Another Big Day Out in Orkney

It was a slow start to the day after yesterdays Puffin hunt. We drove down to Churchill Barriers so Sleepyhead could take some pics of the sunken boats…(must be a boy thing)….I thought the only good pics that would come out of that would be a LE……  however it was blowing a hoolie so that was out of the question…..I kind of liked taking pics of the little boat (extra) and the multi coloured shells against the dark popping seaweed.

The Italian Chapel was just a delight……..the fact that they were made from Nissen Huts made the whole feeling even more special…….the front was gorgeous … a tiny entrance bravely standing there alone amongst brooding clouds…but it wasn’t until one got inside was the real treasure revealed.
The whole inside was Tromp L’oeil even the faux stained glass windows were lovingly painted along with the central image and the walls made to look as if they were made of stone blocks. It was so simple…that fact that it did not have the usual churchy stuff made it all the more fabulous……no wonder it is on the list of things to see in Orkney…just exquisite.
A quick nip into the winery to taste some of the local stuff……..I was the designated taste tester…..the Tattie wine was horrid.


We then headed to Kirkwall to take pics of the poppies in front of the church (extra) they had been brought up all the way from The Tower of London…they did look fabulous spilling out of a high window…..but I liked a close up of them better. We poodled around the Museum for a while until it was time to meet up with the Folk…..Happy Valley …Porridge…Freespiral and Himself.
Happy Valley and Porridge took us to one of their most favourite spots…Happy Valley (I can see why your blip name is Happy Valley now Kate). I have to say …I had another moment….tears welled up with a big lump in my throat…I covered it quite well so they didn’t think I was a total loon (pronounced ‘Lun’ hereabouts).
It was just so awesome White pink bluebells everywhere……..a whole glade of them creating a carpet of colour beneath the trees..the dappled light of the afternoon just topped everything off…….I really can’t write about how breathtaking and magical it was….the little paths bordered by the flowers running alongside of a little brook…it was the stuff of fairy tales……obviously a labour of Love from the bloke who lived there…….once.

Thank you both for taking us to your special place it was so lovely to of met you…you guys are just the best.

After a fabulous nosh up at The Ferry…with the bunch of fabulous blippers…....we went home to start packing……..however in the middle of it all we looked out the window and the sky was just awesome so we grabbed our cameras and headed for the Ring of Brodgar…..again. This time they were basking in the gorgeous after sunset glow……….we didn’t get home till 11pm…hence another late night.

I can hardly believe that our time in Orkney has come to a close…..as I write this I am no longer there….I fell in love with that place…..just absolutely awesome…I have never been anywhere quite like it…Thank you Orkney…..I feel so grateful that you shared your ancient treasures with me. 

AN: I had written this blip on the ferry from Stromness to Scrabster….but it got lost trying to get internet connection….even now sitting in our hotel room in BettyHill there is no internet but I had to write again to keep up with it all…I guess I will have to post when I can.