Finally the Orkney Islands, Scotland 2018 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Date: 23rd June 2018

Travelled: 42 kilometres from Castlehill on the Scottish mainland to Berwick, Orkney.

Visited: Castlehill heritage park, Castle of Mey £10pp, Pentland Ferries £91, Tomb of the Eagles £6pp

Stayed: Ferry terminal car-park in Burwick, free +toilet and water. N58.74033, W02.97323

Our overnight stop at the heritage centre carpark was quiet. There were four other motorhomes with us last night, but some local people in cars have been arriving since 7am. The dogs jump out excitedly and together with their owners take to the local coastal paths. The weather remains overcast, with the odd ominious cloud scooting by. However we are on a ferry today and the wind is still up, so our crossing to Orkney may be a little rough.

The heritage park at Castlehill was once a large industrial complex, where flagging stone was mined, cut and milled then exported by ship from its own quay. It closed around the time of the first world war. Anyway that’s the background as we go exploring this morning.

Walking the coastal paths in Scotland always provide some scenery to ponder.

The path turns inland passing through some wooded areas. Here and there at small clearings we find some sculptures created in the local flagging.

What was this I ask myself ? Luckily we find an information board. The base for a small windmill used to pump water.

Interesting picture from inside, looking directly up.

Finally we walk around to the old harbour. Constructed in the local flagging as well, it has stood the test of time for 150 years

Michael and Pam's Photo Sphere (Castlehill Pano)

Our ferry departs from Gills Bay at 1.30pm, but we have another stop on the way the Castle of Mey.

The Castle of Mey, purchased by the Queen Mother in 1952. Mey features in an episode of the Crown and from what we have read, it’s a wonderful tour.

Another view of Mey. Entry is £10pp, it is by guided tour only. We are lucky a tour starts in a couple of minutes…

Unfortunately no photos are allowed inside the Castle, so other than this quick photo of the entrance way I cannot share more with you. I will however state it is the best £10pp we have spent so far on this trip.

A last look as we walk back to the Hymer.

We arrive at the terminal in good time, but its chaos. Whilst we had booked ahead, we had to pay on arrival. The line was long and tedious. The fare of £91 is very expensive for a 1 hour passage and the high season hasn’t started. The girl in the office claims the Hymer is 6.5 metres. I counter with a ‘no its only 6 metres plus a bike rack’, I remind her of their published prices states a bike rack is £5 extra on top of the cost for the motorhome. Finally back in the Hymer after temporarily winning the argument over the size of Hymer.

The bell rings for round 2. A guy in a high visability jacket arrive to tell me the motorhome is 6.5 metres and we need to pay an extra £20. So I re-state the Hymer is only 6 metres, I am happy to comply with the advertised prices…etc. He departs.

The bell rings for round 3. Same guy still in high visability jacket, but looking more determined returns…Your motorhome is longer than 6 metres so you will need to pay more. I respond that I am happy to pay what is required under your fee schedule, however without the bike rack this van is only 6 metres. Well I’ll need to measure it he says. Go ahead, I respond.

The bell rings for round 4. Same guy returns but now starting to loose his cool. Its a 200 metre walk from the office to our Hymer, so maybe walking is not his thing. He returns with a measuring wheel (last used on Noah’s Ark, as it was in cubits) and walks along its little wheel doing its best… He stares into the dial. How is it I inquire ? He looks down and returns to the office, I claim a TKO.

After taking 50 ferries in Norway last year, we are used to arguing the toss.

Finally on the ferry, crossing the Pentland Firth. They pack them in like sardines in a can ! You would have never heard of Pentland Firth, but it is considered one of the world’s most dangerous waterways.

Sailing into St Margaret’s Hope, our first glimpse of Orkney is a little grey. St Margaret’s Hope is a small port village on South Ronaldsay, in the southern Orkney.

It’s after 3pm when we roll out of St Margaret’s Hope and head south for Berwick. There is a museum and archeological site there so we should have time. My apologies to the young woman sitting under the sign, sheltering from the wind.

There is a very interesting museum with lots of bits and pieces they have found here, dating back to the Neolithic period. This includes a number of human skulls.

But the real treat is a mile walk across farmland to the actual tomb itself. They found the remains of 340 people who lived and died here, some 5 millenia ago.

As usual Pam wants to go in first and check for spiders and snakes.

There are little alcoves to look into and lots of things to bump your head on.

Why is it called the ‘tomb of the eagles’ you may ask. Because they also found thousands of eagle talons mixed with the human bones. Not good for the eagles that were eventually hunted to extinction

Just down the hill from the tombs we can see Burwick marina. We drive down to find it will make a great wildcamping spot. Its been a long day but we have made the Orkneys !

Michael and Pam

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1 Comment

Jim and Denise
June 27, 2018, 03:29

Well done on making the Orkneys. Did you buy that little blue dinghy in case you have to row back after your little stoush about the Hymer?

I am just not sure the Hymer will fit up front.

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One thought on “Finally the Orkney Islands, Scotland 2018 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿”