Beyond the Crowds-The Orkney Islands

By Jeffrey D. Murrah

“Orkney!” said the surprised Scotsman, and continued, “I have never been to Orkney” . His reaction to hearing of our vacation plan in his country underscored the uniqueness of our destination.

When we departed for Orkney, our pilot told us that at these northern latitudes it is most often cloudy. Prior to arrival, I had joked with my wife that the weather reports for Orkney are at least honest enough to include a ‘confidence’ factor in their predictions. Most weather reports only indicate wind or rain, the Orkney reports include measures of intensity for the wind and rain. Some of the local Orkney postcards advertised “Escape to the Edge”, conveying the unique experience the islands provide. Located northeast of the Scotland, in latitudes associated with Alaska and Scandinavian countries, the Orkney Islands have a long history of colorful Viking adventures, clan lords, feuding kings and mysteries that remain unsolved. The islands have long been the embarkation point for Viking raids, the edge of civilization, and the source of contention for kings.

On flying into the islands main airport at Kirkwall, the sight of the underwater remains of the German High Seas fleet from World War One in Scapa Flow let me know that Orkney is unique. The aging fleet is popular with divers who frequent the area. The fleet serves as a reminder that these small islands off the coast, which some map makers often leave out have been the scene of many important events. Besides being the location of where the German High Seas fleet was scuttled by its commander, Scapa Flow has also served as an important naval base for the British navy. The natural sheltered harbor has made the island a stopping place for ships over the centuries.

Once on the ground, we drove into the ancient city of Kirkwall. The city is dominated by 900-year old St. Magnus Cathedral. The massive red stone Cathedral is the oldest in Europe and part of the Church of Scotland. Passing through the large doors, you enter an older time. The walls are filled with gravestones older than most nations. Some of the pillars inside have runic inscriptions from the island’s Scandinavian past. The steady stream of worshippers entering and leaving indicate this is a living church, and not a museum relic. The statue of St. Olaf, with axe in hand reminds you that you are in the realm of Scandinavia. The Cathedral remains a vital part of the Orkney life, being the starting point for their annual festive game of ‘ba’, which is a city wide football-like game played every Christmas and New Year’s Day.

The old narrow streets of the city are clean and navigable with restricted automobile traffic, making for an enjoyable walk in the harbor town. The narrow streets are a feature from the days of Viking overlords. Shops line the narrow streets carrying sweaters, books, jewelry, food, whisky and locally produced ice cream and cheeses. There are three jewelry makers carrying unique patterns inspired by Orkney history and relics found on the islands. There are also two whisky distilleries and a brewery producing several varieties of local beers with colorful names such as “Skullsplitter”, “Dark Island” and “Red McGregor”. The Highland Park distillery prides itself on being the northernmost producer of alcoholic beverages in the world. Artisans thrive in this extreme environment whether they are musicians or craftsmen.

At one point a large castle was located on the island. Authorities believed that the castle was too strong, and had it dismantled to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.

The harsh environment of the island also attracts surfers who relish tackling extreme conditions in wet suits. The surf at some beaches on the island have swells of 10 feet or more at times. The large swells require experienced surfers to manage such waves, especially along the rocky beaches. Less experienced surfers can tackle the Orkney waves along the sandy beach available at the Bay of Skaill.

There are few trees on Orkney to break up the windswept landscape. Historical records indicate there were never many trees on these islands. One tree was able to grow, but it had been protected by the shelter of surrounding buildings. The landscape of rugged rocky coastlines, lakes and rolling prairie hills conveys a sense of timelessness.The abundance of seafood has been the source of sustence for aeons on the island.

The homes are built to contain the heat and block the frequent strong winds, which can blow 120 mph in the winter. Despite the ruggedness, the island is home to numerous shorebirds, otters, seals and puffins. Viewing these animals ‘in the wild’ is well worth the effort of venturing out onto the rugged sea cliffs, and braving the elements and unpredictable weather. When the elements become too overwhelming, there are coffee shops, tea rooms and pubs scattered about the island to warm up and dry out at.

The ancient islands contain many mysterious stones, ancient churches, and pre-historic buildings. Rather than learning about ancient events through watching the history channel, Orkney provides opportunities to experience history first hand. Here you can walk lands and visit structures that were old when the Vikings roamed the landscape. This is a land that the writer Walter Scott visited and drew inspiration from. Many of these structures have received world heritage designations. Since there has been little modern development, these sites retain their sense of timelessness.

Skara Brae contains the remains of a 5,000 year old village, pre-dating the Pyramids and Stonehenge.The village is from the stone age pre-dating Pictish settlements. The village has structures for several families, storage areas, places to hold live bait, hallways and other surprising features.The village is accompanied by burial structures, standing stones and stone circles (henge) in the area. Recent excatavions have revealed walls and othe structures at the site as well.The village lay buried until a storm in 1850 uncovered some of the site. The local laird attempted uncovereing some of the site, but soon gave up. Another storm in 1925 revealed more of the site. Efforts were then taken to preserve the site which had not seen human contact for 40 centuries.

The Ring of Brodgar is the most impressive henge at ½ mile across, with 27 of the original 60 megalithic stones remaining in upright positions in heather covered fields and surrounded by a massive ditch. The site is referred to by locals as the ‘Temple of the Sun’. Some of the megaliths have runic inscriptions of Nordic graffiti from the days of Viking raiders.

A second henge, known as ‘the Stenness Standing Stones’ is located a minute drive from Brodgar. Although it contains several larger stones, the circumference and number of stones composing it are lesser than Brodgar’s. The henges invoke a sense of wonder which inspired writers such as Sir Walter Scott to make pilgrimages to Orkney investigating these curiosities. Locals refer to this site as ‘Temple of the Moon’, and celebrate their annual ‘hogmany’ festivities there after attending services at the local church as they have done since 1064. Besides the henges, there are the ancient burial sites of Maeshowe and Cuween Chambered Cairn, each built before 2000BC are located on the island as well. At Maeshow, the site is constructed so that the sun of the winter solstices lines up with its entrance. It is unkown what the exact purpose of this alignment is for, although it is suspected that it is used to mark the passing of another year.

Orkney is ideal for those seeking adventure without the primitive conditions of the third world. You don’t have to be an avid birdwatcher, diver, historian, extreme surfer or archeologist to enjoy what the islands have to offer, although it helps. If your vacation plans call for adventuring in unique destinations and experiencing places that make you forget this is the 21^st century than Orkney is your choice.

The island of Orkney also figures in the Athurian legends. A group often known as the "Orkney Clan" play a prominent role in the story and legends. The Orkeny clan includes King Lot of Orkney and his four sons,Gawain, Gaheris, Gareth, and Agravaine. Depending on the story, Gawain is often a major knight in the round table adventures. King Arthur's sister Morgause was married to King Lot.