OrkneySaga

This year it was Orkney, a third visit for us but a first with the van, reached in stages from the southwest via Cumbria, Aberdeenshire and Caithness. The ferry journey begins at Gills Bay (the shortest route) and the art of reversing onto a ferry marks the start of the adventure....vans first, then the delivery containers, lastly the motorbikes lashed to the open deck.

Our first stop was at the Stromness camp site. Don't expect the world of CC here, it's all very casual, we had made a booking and the warden just happened to be there but off he went and later arrivals had to fend for themselves. The site overlooks the whole of Stromness, we could ferry boat and ferry watch from one side and enjoy the beach and views to the island of Hoy from the other, a rather windy exposed peninsular but a great spot. just up the road are the WW2 huts, newly renovated for vistors to see what life was like for those posted to this bleak but strategic area looking up the water to Scapa Flow.

Being a fan of archaeology Orkney has plenty to offer, it was good to wander around the stones of Stenness one day and on another the Broch of Gurness, the centre of this broch is on one of the photos. A hoped for visit to the old Viking stronghold of Bursay was hampered by the tide, the short tidal path was under water so the island just stood tantalislingly at a distance with the ruins of the Viking longhouses in view. But the beautiful white sandy beach and clear water with views of Westray was just as enjoyable.

A trip to the towering cliffs of Yesnaby was another treat, with wild flowers underfoot and endless coastal walking.

We moved onto the next site at Kirkwall, met up with friends and enjoyed "town life" for a few days. A few problems on the site meant all was not perfect, we shared the site with travellers and police and the edgy feel to this meant we'd have preferred to be elsewhere.

We escaped to Deerness and the wild coastal reaches of this area before a stormy day announced it was ferry time again and another go at reversing from St Margaret Hope onto the "cat" and onwards with our travels southwards.