Part of the Ring of Brodgar

Started the day off at Loch of Stenness, which is a sea-water loch. The Stones of Stenness were almost deserted this morning, which in many ways make it easier to photograph them, since there are so few stones remaining. From here it was a sort walk the RSPB hide to watch for the activity on the Loch of Harray, which in turn is a very large fresh-water loch.

The Stones of Stenness are one of the earliest stones circles in Britain. The stones were raised about 5,000 years ago. Originally, this circle consisted of 11/12 stones. As with all of these Stone Circles there would have been a substantial outer bank. In the centre of the stones there would have been a large hearth, mainly used for ceremonial use. At the Ring of Brodgar there would have originally been 60 stones, of which 36 still survive today. This group of stones has a diameter of 104 meters across in a near perfect circle, this in turn was surrounded by a 10 meter wide ditch, which was thought to be as much as 30 feet deep and because of it’s size would have been accessed by two opposing causeways.

From here decided to drive on to Skara Brae, which in turn I missed the turning and ended up in a little place called Quoyloo, where at the top of the lane I found Orkney Breweries and Visitor Centre. So, knowing what a mistake it would be to pass up this opportunity. I ventured into the Tasting Hall...

I ended my day at The Broch of Gurness and is by all accounts one of the most outstanding surviving examples of an Iron Age settlement that is unique to northern Scotland. It is made up of a circular broch tower built some time after 100AD. It was probably the residence of the principal family of the community. Within its massively thick walls the broch originally had a single central hearth, a ring of stone-built cupboards around the wall, and a sunken water well. The Vikings who settled in Orkney from around 800AD often used the mounds of earlier settlement sites as burial places, and this was the case at Gurness. The grave of a Viking woman was found here, along with some grave-goods.