What followed can only be described as magical. Tales from the hot plains of Kenya were met by stories from the cold lands in what is now known as Canada.  Each a mix of humor, adventure, suspense and wider meaning. Mara Menzies educated the fascinated crowd on the origins of cooking. Robert Seven Crows Bourdon began his tales by first inviting the ancestors to listen as “they first told us these stories.” He shared the story of the wind eagle and a cunning boy. Gordon MacLellan gave us a Giant tale of epic proportions. The trip all the way out to Birsay in a storm was worth it.  

I was lucky to attend two more story-filled events. Wild tales of tragedy, adventure, mysticism & wit. The Orkney Storytelling Festival has kept oral storytelling alive for over eight years now. The festival is managed by the Orcadian Story Trust, they  “aims to capture Orkney’s tales, and promote their retelling. We also want to support new forms of storytelling and keep alive the oral tradition in a modern world!” 

Orkney’s folk tales are a unique fusion of Scottish and Scandinavian. The patchwork Isles of Orkney and Shetland were ruled by Vikings for over 400 years. In addition, many sailors, farmers and tradespeople visited from all over the stormy seas.  These cultural backgrounds wove a complex tapestry of tales.  

For centuries Orcadians have gathered around peat fires and shared these wild tales. Many feature magical beings who get up to no good with humans. For example, a Trow is a “mischievous, little creature that resided in the ancient mounds scattered across Orkney.” A common theme with Trows are throwing wild parties in their gold encrusted lairs and tempting   These tales are often credited with protecting the Neolithic tombs over the centuries. So to them I am grateful.  

Learning the tales of the land that locals shared over centuries gives a deeper connection to this beautiful place. I highly recommend a tour to give you this experience.  

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August is a very busy time for Orkney, not just thanks to summer visitors. This month is a peak time for another very important Orkney industry – farming.

The Importance of farming 

Farming is deeply significant to the Orcadian culture and has been for millenia. The most famous site on Orkney, Skara Brae, represents the beginning of agriculture on these isles over 5000 years ago.  

Today, of the 99,000 hectares which make up Orkney, 90% of the land is used for some form of agriculture. The main use is grazing for livestock. There are 100,000 more sheep than people on Orkney! Why? Because grass grows so well in the Orkney climate with its frequent rain and long daylight hours in the summer. 

County shows 

August is the final summer month. Before the busy harvest time begins there is a chance to celebrate. The shows are a hive of activity including animal competitions, games, tractor and equipment displays and stalls from charities and businesses. Sanday, East Mainland, Shapinsay, South Ronaldsay and Burray, Dounby had their own shows. The month of events ends with the Orkney County Show which is one of the biggest events of the year. 

I was lucky enough to go along to the Dounby show. I couldn’t believe how busy it was! I’ve never seen so many Orcadians in one place. Amongst the hustle and bustle of stalls was a performance arena. Here I enjoyed seeing the parade of prize winning horses, cows and even a lone goat. My highlight was seeing the young horse riders compete in high speed games. Very impressive. 

Horses and ploughing 

Down in St. Margaret’s Hope one day a year you can hear the jingling of bells. This merry noise signals the beginning of the Festival of the Horse. For over 200 years the children of this village and the surrounding farms have dressed up as show horses. These elaborate costumes are black suits decorated with ribbons, charms, pom-poms, rosettes and wool. The “ploughing harnesses” are often family heirlooms. Bagpipes accompany the children’s costume parade. Then the costumes are judged by local experts. 

Unfortunately photos don’t do them justice. Seeing the “horses” as they are called march out was truly  a sight to behold. Each costume was incredibly detailed and creative. I was really impressed with the craftsmanship. 

The Festival of the Horse is followed by the boys ploughing match. The adorable little ploughs are also handed down over generations. The boys are around 9 years old when they compete on the beach. 

Both traditions celebrate the agricultural heritage of the region. I was glad to see how popular the parade was. It’s great to see the tradition thriving after all this time.

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The story began after the horrors of the first world war. As the allies met to write the Treaty of Versailles, the German High Seas Fleet had to be securely interred. The natural harbour of Scapa Flow was chosen and in November 1918 the 74 massive warships arrived.

Surrounded by the low hills of Orkney, the angular warships looked alien. The ships stayed there for months, the seamen were basically prisoners on board.

As the time dragged on the Admiral Ludwig von Reuter grew impatient. He sent away troublesome seamen. His worst fear was to have the British seize control of the warships. The German High Seas warships were the most hi-tech in the world at the time. 

21st June 1919

On the morning of the fateful day, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter couldn’t believe his luck. The British guard warships sailed out on an exercise. Seizing the chance, Von Reuter sent out the signal “paragraph 11” a coded reference to scuttle the ships. Instantly the seamen opened the windows, torpedo valves, smashed pipes and whatever else they could to allow the most water to flood in (scuttling). By the time the British realised what had happened, most of the ships were on their way to the seabed.

Another group who decided to sail into Scapa Flow that day came from the local school. The teachers must have thought it would be a good excuse to get out the classroom. Little did they know how the day would turn out. 

21st June 2019

Today, the Scapa 100 has been arranged to commemorate the anniversary of the scuttling. The commonwealth war graves royal naval cemetery on Hoy is the site of the official ceremony.

This week is also an opportunity to educate about this history. There have been many talks and exhibitions. I enjoyed the Stromness museum one where I learned about the importance of salvaging the fleet to the Orkney economy during the time of a global economic depression. The Orkney Museum exhibit in Kirkwall was also fascinating and showed more of the experiences of the German seamen.

The events have always sparked the local imagination. This is especially true for the festival in which there is everything from plays to scientific research projects.

Community Artwork

One event I participated in was to design a community tapestry inspired by the events. The Loom Room Orkney is a workshop space that is part of the Orkney Creative Hub. India who is a fellow Scotgrader has done wonders to engage the public with weaving and tapestry. You may remember from previous blogs that I began learning to weave tapestries here.

My design was chosen and woven by local people into a huge artwork! Its an honour to be able to take part in this historic commemoration. The creation itself took two months, hundreds of meters of wool and the work of many, many community members.  Don’t worry, it’s not just my design on display. There are over 30 mini tapestries inspired by the events made by local people. You can see the tapestries exhibited at For Arts Sake from Thursday 20th June until Saturday 30th of June.

This poster shows a small section of the finished tapestry!

Experience Scapa Flow for yourself

The turbulent history of Scapa Flow is featured in our Stones & Shores, Undiscovered Past  and West Orkney Beauty Spots Tours.

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Ich war sehr glücklich letzten Monat. Lily eine von meinen besten Freundinnen hat mich besucht. Sie hat über ihre Erlebnisse geschrieben.

“ Besonders im Englischen ist der Begriff „Gemeinschaft“, oder besser gesagt „community“, momentan ein echtes Buzzwort. Er wird wie mit dem Salzstreuer verteilt, und zwar von allen und überall, von der Krabbelgruppe bis zum Finanzmagazin, und scheint anzukommen. Echten Gemeinschaftssinn kann es aber auch dort geben, wo er nicht groß angepriesen wird. Wie zum Beispiel unter den Menschen im orkadischen Hauptort Kirkwall.

Ich habe keine soziologische Studie unternommen, und beziehe mich hier auch auf keine von anderen, aber es ist schon einleuchtend, dass Zusammenhalt und Austausch besonders wichtig für Menschen sind, die auf abgelegenen Inseln mit kargem Boden und umgeben von rauer See leben. Mir scheint dies mehr als nur ein Klischee zu sein; mein Eindruck von Orkney war es allemal.

Wir verließen Kirkwall gegen Mittag und fuhren zuerst durch ein sympathisches Dorf namens Finstown (dessen lokaler Gasthof gerade auf eine neue Übernahme wartet!), von dem aus man einen guten Blick auf das Gut Binscarth hat, das einem Laird gehört. Wie Fidra mir (auf deutsch!) erklärte, ist „Laird“ ein Titel für einen Landbesitzer in Schottland, der im Besitz feudaler Rechte ist und zum niederen Landadel zählt. Reisen bildet!

Unsere erste Station war ein uralter Steinkreis unweit eines Bauernhofes, bekannt als Stehende Steine von Stenness, oder Standing Stones of Stenness (Wenn das mal kein Zungenbrecher ist!). Es kann einen nur beeindrucken, wenn man bedenkt, dass Menschen vor tausenden Jahren bereits in der Lage waren, solche Projekte für rituelle Zwecke in Angriff zu nehmen – rein handwerklich, aber auch planerisch und was Ressourcen angeht. Umso mehr erstaunt es, dass die Standing Stones nicht immer von allen Einheimischen wertgeschätzt wurden, und ein benachbarter Bauer vor Jahren einige Steine gesprengt haben soll.

Noch beeindruckender fand ich den zweiten Steinkreis zu dem wir im fuhren – den Ring of Brodgar, der eigentlich aus einem inneren und einem äußeren Ring besteht. An jenem Tag konnte man den inneren leider nicht betreten, weil der Boden nicht überfordert werden durfte. Dies regt einem zum nachdenken darüber an, wie viel Wertschätzung in Form von Besuch eine historische Stätte aushalten kann. Ebenso interessant ist die Überlegung, wann eine Schmiererei zum Kulturgut wird. Die Orkney Inseln wurden nämlich über Jahrhunderte von verschiedenen Völkern geprägt, und ein Wikinger namens Björn ritzte seinen Namen in einen der Steine von Brodgar – damals war es nichts als ein Graffiti, heute ist es für uns ein historischer Hinweis, eine Bereicherung des Rings und Teil der orkadischen Kultur. Beide Steinkreise sind in jedem Fall in ihrer heutigen Form sehr beeindruckend und haben fast etwas von einer menschlichen Kongregation, so wie sie da gemeinsam stehen, von Wind, Wetter und Zeit unbeirrt.

Eine weitere Geschichte jahrtausendealter Zivilisation erzählt das neusteinzeitliche Dorf Skara Brae, das wir als nächstes aufsuchten. Es wurde behutsam ausgegraben und kann gut besichtigt werden, solange man einigermaßen trittsicher ist. Vor Skara Brae der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich gemacht wurde, diente es auch einmal quasi als Abenteuerspielplatz für die Kinder eines benachbarten Adelsguts, wie Fidra zu berichten wusste. Skara Brae liegt unmittelbar neben einem idyllischen Sandstrand, der auch ein paar Minuten der leisen Bewunderung verdient.

Ich will gar nicht verschweigen, dass der Wind an jenem Tag recht heftig war. Es war daher eine Wohltat, nach Skara Brae ein stattliches Anwesen namens Skaill House zu besichtigen, und zwar von innen. Auch dort konnte Fidra wieder mehrere Anekdoten zum besten geben. Der Legende nach saß die Königin Mutter wenn sie zum Essen kam immer mit dem Rücken zum Fenster, buchstäblich um ihr Gesicht ins beste Licht zu rücken, und verzichtete dafür auf eine idyllische Sicht auf sattgrüne Wiesen. Im kleinen Salon im ersten Stock des Skaill House wohnt außerdem der Zwillingsbruder des berühmten Tigerteppichs aus „Dinner for One“.

Für mich war dies wirklich der perfekte Start für meinen Orkney-Aufenthalt, an den ich gerne zurück denke, und der mir später noch einige weitere Beispiele des orkadischen Gemeinschaftssinns aufgezeigt hat. Ich denke etwa daran, wie wohlwollend ich zu einem Webkreis in der Loom Room- Werkstatt aufgenommen wurde, oder wie großzügig Mitfahrgelegenheiten angeboten werden, und wie eine Bekannte Fidras mich wie selbstverständlich mit gesamter Tauchausrüstung und Profitipps ausstattete, vor wir zur Umschwimmung eines Schiffswracks aufbrachen.

Schreiben könnte ich über jene Tage noch eine Weile, aber dieser Blog-Eintrag scheint mir schon lang genug – es bleibt mir zu hoffen, dass ich ihnen meine Begeisterung für Orkney nahebringen konnte, und dass Sie selbst bald selbst dorthin aufbrechen werden!”

Vielen dank für deinen Besuch Lily! – Fidra 🙂

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I love museums. I have been incredibly privileged to visit many in my short time on this planet. However, last week last week I may have visited the best museum ever?

Honorary mentions

To be fair those other museums I have visited (and to demonstrate I’m no newbie to the museum world), they deserve a honorable mention . The National Museum of Scotland will always be dear to me. With its soaring glass ceilings in one and the  labyrinthine hallways and rooftop viewpoint of the other building, it is certainly impressive. It showcases many fascinating items, even some of Orkney’s neolithic artefacts. Another great museum is the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. Points for the niche-ness of having one exhibit – to be fair a preserved 391 year old ship deserves a whole museum.  

As for one with impressive recreations, the National Crafts Museum in Delhi is outstanding with its authentic handicrafts and recreations of traditional building techniques. Each region of the astonishingly diverse nation is represented in someway and the level of skill demonstrated is beyond amazing.

However, all these fascinating and well designed museums can’t stand up to the time travelling powers of the winner.

The winner – Corrigall Farm Museum

Driving up the farm track, I had no clue that the biggest journey i’d make that day was one back in time. As we arrived, I was greeted by a line of shiny ploughs and the friendly custodian, Brian.

Upon entering the low doors of the humble farmhouse I was amazed to find myself in the late 1800s. As my eyes adjusted to the gloom I made out a grindstone with a dusting of flour, wooden barrels and a rabble of products on the shelf. On closer inspection the products seemed to be, unlike the customary plastic replicas, originals.  As the peat smoke reached my nostrils I felt as if any moment a victorian farmer would stroll in for their dinner.

With each room painted a picture of the past. The enthusiastic custodian, Brian, revealed the backstory of not only the building but the pieces it contained. I was amazed to learn I was standing in a room of original period furniture with a storied history.

The museum is unlike any I’ve ever experienced before. It is truly a gem of preservation, the extent to which is rarely found these days. I highly recommend it to visitors and locals alike.

You can experience Corrigall Farm Museum for yourself on our Undiscovered Past Tour.

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I was there to represent OHT alongside our tour provider’s (OCTO) Manager Hazel. This opportunity was provided via Destination Orkney. They are an umbrella organisation which supports those “with an interest in the successful and sustainable development, management and marketing of Orkney as a visitor destination.”

Destination Orkney

There are 500 members of Destination Orkney which shows that despite being a relatively small community, we are very busy! Since coming to Orkney I have benefited from their work through networking and access to training workshops. I particularly enjoyed their Autumn Tourism Week which was a great introduction to key sustainability issues faced by different sectors in Orkney. This was great timing for me peek behind the curtain into how things work here, which would have been hard otherwise as most visitor sites close for the chilly winter!

Expo Experience

In the Expo’s bustling hall, it’s hard to stand out. Destination Orkney managed with a custom booth displaying Orkney’s most iconic sites which drew many compliments. Hazel and I found our visitors to be already enthralled with Orkney, yet they were still impressed with all there is to do and see up here.

It was great to work alongside Elaine Tulloch (CEO), Kathleen Hogarth and Gareth Chrichton (Chair). Their knowledge and passion for Orkney really shone through throughout the busy days. Through them and our visitors I learned a lot about the travel trade. 

At the expo 340 businesses, regional groups, charitable organisations etc were represented. I was amazed with the creativity of some of the stands and the overall range of places and products on show. It was great to meet people and share our love of Orkney with potential visitors.

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Exploring St Magnus Cathedral

St Magnus Cathedral is the most northerly in Scotland. The stunning red sandstone walls stand out on in the Kirkwall skyline. This February on Orkney I had the pleasure of exploring the 882 year old building’s secrets.

The top levels of the Cathedral is only accessible through a paid tour. The passages are narrow and winding – truly a labyrinth! I was guided by a local expert who regaled the group with tales of the Cathedral’s long and colorful history.

My favourite part was the stunning view from the bell-tower. All of Kirkwall was laid out before me and beyond the town the northern isles could be glimpsed on the horizon. I couldn’t appreciate it for long as the snow started!

Scotgrad Training

This month was incredibly full. I took a trip away from Orkney to the adorable seaside town of Cromarty. This wasn’t a holiday, I travelled the 254 miles for my compulsory Scotgrad Training. Four days of intense skills development and networking followed.

My role here at OHT is through a Scotgrad placement with OCTO. I applied to this job after graduating in Sustainable Development from the University of Edinburgh. 

I really enjoyed my time in Cromarty. It was really great to meet my fellow Scotgrad peers and hear all about their fascinating work placements.

After my return to Orkney I was able to use the tips and tools from the training to enhance my work. For example, I facilitated the creation of a LEAN canvas with the OCTO team. This was really useful to share ideas and get the whole business model on one page.

OCTO LEAN canvas outcome

Art exhibition

One of my favourite places on Orkney is the Pier Arts Centre. The stylish building beautifully melds the original stone with modern glass and metal. Inside is a treasure trove of local art. This month’s exhibition DELINEATIONS – Orkney’s Art Graduates 2017 & 2018 was a fascinating look into a range of disciplines. I especially enjoyed the “peedie pier”, artworks by local school children. Some real talent on display!

Kayak club

This month I also gave the Kayak club a try. The club is very active in the summer. Since it is freezing and dark this time of year the sessions take place in the local pool. Day one, I  learned how to escape a capsize. Safe to say it was plain paddling from there!

This February in Orkney was a very busy time. This helped me get through one of the coldest months of the year!

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In Scotland January is dark, cold and largely miserable. The excitement and sparkles of the festive period have gone out and we’re left with darkness most hours of the day.

However, this seems to not be the case on Orkney. Despite the chill and darkness, people keep busy here with clubs, sports and crafts. For example, the Picky (Orkney’s biggest sports & leisure centre) has been stowed out. I’ve been too slow to book classes and missed out to more keen beans. Seems the “new year new me” is felt here.

Adventures

Instead of the gym, I turned to the outdoors for my adventure. Last month I learned of the group Orkney Polar Bears. This is an informal gathering of like minded people who don’t let their love for swimming in nature be stopped by a little thing called winter. This January in Orkney, I joined in for a swim by the iconic Churchill barriers.

The weather was blustery with rainbows flashing over the rolling fields. In the distance, the Italian Chapel shone bright against the grass. As I stepped into the crystal waters my body realised what a bad idea this was. Despite the spiky cold, I soldiered on and had a great time! Thanks to the Polar Bears for the refreshing dip!

New year, new craft attempt

In a more cozy way to spend the day, I tried my hand at a new craft – Tapestry. Orkney has a vibrant crafts and arts scene with a range of workshops and studio visits available. I joined in by popping into the Loom Room. There I was given a very accessible and rewarding introduction to tapestry. These workshops are an excellent way to spent January in Orkney. 

Snow days

Then, of course one of the most exciting events to happen this month was the arrival of snow. The island became somehow even more scenic. The dusting of snowflakes accentuating the curves of the landscape.

So Orkney has shown me that it’s a great place to be even in the coldest darkest month!

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As the nights draw in on Orkney this December the lights glow from windows and twinkle from above the street. It has been hard to adjust to the sun setting long before I leave the office. But Orcadians seem to have this winter thing down. The island still bustles with life as community groups carry on from crafting to winter swimming.

This December in Orkney, I was lucky enough to attend not one but two concerts. The first filled Orphir Kirk with reels, jigs, Christmas carols and even bagpipes! The second was in the between the soaring pillars of St Magnus Cathedral where the Kirkwall Grammar School impressed me with their beautiful renditions of classic tunes in wind, string and by choir.

Tasteful Trees

Christmas tree spotting is always fun. December in Orkney however, is next level. Orphir Kirk is home to a highly creative display. The small village have an annual tree decorating tradition. Local community groups get a small tree to decorate. This year’s theme was books. In total, 25 trees formed a forest in the hall.

Another tree related tradition is are gifts from Norway. The  tradition began in the 1980s to recognise the historical ties and friendships between places. This year the tree in the St Magnus Cathedral was felled by axe by  Fjære Historical Society, in the district of Grimstad. This region in Norway is tied to Orkney through the vikings including the time of the famous St Magnus.  

Another tree has to brave the Orkney winds outside. It is a gift from Hordaland Fylkeskommune (Hordaland county government). These trees are greatly appreciated, especially as the island has so few native trees.

Up the Barricades

As time flies and christmas approaches, a strange phenomenon occurs. Orcadians are accustomed and barely notice. However, as a foreigner it seemed to me like the island was anticipating a zombie hoard or similar apocalypse. Everyday as I wandered through the narrow streets of Kirkwall, more and more shops and houses became boarded up. What is going on?

My concern surprised my manager who explained they were Ba’ defences. Essential as the game gets very packed and heated!

What is the Ba’

The Ba’ is a unique Orkney tradition which is new to me. The more I hear about it the more complex it seems to get. A very inadequate explanation is that the Ba’ is a city wide game in which the island’s men battle to gain possession of the titular leather ba’ (ball). It gets more complicated when you learn of the teams – Uppies vs Doonies. I still don’t understand it to be honest. 

The coveted Ba’

The game is played on Christmas Day and New Years day. For an onlooker it appears to be a violent scrum of yelling men. The “play” is indecipherable. After seeing all the increased defences and hearing that players wrap themselves in duct tape to avoid their clothes being ripped off… I’m sure it’s an exciting event.  

Sadly I’ll be missing out on the excitement this year as I return “sooth” for the holidays. However, I will be watching from the warmth of my family home on the livestream.

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Monday the 12th commended my employment. The day began with a workshop from Digital Tourism Scotland which was a peek behind the curtain of the tourism industry. I gained knowledge and an appreciation for the support given to smaller businesses.

On Tour

The day then went on the road as Garry and Hazel took me on a whistlestop tour of the east of Mainland (the name of the biggest island in the group which makes up Orkney). As we drove up the hill away from Kirkwall,the fields sloped down to the sea revealing smaller islands. I heard how one was a viking era party stop with a long hall and the other was for sale for £350,000 (same as a flat in Edinburgh). We drove past more than one farm with millennia old burial mounds in their backyards. The more I heard the more astonished I became at the sheer number of sites in Neolithic Orkney.

We continued through the emerald fields onto one of the more famous of these sites Maeshowe. A bulbous anomaly on the horizon, mysterious Maeshowe (whose name is much less so, meaning “meadow mound”) was certainly intriguing. But before we could reach there we had to get tickets from the very chic visitor centre and ride the similarly stylish shuttlebus (which is an OCTO provided service).

On the approach to the mound, our position in the “Heart of Neolithic Orkney” was brought to our attention. In the distance lay the glimmering lochs with the iconic Standing Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar bold against the sky. It didn’t take a huge leap of imagination to step back into a time when these stones were erected.

As for Maeshowe, the mound is accessible through a narrow passageway. Stepping into the entrance required stooping and stepping slowly, giving me time to appreciate the significance of what I was experiencing. As for inside – well that must remain a secret for my words cannot do it justice (and taking photographs is forbidden). You’ll just have to see it for yourself!

After emerging in the cool November sunlight, we headed along to more of Neolithic Orkney. En route we met some friendly seals sunbathing in the brackish Loch of Stenness. They were accompanied by many wildfowl. The stones on the other hand had a sheep for a companion. The stones were remarkable, three times my height and sharp edged. It was here Garry informed me that this was a mere third of the original ring. I was shocked to learn the recent (in their timeline) fate of the others. The role of agriculture in both finding and damaging these sites remains ever relevant. Given the pressures of surviving on the island, I am amazed so much of Neolithic Orkney remains in such good condition.

On the return leg of the tour we caught a stunning sunset over the high hills of Hoy. The nights are shortening here which means not long now until the winter solstice. Then, the low winter sun illuminates the inner chamber of Maeshowe.

As the sun painted the sky a vibrant orange, I learned the tragic secrets of Scapa Flow. For example, the fate of the Royal Oak warship.

I returned to Kirkwall with knowledge of and appreciation for the island I now call home.

-written by Fidra 13/11/2018

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