North Ronaldsay from the air

Last night I did sleep like a log which was restorative. We had another huge breakfast of Orkney delicacies with the bits we couldn't eat packed up for our lunch. A short eared owl swooped over the field in front of the window as we ate.  Our B&B host gave us a lift to the bus stop and off we set for Kirkwall. 

Once there we had time for coffee and a bit of a walk and a sit in the museum gardens before catching the airport bus. 

The last time I flew was in January 2019 when we went to Lisbon. I've often said that I won't fly again and I really thought I wouldn't. However on this holiday I've booked two inter-island flights. It isn't really possible to justify that extravagance so I won't try. 

I have always used ferries in Orkney so this 15 minute flight was a real experience. At a height of about 1,000 feet we had clear views of Shapinsay, Stronsay, Sanday and then North Ronaldsay where we landed. 

We've never been here before. It's exciting. We walked from the airfield to the Bird Observatory. That's where we'll be staying for the next couple of days. You can see the observatory behind the pier.  It's pretty breezy but dry. There's a beach right next to the observatory so after a cup of tea I'm going off to explore.