UK 4 Orkney Islands - A Neolithic Time Capsule
Thursday, 13 September 2018 8:28 pm
6.45pm we depart the mainland to the Orkney islands.
In the arrival port of St Margaret’s Hope the local Pub’s seafood platter was just the treat.
Camp E13: A very windswept Beach Camp
Sand of Wright Beach
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 12 metres
Today : 126 Kms.
UK Total : 2406 Kms
Thursday 13th September 2018:
The Orkneys Islands have some extremely well preserved Neolithic sites dating back 4-5,000years.
This is a 4,000year old sauna. Rocks were heated in the fire then placed in the centre square creating steam.
In the same area, the Tomb of the Eagles.
Found by a local farmer in 1958 and in 1976 explored fully in conjunction with archaeologists.
Here 16,000 human bones were found together with bones from over 725 birds, many identified as from the White-Tailed Eagle.
The Orkneys are made up of some 70 islands some connected by narrow causeways. 16 are inhabited, many remote and desolate.
Most of these causeways were built by Italian prisoners of war during their captivity during WWII.
One of the other legacies of their time here was this Church they built out of discarded materials.
The Standing Stones of Stenness, is the oldest site in the British Isles.
Originally 12 stones on a near perfect circle, was constructed around 3,100BC ( 5,000 years ago).
It is a World Heritage site of Significance.
Only a few metres away a village of 15 houses was discovered in 1984.
The Barnhouse village was inhabited around the same time but seems to be abandoned around 2,600BC.
The Ring of Brodgar.
A UNESCO World Heritage site dating back to 2,500BC, was therefor one of the last great Neolithic monuments built in the Orkneys. The circle is 104m in diameter and originally contained 60 stones of which only 27 remain.
Camp E14: Another very windswept Camp this time at Yesnaby Cliffs
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 36 metres
Today : 111 Kms.
UK Total : 2518 Kms
Friday 14th September 2018:
The site consists of 8 houses and occupied from about 3,180 BC to 2,500 BC. It is Europes most complete ancient village. Covered with sand for thousands of years it was only in 1850 when a severe storm uncovered the houses. Excavation revealed complete rooms with beds, fire places, storage boxes and display cabinets, all made of stone. The site also yielded up pottery, bone and shell jewellery and many farm and household tools.
This and other surrounding sites predates the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids, and Stone Henge.
Camp E15: Kitchener Bay Camp
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 2 metres
Today : 104 Kms.
UK Total : 2622 Kms
The day has been on and off rain with the resultant numerous rainbows.
Saturday 15th September 2018:
Some time back when we entered Scotland we purchased a ‘Scotland Go Explore” pass.
A 14 day pass it was at a considerable discount to actually buying entry tickets at each site, because of this we visited perhaps more sites than planned.
Such as this ..
Earl Patricks Palace in Kirkwall, the capital of the Orkneys. It was built by mostly forced labour in 1607.
Earl Patrick is acknowledge as the most tyrannical Scottish nobleman, he rarely paid his accounts, and was accused of theft of lands. He was imprisoned in 1609, but then his bastard son began a rebellion retaking the castle. It was only 2 year later that both were executed !
St Magnus cathedral was built between 1108 and 1117, and still stands impressive today
The day finishes with a long walk around some rugged coastline.
Camp E16: Sand of Wright Beach Camp
Cost: Nil
Altitude: 12 metres
Today : 110 Kms.
UK Total : 2734 Kms
Tomorrow back to the mainland.