We had set an alarm so as to get up promptly and spend the day out and about as there is so much to see and do in the Orkneys. Our first stop was to the Tomb of the Eagles, a 5000 year old Neolithic chambered cairn discovered by a farmer on his land when he was looking for stones for building in 1958. Over time the cairn has been excavated and now covered to protect it from the elements but a large number of the artefacts found inside are on display in an associated interpretive centre run by enthusiastic members of the farmer's family. There are introductory talks to the cairn which are very informative and unusually one is allowed to handle some of the artefacts! These include skulls, beads, axe heads and others tools and ornaments.
Found much later on the same land is a Bronze Age Burnt Mound and building of indeterminant use but which contains a sophisticated water supply system fed by a local stream and an external fire pit which it is believed was used to heat stones that were then used in a large stone lined pit in the centre of the building which Los had a stone slab floor. So clearly time and effort was spent on constructing the building but archeologists are divided on its exact purpose but views range from a tannery to wool dying to a steam room.
Both structures are located amidst beautiful surroundings in fields on the edge of cliffs both filled with wild flowers and a wide range of birds who called incessantly throughout our visit. We spent nearly three hours in the centre, exploring the two buildings and walking the cliff top. It was possible to enter the cairn through the same low doorway used by Neolithic people for a period of about 800 years and to explore the numerous chambers where skulls, pottery and bones had been placed after excarnation or sky burial. Apparently, when found, the cairn contained the largest collection of Neolithic bones in Britain. The reason for this being referred to as the Tomb of the Eagles is because with some of the skulls, the talons and in a couple of cases, whole skeletons of sea eagles were found with them suggesting some spiritual association with these amazing birds who it seems may have been revered or possibly even feared.
The Bronze Age building was also very interesting and Lesley and I spent time speculating over its use and were amazed at how the stone floor was so carefully laid and had remained and that parts of the water management system were still in place. Walking the cliff top was also very pleasureable, we spotted a variety of seabirds and also, we think, skylarks.
We lunched at Skerries Bistro, a tasty selection of seafood platter and hot salmon quiche with salads with great sea views back towards mainland Scotland.
Next we travelled northwards to the Orkney Wine Company to sample and buy some of their fruit wines and liqueurs and Orkney Ice Cream for our evening dessert. Nearby was the Italian Chapel, constructed from two standard nissan huts during WWII by Italian prisoners of war. Wanting somewhere to celebrate mass which reminded them of home, a group of prisoners used scrap materials and concrete to create this amazing little chapel complete with a small bell tower and some wonderful painting inside, first to represent bricks and marble and then for the altar.
Then we motored onto Kirkwall in search of a tourist office to find some information about ferries to Sanday. We did eventually find the tourist centre but after it was closed, however, we did get a chance to look around the St Magnus Cathedral, "the Light in the North." It is a splendid red sandstone building with quite narrow aisles and simply decorated. During our short visit an orchestra of young Orcadian musicians were rehearsing for a concert that evening and playing Greig.
We wandered around the town a little to orientate ourselves and promised to return to explore more of it before we leave Orkney on Friday. We returned to our campsite, cooked a pasta meal followed by that ice cream then watched Hunger Games, partly on Amanda's recommendatio, on tv. I considered it to be better than the sequel which I watched on one of our many flights whilst touring Australia.
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