Backblip: Saturday - Hoxa Dam

A wet and windy night cleared to sun and cloud by morning. The wind remained and still had quite a bitter edge to it. We wrapped up warm, eschewing the Sands 'o Wright (it was high tide) for a walk across Hoxa.

There is a circular walk extending from the car park that cuts across to the ayre at Hoxa Dam and thence across the ayre and onward to St Margaret's Hope. We usually walk this way - it cuts through an area of bog and marsh and is muddy even in mid-summer. Luckily there is an extension by road that cuts out the mire and for the first time we took that option. There is a slight climb to the West and it was good to have a new perspective on the surrounding area. It was Mr L who took my arm and said "look - a ruin". Bless him, he knows my tastes.

We took a short detour to visit the old house (extra pic) on the margin of the sea and I was rewarded by the discovery of a very old electric iron left on the windowsill (extra pic) - how I love these serendipitous moments.

After crossing the Ayre we elected not to go all the way round by the Hope, turned aboot, then foolishly attempted the short cut back to Brunhilde. Luckily, I had spare trousers packed.

Cooked up a Steak supper and followed that by several rounds of Trivial Pursuit and a bottle of rum, wherein our memories became increasingly poor...

Point of Interest - that rise to the right of the main picture is a Broch, called The Howe.  Thorfinn Turf-Einarsson the 10th century Norse Earl of Orkney (aka Thorfinn Skullsplitter) may be buried at the site of The Howe - or not.

Yesterday's backblip is here