Orkney - 8th August
I’ve done some strange things in my time but pulling myself into a stone-age burial chamber on a trolley that resembled a skateboard was a first!
Having arrived on Orkney via the ferry and Stromness one of the main things I wanted to do on was to visit some of the prehistoric sites that are on this group of islands. As over 1000 have been identified making it Europe’s greatest concentration of ancient monuments there are a fair few to visit! The first one I decided to visit was the 5000-year-old Stone Age Tomb of Eagles. So named because of the numbers of eagle talons they found buried with various remains. The skeletons or partial skeletons of well over 300 people were found within this mound although only about 100 skulls. It was thought that sky burials may have taken place and bodies were initially left outside for the birds to pick clean before being buried within the chamber.
Also in the same area was the site of an iron age dwelling complete with elderly Scot who was guardian/guide of this site and recited what I took to be his usual spiel for each group of tourists about the history of the site. With the heavy accent and the occasional use of dialect it was a little difficult to follow as he was obviously used to reciting the same thing several times a day and he rattled through it at quite a rate! I interrupted with questions every now and then just as a break from having to concentrate so hard!
I had often heard the term ‘block ships’ in relation to Scapa Flow but there’s nothing like experiencing things for yourself to really understand what people are talking about. These were ships that had been purposely sunk across the passageway between the mainland and the islands of Burray and South Ronaldsay. They really make an awesome sight with huge bits of rusting metal work sticking up above the water.
However, despite these a German u-boat managed to sneak through Kirk Sound torpedoing HMS Royal Oak and killing 833 seamen. Consequently the Churchill Barriers constructed of huge concrete blocks forming causeways linking these islands were built by the Italian POW that were housed on the island.
A more poignant reminder of the prisoners is the church they built and decorated in their spare time from two Nisson huts and anything they could find and use. It is a memorial to their ingenuity, artistic skill and an unfailing spirit even in times of adversity.
