A DAY IN THE PORT OF KIRKWALL

7/23/2019-

WELCOMED BY PIPERS 

I was up at 0400 with the sun and captured the sunrise. Looking forward, it would appear the skies are very cloudy, yet it may break up as the day progresses.

Kirkwall is known as the “Mainland” of the Orkney archipelago, as it is the capital of this group of about 70 islands in the North of Scotland. Founded in about 1035, Kirkwall was declared a Roual Burgh in 1486 by King James III. In Kirkwall one finds the St. Magnus Cathedral built of pink and yellow sandstone. 

In the surrounding countryside, ancient settlements dating back to 3000BC have been discovered. Here cairns (man made piles of stone) from the Bronze Age and the Iron Age have been located. These sites have earned the UNESCO World Heritage site designation. 

Yes, the Vikings made their mark on this area and the name Kirkwall is derived from the old Norse name Kirkjuvagr, meaning Church Bay. 

Todays plan is to do some birding and I am sure we will get a bit of local history as well. 

Our birding excursion started with a bus to The Loons. This ride took us across the Orkney countryside to a large wetlands area. Here we used a hide to observe several ducks, geese, and what I will call shore birds.  

Must say the countryside is green and lush and there are very few inhabitants on the island. 

We next stopped at Marwick Head, known locally as “Seabird City”, and it did not disappoint. We were able to observe guillemots, kittiwakes, fullers and a couple puffins. 

When our time was done we we drove past the Ring of Brodgar a neolithic stone circle which is part of the UNESCO Heritage Site. 

We returned to the ship, repacked our bags and took a shuttle back into Kirkwall. Here we walked about first visiting St. Magnus Cathedral. built in 1137 Earl Rognvald  the nephew of St Magnus. When Orkney became part of Scotland in 1486 the cathedral was a few years later given to the people of Kirkwall by the Scots King James III. 

On the south east side of the chapel there is a memorial to Dr. John Rae. He was an employee of the Hudson Bay Company and had explored the Canadian Arctic. He is also known as the discovered of the Northwest Passage, and I later learned he he is buried in the cathedrals grave yard. 

I am always amazed at the craftsmanship of any cathedral. 

We then wandered about the village/town of Kirkwall. We visited a craft fair, local shops, getting creamy Orkney ice cream and finally stopping at a local pub for a local beer. 

We spotted the local Lifeboat station and shop. Here we supported the Lifeboats by purchasing some items from them. We then headed back to the ship. 

We made our way to Deck 10 for sail away enjoying the views of Scapa Flow. 

We then dressed and went to see Greta Salome, an award winning Icelandic violinist. She was most enjoyable and provided a high energy performance. 

After the performance, we went to O’Gills pub and met up with some fellow cruisers and played music trivia. I would have to say it was the best we have ever done, yet we were not winners. 

Then came dinner where I had an interesting dish, pumpkin over wild rice. I felt, as expected, it was a simple peasant dish. I was very pleased with my choice. 

Off to bed, it was a good day.