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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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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