The Scottish Primrose

Today on Papa Westray the sun shone and we spent a fabulous day exploring the North of the Island. We headed for the North Hill which is a nature reserve and one of the sites where the rare Scottish Primrose ( Primula scotica) can be found. It took a bit of finding as the plant is tiny - only about 8 cm tall but did find a few in the grass.

There were nesting birds everywhere especially on the cliffs - how these chicks don't fall off their precarious nests on little ledges is amazing- perhaps some do !

Orkney is real cattle country and it was a joy to see them enjoying the sunshine as well.

On the way back we stopped off at Holland Farm where the buildings have been preserved so well and they have even converted an old bothy into a museum . I liked the little lamp - we had one exactly the same growing up on the farm before we had electricity.

All together a great day and arrived back at the hostel hot and exhausted ( more than 22000 Fitbit steps! ) - no wifi available in the evening so a back blip but we did have a lovely little impromptu music concert with the newly formed local choir - they even produced an accordion for me so that I could join in with the others - great fun !

Last night in Papay but what a fabulous place - such friendly people and I even met lots of living Rendalls rather than the " Dead Rendall" ancestors I have been tracing in Westray.