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Today was very very wet, so I headed to the capital city of Orkney - Kirkwall.
Having parked for the very reasonable rate of £1.50 for 8 hours, I made for the offices of Orkney Ferries to book a couple of excursions for the week. No spoilers here, but the first is tomorrow, so not long to wait...
I then popped into the Orkney Wireless Museum. This houses a fascinating collection of radios, some of which were very similar to those my Grandparents had. There was also a collection of WWII communication devices, including a Spy Suitcase that was dropped behind enemy lines for use by The Resistance. Another highlight for me was a couple of adverts for Mullard valves - I used to live right by one of their factories until it closed down. Another childhood memory was provided by working versions of a Stylophone and Pong - the first tennis computer game.
Next I sheltered in St. Magnus Cathedral, which is a stunning building built of red sandstone. The interior was no less impressive, featuring a memorial to The Royal Oak that was sunk in Scapa Flow at the beginning of WWII, prompting the construction of The Churchill Barriers. There were also many gravestones from the 17th century, many of which featured an interesting skull and crossbones motif, where the skull was elongated. I guess it was the fashion for a while!
Leaving the Cathedral, the rain had become even heavier - fortunately The Orkney Museum was just across the road, and was providing sanctuary for many a half-drowned person. The Museum is extremely interesting - even if it had been sunny outside I'd have spent a long time in here - and free. It details the history of the islands - the very first settlers; the builders of Cairns 5,000 years ago; the transformation of the Picts from Pagans to Christians; being ruled by the Norse settlers; the increasing influence of the Scots until the islands were transferred to them; the scuttling of the German fleet after WWI by the German Commander; the sinking of the Ark Royal and construction of the Barriers in WWII; right up to the present day.
Leaving the Museum, I went a couple of doors up the road to the Real Food Cafe @ Judith Glue. Here I tucked into the Pork and Pear Black Pudding Sausage in a Roll, with side salad, tattie salad and chutney, accompanied by a chocolate milkshake.
Leaving the cafe, it had actually stopped raining! So I took advantage and popped round the corner to see the ruins of the Bishop's and Earl's Palaces. These are two separate buildings on opposite sides of the road, but have a linked history. The Bishop's Palace was built in the 12th century at the same time as the Cathedral. Ownership passed in 1568 to Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney, who built Birsay Palace. When his son Patrick inherited it, he incorporated it into his newly built Palace. The second Earl had a fearsome reputation, mistreating the locals and other landowners. He was also a compulsive gambler and his debts meant the Palace was never fully completed and he had to return the Bishop's Palace to the Church. Then, after leading a rebellion when he briefly regained possession of both palaces, he was arrested, jailed and eventually executed for treason.
While viewing the Palaces, the rain had returned and I returned to a sodden Minx to drive over a Churchill Barrier to the island of Lamb Holm to look at The Italian Chapel. This is a beautiful little chapel built by the Italian Prisoner's of War that constructed the barriers. Made up of two Nissan Huts placed end to end, it has an impressive concrete porch on the front and a skillfully painted interior to make the walls look tiled. The painting above the alter is particularly beautiful. A fitting permanent memorial to the POWs and the link between Orkney and Italy.
By now, the weather was beginning to clear and there were even some blue patches in the sky, so I drove back to Kirkwall via Tankerness along the north coast of this part of Mainland. As I drove past the airport, a plane flew overhead as it was coming in to land.
In Kirkwall, I got some Chips and Cheese from The Happy Haddock and parked by the harbour to consume them. There now being plenty of blue sky about, we got the roof down for the drive back to the B&B.
Today we drove 49 miles.
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