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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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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