As you saw in yesterday’s pictures, the weather was glorious, a perfect tribute to the Summer Solstice. The daylight was 19 hours, which we needed to fit in all those Geology stops. We enjoyed our night in Tongue, then this morning we drove northeast to pick up a ferry to the Orkney Islands.
The geology of the main island, Orkney, where we will be staying for 3 nights is mundane, all flat-lying Devonian sandstone deposited in a large, freshwater lake. On this island, we are looking for cultural sites and activities.
We wandered around the town where we will be staying, Kirkwall, then drove to a 5,100 year old Neolithic Cairn, Wideford Hill Chambered Cairn, “where the living communed with their dead”. To reach their ancestors, the Neolithic people had to journey from daylight into darkness. The signs invited us to do the same, but we were not tempted.
We continued down the road to a sourdough bakery and pizza parlor that we read about long before we arrived. The small, cozy place was great for dinner.
Bunch of Geeks go Traveling 