Orkney Day 6: Rousay

Today we went island hopping - a 25 minute trip across to Rousay, about my maximum boat trip. First we loitered in Betty's Reading Room - a little house lovingly maintained and filled with books in remembrance of Betty. You can help yourself to a book, leave a book, avail of sweeties or warm up by the fire.

We hired bikes from a local farm then sallied forth down well maintained and mostly straight roads. We ate a hearty lunch in the small hotel where baby rabbits and cockerels frolicked in the garden, then left the bikes to do a four mile walk along the coast - absolutely heaving with archaeology from every period. We gasped at Mid Howe, a massive chambered tomb with, admired an iron age broch, saw the remains of a Norse drinking hall, a Medieval church and the remains of 18C crofts. The flowers were stunning and we were impressed by the bellowing of a bull seal on the rocks. We also saw a short eared owl. So many riches, and this little abandoned croft adrift in all that green really beckoned to me! I also loved the bright red telephone box, still in working order, in the middle of nowhere!

Orkney Day 5