Brough of Deerness

The very best of days. The promised fine day arrived giving us a wonderful day on Deerness to the east of Kirkwall.

We walked the Mull Head circular out through farmland and moor to the Covenanters Monument on the coast which we then followed back to the visitors centre. The Monument commemorates the 200 Covenanters who drowned here in 1649 when the ship carrying them to exile floundered on the rocks. That so many died was the result of the captain’s orders to batten down the hatches where these people were held.

And what a fabulous walk it was. Views across the sea to other islands were extensive. The sea various shades of blue and the sky deep blue. The old red sandstone formed impressive cliffs riven regularly with sharp steep notches known as geos.

On the ledges formed from the beds of old red sandstone seabirds were nesting. One cliff face being a guillemot city with quite possibly thousands of birds perching precariously on those narrow ledges.

Being me I decided to walk the opposite way to that give on the map. A good move as the sun and breeze were behind us for most of the day.

Despite a busy car park we saw very few people on the walk. More were to be seen at “The Gloup” which was one these narrow defiles created by a collapsing cave except at The Gloop the roof hadn’t fully collapsed leaving a blowhole and arch still in place.

Of course, there was some old stones knocking about, especially the Brough of Deerness, a Viking settlement, which had only just reopened after repairs to the steep descent and ascent had been completed.

Today’s blip is of the view from the bottom of the track to the brough, in a geo, about to ascend to the brough. In the extras look out for the people ascending to the brough; The Gloop and one or too others from along the coast.

For the second night we turned out to try and see the aurora. Failed again as there was too much cloud, whereas most of the rest of the country had exceptional views.