The journey to Orkney

Today is, thankfully, taken at a slower pace as we move from mainland Scotland to Mainland Orkney. 

The NorthLink Ferry crossing is, quite simply, wonderful. The skies are a heavy grey of roiling cloud, but it is dry, and, most importantly, calm. So calm, in fact, that fulmars skimming across the water find their reflections imprinted on the grey sea. 

We spend the 90 minutes crossing on the deck of the very impressive MV Hamnavoe. It feels like an expedition cruise with wildlife enthusiasts pressed to the railings, binoculars or cameras at the ready, and there is that air of expectancy as we all scan the ocean for bird or mammal activity. There are fulmars aplenty, terns and gulls, guillemots and razorbills. And there’s the occasional puffin, one of which I capture first swimming, then diving, his little orange feet just flashing above the surface. It’s fascinating to see them all fishing far out from their cliff face nesting areas. Oh, and there one new bird - a lone bonxie or great skua. Out first sighting, but no doubt not our last. 

Every so often, someone catches sight of dolphins or porpoise. We catch quick glimpses of a fin or arching back, before they dive again - but we know they’re there. 

As well as the wildlife, there’s the scenery. Our route takes us cruising along the coast of Hoy and its spectacular cliffs of St John’s Head, one of the highest vertical sea cliffs in Britain. The star attraction is of course The Old Man of Hoy, a 137m high sea stack. Through binoculars or telephoto lenses, it’s clear there are climbers on top of this monolith today, but it was only in 1966 that the Old Man was first conquered, and I remember the live BBC broadcast in 1967 featuring a second climb. According to the ferry company, it is now ascended 20 - 50 times a year. It seems an incredible feat, though those at the top seem very nonchalant about any possible danger.

Arriving at Sromness, we seem immediately drawn into a slower, quieter pace of island life - though the fact that it is Sunday might have something to do with the deserted streets. We quickly fall in love with this little port town with its many stone piers and shoreside buildings. Maritime history is everywhere; a key stopping point for water and supplies for The Hudson Bay Company and for Arctic expeditions, for example. 

We make our way towards Kirkwall, our home for the next three nights, stopping off to explore some areas of the coast. By now the clouds have all but vanished, replaced by blue sky and bright sunshine which continues into the evening when we venture into town for food, giving Kirkwall the feeling of a Mediterranean yachting harbour - but, that is, for the icy wind! And as the day draws to a close, we have the final pleasure of a spectacular sunset to view from our west-facing room. 

Today’s main is, rather obviously, the view looking back from the ferry as we sail into Stromness. In extras there’s my swimming/ diving puffin, a shoreside dwelling in Stromness, and - inevitably- The Old Man of Hoy, complete with climbers. 

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