Borealis cruised into a night of light rain past the sheltering Hebrides and we could feel the slight waves. We passed the 500 foot cliffs of Cape Wrath, a name derived from the Norse for turning point, and turned our bow to the east, heading for the choppy waters of the Pentland Firth, between Orkney and Scotland. To the West was the wide expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. But we turned north heading towards Kirkwall, Orkney's capital, where we were due to dock for a few hours.
We awoke in the morning to a view of small, green islets, but the view soon changed to Kirkwall harbour, where Borealis dropped anchor. The town was built of small stone houses, and I was reminded of Norway, a country that I have visited. This is unsurprising, for Orkney and Shetland were under Scandinavian rule until the fifteenth century when they passed to Scotland as a dowry payment. Their inhabitants often deny that they are Scots and claim strong affinities to Norway, a situation that displeases Scottish Nationalists. Britain is richer in local identities than maps reveal.
Covid regulations dictated that passengers could only leave the ship in an organised tour, of which there were several options, but some were booked up already and others were not suitable for one with mobility problems, and as I have Parkinson's disease several tours were not possible. We chose a 90 minute coach tour of major features. We confined ourselves to the main island, known as Mainland, but we saw key sites of Orkney and we had an excellent tour guide to conduct us, a farmer's wife, Orkney born and bred, who knew and loved the land.
Of particular interest was the Ring of Brodgar, a megalithic stone circle that is part of the rich Neolithic heritage of Orkney. It is a henge, a circular surrounding a ditch enclosing and defining a level area in which a ring of megaliths [ standing stones] stands silently defying millennia. You cannot enter the ring, but walk round it sensing the atmosphere of an abandoned temple once held in awe, but now a prehistoric reminder of a forgotten faith. It was, like Stonehenge, probably a temple to the sun, designed to track the solstices, the markers of the sacred year. I wondered what rituals were enacted there, but the stones were silent.
We toured this fecund isle with its rich sandstone soil enriched with millennia of seaweed, with its barley a-growing [no wheat at that latitude] and cattle and sheep happily grazing. We passed the megalithic tomb of Maes Howe with its corbeled dry stone conical structure that has stood unmoved for millennia. We passed the wide expanse of Scapa Flo, an inland sea at the heart of Orkney where in 1919 the German High Seas Fleet was scuttled and where in 1940 a U boat sent the battleship Royal Oak to a watery grave along with most of her crew.
After finishing our brief sample of Orkney we returned to the ship and enjoyed the lounge and later a three course meal. While we relaxed Borealis set sail for Shetland.
Comments
I wanted to include a map, but the option is no longer available.
Orkney is an archipelago, as is Shetland. Each is a cluster of islands. Lying between the two archipelagoes is isolated Fair Isle.
Danes and English are ethnically close to each other, but the last bout of Danish settlement in England occurred in the ninth century. Also, both the Angles and the Jutes were Danish, even though in the nineteenth century ancestral territory of the Angles in Denmark was swallowed up by Germany.
My Danish grandmother came to New England directly from Denmark when she was young. That is not to say I couldn’t also have Danish relatives who settled in England. I’m still learning my geography of that area and now I know that Orkney is an island, correct?. I don’t know if Wizzley still has a map section to add to a page, but it might be helpful for this article.
I am not sure as to which accent Dusty is referring. The Scottish ( never Scotch ) or Orcadian.
Travel by ship took a day and night, but remember, we spent a few hours in Orkney on the way.
British accents are very varied, and Shetlanders and Orcadians don't sound like Scots. Their historical connection with Norway is still lingering, and you can sense it in the accent.
You mention that you have Danish blood as well as English and Irish. There is much Danish blood in Northern England, especially in the North East, where many Danes settled. Where I live, in the North West, there were fewer Danes, but more Norwegians.
Hi Veronica, I also just made 2 sweaters from Lopi wool, directly ordered from Iceland! Just what I need for the climate I live in... LOL Sounds like a wonderful cruise and I love the photos. Maybe one day you will get to go.
Dusty.
It was a very thoughtful gift from Frank's fantastic wife, my friend, Maureen.
I made my husband a jumper out of Icelandic wool - the best yarn.
I would love that cruise.
Happy Birthday Frank! I love this tale of your voyage by sea. I watch every British TV show I can to see all the beauty in your neck of the woods. Usually I have a hard time understanding that accent though!
Since I am a knitter, I often use Shetland wool and knit Fair Isle colorwork garments. I just love that history. I am in the US but of Irish, English and Danish descent.
So it takes about one full day and night to travel from your area to Shetland? Sounds like you had a fabulous trip taken with a wonderful life companion. I’m so sorry to hear about your Parkinsons.
Derdriu, the ponies were taken down the mine to pull coal waggons.
Orcadians consider themselves Brits of Norwegian descent.
The photo was taken by a member of the crew.
Small bushes can survive in these northern isles, particularly in sheltered gardens. It is the same with shrubs. I saw no vines. I imagine that a walled garden would work for shelter.
Also, people from Orkneys are known as Orcadians here.