What could be better than spending a week in Orkney visiting friends and neighbours and rediscovering the beauty of these islands. Bliss...
And as you can see from the photos, the sun actually shone (until the last day when it snowed!) The Orcadians being hardy souls were out in t-shirts. P and I (being wimpish soothers) kept our coats on!
The scenes below show the part of Stromness and Scapa Flow, the hills of Hoy and looking over to the West Mainland.
Skies always seem huge in Orkney because of the rolling landscape and lack of trees.
Everything is a bit later on the Isles. Primroses covered banks and marsh marigolds filled ditches catch the eye as does an early butterfly.
I went in search of some slightly less well known sites. The fairy and the metal work were found in "Happy Valley" (see the Wind and the Wellies excellent post on that hidden gem here )
Not surprisingly the sea plays a big part in Orkney life. Here it is in it's many guises.
Scenes from Orkney shores:
Evie beach looking over to the island of Rousay,
The Atlantic Ocean crashing onto the rocks at Birsay
Freya on her old stamping ground at Dingies Howie beach. I was so struck by the light and the changes colours on the sea and the land.
A montage of beach collections. Please note there are no photos of "Groatie buckies" because I didn't find any! P found two... he can spot them at 20 paces....
And if you're asking what a "groatie buckie" is, you can find out here.
That's a flavour of our flying visit (by ferry) to the Orkney Isles.
Now it's back to more everyday pursuits of blogging, gardening and getting ready for the Montrose and Hillside Open Day on July 3rd. And there are a lot of garden blogs to catch up with...
I'm ashamed to admit that I have never ventured north of the border save for one short stay in Edinburgh, so Orkney is on my many list of places in Scotland that I would like to visit Janet. Your photos have whetted my appetite. I do like the name for the island's citizens - it rolls off the tongue well. What glorious beach finds :)
ReplyDeleteAnna, i think you need to do the grand tour of Scotland. We spent a lot of time on the beaches, supposedly walking the dog.....
DeleteSounds as though you had a lovely break, Janet - thanks for sharing it with us. I'd love to visit some Scottish islands if I'm ever well enough to travel that far, but in the meanwhile I'll make do with your gorgeous photos.
ReplyDeleteI hope all's going well with your move - like you I've had a bit of a break from the blogsphere and am still catching up so have only just read about it. We are also hoping to move shortly (and yes, I'd love to buy your garden, but unfortunately I'd need it to be just a bit closer to Bath ... ).
Glad you liked the Orkney photos, Juliet. Having visited Bath a few times we both like it ( apart from too many tourists). Buying and selling property seems to take a log time these days!
DeleteBeing in such a beautiful place would inspire me to never leave. But then I would miss my garden... Thanks for sharing your lovely photos of this lovely place.
ReplyDeleteWe fell in love with Orkney all over again but i would find it hard to live there with friends and family so much further south......
DeleteBig skies like that are so wonderful, although I do know people who feel uncomfortable under them. I'm glad you could enjoy such a blissful week, Janet, but hope you didn't have too wade to far into the ocean to find Freya's ball!
ReplyDeleteI think that the big skies and the sea make up for the lack of trees and mountains, Stacy. The light on the land and the colours of the sea are truly magical. Add to that the song of the curlews and the oyster catchers...bliss!
DeleteFreya did not loseone ball this time. Must be a record!
Hi Janet, they are beautiful postcards. But i wonder why there are no trees at all, wonder more where the oxygen in those areas come from!
ReplyDeleteThere's very little pollution in the Isles (lots of lichen on bushes and walls are proof of that)just good clean air.
DeleteThanks for sharing your postcards with us, fantastic scenery! It's lovely going back to see friends and rediscover old haunts, so glad the weather was good for you, we have all the wet and cold down here for a change!!
ReplyDeleteIt was a great trip, Pauline and heled by sunny weather....
DeleteWe would love to explore Orkney one day, heard so many good things about the place and seen so many lovely photos. Looks like a very beautiful part of the world :)
ReplyDeleteIt is beautiful but you need your longjjohns...
DeleteBeuatiful photos. How lucky that you are close enough to take a quick visit. I would like to see the Orkney Islands some day.
ReplyDeleteBook you plane ticket Carolyn, you won't regret it!
DeleteI'm adding Orkney to the places I want to visit. The "I [love] Real Life" sign struck a cord with me. How much time to do I spend on line or watching tv missing the real life that is going on around me.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Mary. There was a TV where we stayed (don't watch that much) and also a connection for the internet. I was glad I hadn't taken my ipad...
DeleteGreat Photos, I get to Scotland Regurarly but seldom to the islands, the west coast is stunning if challenging place to garden, Ireland is much easier!
ReplyDeleteThe west coast is so very wet but there are some stunning gardens. Being an east coast person, the west coast has always been a place for holidays and short trips. I am struck by how much more dramatic the landscape is.
DeleteBeautiful photos - and you were so fortunate to find the sun ... I had wondered where it was hiding...
ReplyDeleteI love the way the light catches the sea.
Folk in Orkney congratulated us on picking such good weather.
DeleteGorgeous as always Janet - you make the islands look idlyicc - and you brought the sunshine with you. I'm with you and P - despite the sunshine I was fully bundled up and still managed to catch a nasty bug! Love the way you've laid out the photos and Happy Valley - so lovely to see it covered in bluebells - I love the fact that its so peedie we walk up and down it a couple of times to keep the dappled light on our wind beaten faces. Glad you had fun here - shows immensely
ReplyDelete