Old Man of Hoy

We caught the ferry from Stromness to Hoy  and then a minibus to take us to the west coast of the island. En route we stopped in a layby where a lady from the RSPB had set up a telescope to view a nesting White Tailed Eagle.
Sadly there was a "wee bitty ScotchMist" so we could see nothing but cloud. She said that she would be there all day and to stop on the way back.
We enjoyed a lovely walk to view the Old Man of Hoy and then stopped on the way back to look and the beautiful stones on Rackwick Beach.
We decided to return along the road rather than the alternative through a valley in the hope of catching sight of the nesting eagle. Sadly the lady and telescope had gone but along the way we met a lady with her daughter who were also walking back to the ferry. The little girl must have been about 8 years old and she and mum had walked across the island to see the Old Man of Hoy, down to Rackwick beach and back along the road. The little girl was getting tired at the end of the 17 mile walk but the promise of hot chocolate in the cafe seemed to spur her on. I was tired after our mere 13 miles and was glad to stop for dinner in Stromness before returning to our B&B ! 
The extra photo is of Rackwick beach