Loch of Wasbister

I think most 'was' place-names in Orkney are pronounced not 'woz' but 'waass', which reminds me of the American band 'Was (Not Was)' wjich I think was supposed to be the same but they got called 'woz not woz' . But anyway...

This is on Rousay. Bit of a cliche, I suppose- the reflected loch. I was surprised to see a whooper swan here as most have left to breed in the far north. I walked from here to Saviskail, past Geos of Conquoy and Kongie Geo, then Saviskail Head and along the cliffs to Scara Taing. Chasms opened at my feet with alarming regularity. You wouldn't want to walk these cliffs with kids loose or the dog off the leash. Two especially scary ones were the Kilns of Brin-Novan and Kiln of Dusty. Perhaps they are called kilns because you can see and hear the sea boiling below. On a ledge of the Kilns of Brin-Novan I binoculared onto what I thought was an old raven's nest but it was actually the bones and skull of a sheep which must have got along the tiny ledge but got stuck.

Just past Itherie Geo I slipped on some alga and came down hard on my side. Paaaiiinn! I lay trying to catch my breath and had visions of needing to get helicoptered out, but soon stood up and walked on (cue applause). Still hurting, though. All sympathy appreciated. Here are more pictures from the day.