Brough of Deerness

I'd hoped to get to the island of Eday today, but the weather last night wasn't promising. Today I thought I'd been right, but the afternoon brightened and I headed off instead to Deerness , which is the most easterly part of Orkney's Mainland.

It looks summery here, but the was a very strong NW wind and it carried bands of hail or snow. You couldn't walk into it, it was so sharp and painful.

I got as far as the Brough, the formation in the picture. I made my coffee in the remains of a ruined Celtic monastery, which you can just make out. More information here.

These winds must be making it tough on birds migrating north, though I saw a couple of wheatears and a few great skua.