Swans are a swimming

These swans were swimming on the lochs at the Dam of Hoxa which is just down from where we are staying. There was a variety of other birds to see including red shank, oyster catchers, fulmar with two young on the beach, a family of mallards and a shelduck.

It's a lovely walk along a path way , a strip of land, an ayre, that divides the beach and sea to the two small lochs . These were at one time part o the Scapa Flow but are now fresh water providing a rich source of food. Yellow iris surrounded the water and champion, bladder plant and common vetch were also present. To the other side of the field are the Sands of Wright where we could hear the waves thrashing in.

The area again is full of history from old settlements with little remaining to the Broch which lies on high ground over looking the bay. It was excavated by a man named Petrie in 1848 and in his notes it says that some 'stone querns , a shallow stone mortar and pestle and two smaller circular stone vessels lay in the recesses between the 'radial slabs'. A stone pounder, a ball of serpentine, a tooth of a sperm whale and a boars tusk were also found.

After I managed to catch the sunrise at just gone 4am this morning we had our first downpour of rain but I still managed to get the washing dry and the sun came out again in the evening.

After our walk we spent the rest of the evening in the games room and relaxing in the sauna.