Poppies Orkney style

A funny start to the day as it was foggy. Our hotel proprietress said it was due to being an island and the sea warming up.

We set off to drive a round the North coast of mainland stopping first at Marwick Bird Reserve below Marwick Head and decided to walk up to the cliff top despite the weather. It brightened almost as soon as we set off but the views remained hazy. The sea birds were settling on the cliffs and we saw lots of varieties but not the Puffin which had reportedly been sighted. The castellated monument at the top is the Kitchener Memorial commemorating the loss of lives at this spot off the coast in 1917, when HMS Hampshire hit a German mine. Back in the bay there were three seals and a Redshank as well as lots of Eider ducks.
Continuing we called at Birsay Brough where a causeway takes you across to the island of Birsay when the tide is low enough. There is a Pictish settlement in the island. The tide wasn't low enough but we had seen a sigh to a tea shop,with a great view of the island so tea and cheese scones were purchased.

Carrying back down the East coast we visited The Broch of Gurness and Iron Age settlement on a headland across from the island of Rousay.

Heading now to Kirkwall, the island's capital, the sun finally broke through and we had a warm and pleasant afternoon.

This really should be called Poppies 4 as that is now the number of times we have seen them.
We intended visiting St Magnus Cathedral. A magnificent building of red sandstone and a familiar emblem of Orkney. What I didn't know until a bout a week before our departure was that the Weeping Window poppies were on display here. I saw it on another blip. They are here to commemorate the Battle of Jutland in 1916. I was delighted so a blip from here was a must.
Speaking to someone later they said they may have to stay a while,as a pair of doves have nested in them. He was pleased as they were doing great business for Kirkwall and Orkney in general.

Moving on we followed the northern edge of Scapa Flow to Earls Bu the 12th century foundations of the home of the Norse Earls of Orkney and a centre telling the legendary tale of  the Orkneyinga Saga. Real or otherwise the history goes on and on here. Along the road we saw a hare, the second today, the first one actually ran across the road in front of us. I wasn't fast enough for a picture in either instance but luckily we were going slow enough not to run either of them over.

We have moved for our last night here and are looking over the shores of Scapa Flow on the island of Burray. One of the small south Orkney islands linked by the Churchill barriers and not to far from South Ronaldsay where we will catch tomorrow's late morning ferry.

A lovely sunset and another lovely meal. Orkney has a lot to recommend it.