Janet had a couple of Coca Cola Light, and I ordered a glass of red wine (17:35, 17:47, 17:58) to take with me to Marco’s Restaurant when we went for dinner. Afterwards, we went back to the Captain’s Club and sat at the bar (a favourite position from which to view the complex activity of the barman mixing cocktails etc.); I had a Jim Beam bourbon whiskey and Janet a Coca Cola Light, and later I had an Americano (19:25, 19:47). We chatted to an American couple who lived in Hawaii. We watched the Carmen piano and violin duo as they played, and when they finished we went back to the cabin, ca.8.30pm. I went to bed not long after 9pm, and Janet after showering etc. came to bed ca.9.30pm.

[Wednesday 15 June 2016]