This was a day of seeing stones and rocks- and lots of them!  We began at the Stones of Stennes, a stone circle raised about 5,000 years ago, thought to be used as a ceremonial site.

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

Thankfully, it was another gorgeous day, because the views from the Stones of Stennes and our next stop, the Ring of Brodgar, were beautiful.  This Neolithic henge and stone circle is thought to be between 4,400 and 4,600 years old and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Not being a big stone circle history buff, I just enjoyed walking around the circle, taking photographs, and enjoying the views.

Skara Brae was a fascinating archaeological site with more amazing views!  This 5,000-year-old settlement is so fragile, we were only permitted to view it from the walkway above.

Archaeologists think that a small community of 50-100 people lived on this site, and that it was inhabited for several centuries.  Ten structures remain, and it is Europe’s most complete Neolithic village.  Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is older than Stonehenge and was discovered when a historic storm scoured away sand revealing the site. 

Two new friends I made at our lunch stop:

Our final stop was my favorite, and it wasn’t even scheduled!  The walk out to Brough of Birsay can only be done at low tide.  The conditions must also be calm to avoid being swept away off the rocks by winds and the sea.  We hit it just right, so off we went for one of the most beautiful coastal hikes I have ever done!

The Birsay coast faces the Atlantic, so it suffers from high levels of coastal erosion in certain places.  Sadly, there have been numerous archaeological sites that have fallen into the sea.  The area is being monitored closely by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) Archaeology Institute.

How fortunate we were to be able to hike to Brough of Birsay and back!  Once we were out there, I had a choice to either listen to the local guide talk about the history of the area or make a beeline up the steep grassy hill to see the lighthouse.  Thankfully, my swimmers’ lungs allowed me to run up the 150 feet to the top for a quick view of the 1925-era lighthouse and spectacular views of the coast below.  The run back down, I must admit, was a lot easier!

I was very much in my element in Birsay and it was one of the highlights of our visit to the Orkney Islands.  The ocean, beautiful coastline, hiking, and taking photos; it was fabulous!

Coming up next: UNITED KINGDOM #12: FERRY TO INVERNESS & CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK