Travelled :75km
Stay:Birsay Head- free parking N59.1353 W3.3247
Visited: Wideford Cairn, Rennibister Earth House, Cunene Chambered Cairn, Doocot, Broch of Gurness (Without pass £6pp), Click Mill, Kirbuster Museum, Brough of Birsay (without pass £6pp), (purchased Orkney Explorer ticket for 6 paid attractions £27adult/£22 concession)
We had no rain during the night and felt hopeful in the morning that we may have a cloudy but dry day...no chance! But as you can see by how many places we visited, it didn’t deter us. So after our morning coffee we were off to find Wideford Cairn. It was set half way up a hill near Kirkwall. It was an enjoyable walk offering us some terrific views of the Island.
Essentially, the Cairn is a 5000 year old chambered tomb. As the main entry was a small passage way, we were able to enter the tomb from a roof hatch and metal ladder.
It was well preserved and there were 3 cells off the main chamber. A torch was even provided for our explorations.
It was then a short drive to Rennibister Earth House situated in a farmhouse courtyard. This was a fine example of an Orkney Souterrain with a small chamber and passage underground. When it was discovered in 1926, 18 human remains were found. We also had to enter the chamber via a roof hatch and ladder.
We then went to explore the Curween Chambered Cairn. This one had been cut into solid bedrock and we had to crawl through the narrow passageway into the main chamber which had four cells connected to it. In 1901 they found 24 dog skulls as well as human remains.
You can just see Bluey..
Changing the theme of the morning we went to have a look at Rendall Doocot which is an unique beehive shaped pigeon house built in 1648.
Further up the coast was the well preserved Broch of Gurness, built in the 1stC BC and has since been occupied by the Picts and Vikings.
From here we ventured into the centre to Click Mill, a lovely well maintained building with the wooden horizontal waterwheel and milling mechanisms still functioning.
Needing a bit of out of the elements activity we went to have a look at the Kirbuster Museum. Here we could see an example of a 19th C Firehoose farm with its central fireplace, stone neuks and farming utensils.
Our final stop was at Birsay Head where we can walk over a causeway during low tide to a small Brough (island).
It’s main attraction is the Romanesque church ruins and Norse long houses.
There is also a lighthouse near the 45m cliffs where lots of birds nest including puffins, of which we were lucky to get a close up look
By this time the sun finally shined on us once again and we anticipate some drier weather for tomorrow.
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