Stories from Around Scotland
- The Hebrides
- The Orkneys
- The Shetlands
- An Edinburgh New Year
A Road Trip through the Scottish Islands:
The Scottish islands are the true jewels in the oft fought over Scottish crown - the Hebrides off the west coast, the Orkneys off the north coast and Shetlands even further north. Each has a unique island landscape, history and culture and a visitor is quickly put in their place if they lump them all together.
According to many Scottish islanders the heart of Scotland is not at its centre but at the periphery, where some locals still speak Gaelic and others claim a closer affinity to Norse ancestors than mainland Scots. They consider Perth’s spectacular sixteenth century castle to be a new kid on the block; they have seaweed-eating sheep that take to the sea to escape shepherds and the shortest scheduled flight in the world (two minutes).
Driving through the Scottish islands is surprisingly easy but I’m rather glad that not many other people seem to think so. Perched on the northwest edge of Europe and closer to Iceland than southern England these islands are as exotic as any in the Pacific, full of history, mystery, magic and stunning beaches - although admittedly, its rarely as warm.
My route went from Oban on the west coast to South Uist in the Outer Hebrides, north through North Uist and Benbecula, across to Harris and Lewis, returning from Stornoway to Ullapool. A drive up the west coast and along the northcoast to Thurso and a ferry across the Pentland Firth from Scrabster to Stromness on Orkney. From Kirkwall I took another ferry to the Shetland port of Lerwick and finally returned to the east coast port of Aberdeen.
According to many Scottish islanders the heart of Scotland is not at its centre but at the periphery, where some locals still speak Gaelic and others claim a closer affinity to Norse ancestors than mainland Scots. They consider Perth’s spectacular sixteenth century castle to be a new kid on the block; they have seaweed-eating sheep that take to the sea to escape shepherds and the shortest scheduled flight in the world (two minutes).
Driving through the Scottish islands is surprisingly easy but I’m rather glad that not many other people seem to think so. Perched on the northwest edge of Europe and closer to Iceland than southern England these islands are as exotic as any in the Pacific, full of history, mystery, magic and stunning beaches - although admittedly, its rarely as warm.
My route went from Oban on the west coast to South Uist in the Outer Hebrides, north through North Uist and Benbecula, across to Harris and Lewis, returning from Stornoway to Ullapool. A drive up the west coast and along the northcoast to Thurso and a ferry across the Pentland Firth from Scrabster to Stromness on Orkney. From Kirkwall I took another ferry to the Shetland port of Lerwick and finally returned to the east coast port of Aberdeen.
The Outer Hebrides
The gateway to the Hebrides or Western Isles is the west coast town of Oban in Argyll. Caledonian MacBrayne operates the regular ferry network to islands of the Inner and Outer Hebrides. $475AUD bought a three-trip (car plus passenger) ticket from Oban to South Uist, across to Harris and Lewis, then back to the mainland at Ullapool.
The huge ferry was comfortable with shops, restaurant, bar, amusements and satellite TV. The 5½-hour voyage weaved between the spectacular islands of the Inner Hebrides, passed the picturesque harbour of Tobermory, arriving at South Uist just in time for a pink and golden sunset over the mountains.
My first trip on this 150-mile island chain was south across a new causeway to the island of Eriskay, the location of the 1941 shipwreck of the SS Politician - immortalised in Compton Mackenzie’s novel ‘Whiskey Galore’. Some of the 50,000 bottles of whiskey that sunk with the ship still occasionally turn up on the beach. Last year a local fisherman uncovered three bottles, which were sold at Christies in London for $5,000AUD each....
The West Australian, March 2007
The huge ferry was comfortable with shops, restaurant, bar, amusements and satellite TV. The 5½-hour voyage weaved between the spectacular islands of the Inner Hebrides, passed the picturesque harbour of Tobermory, arriving at South Uist just in time for a pink and golden sunset over the mountains.
My first trip on this 150-mile island chain was south across a new causeway to the island of Eriskay, the location of the 1941 shipwreck of the SS Politician - immortalised in Compton Mackenzie’s novel ‘Whiskey Galore’. Some of the 50,000 bottles of whiskey that sunk with the ship still occasionally turn up on the beach. Last year a local fisherman uncovered three bottles, which were sold at Christies in London for $5,000AUD each....
The West Australian, March 2007
The Orkney Isles
On a clear day the Orkney’s can just be discerned on the horizon and the ferry crossing takes 2-hours from Scrabster near Thurso across the Pentland Firth to Stromness. Northlink operate the ferry service to the northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland. Their large ferries are modern, very stable and well equipped with services and entertainment.
The Orkney Islands are on the same latitude as southern Norway. Islanders call themselves Orcadians but don’t consider themselves Scottish. Their history, culture and language are more Scandinavian than Gaelic and when they refer to ‘the mainland’ they mean the largest of their 70 islands and not Scotland.
It’s not just the people and culture that differ between Orkneys and Hebrides; the landscape couldn’t be more different. It’s mostly flat (except Hoy), richly fertile and has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years. Local people say Orcadians are farmers who do a spot of fishing whereas Shetlanders are fishermen who do a spot of farming and Hebridians, well, they’re foreigners.
The ferry arrives in the beautifully preserved port of Stromness full of fishing boats and dour looking sandstone houses capped with glistening slate roofs. The cobbled streets and tiny shops seem to belong to another time. The natural deep-water harbour of Scapa Flow has long been a shelter for explorers, whalers and merchants from the perilous, north Atlantic and was the Royal Navy’s main base during WWI and WWII.
In 1919 the captured German fleet was anchored in Scapa Flow and rather than hand the ships over to allied forces Admiral Von Reuter scuttled all 74 of them. Some were subsequently salvaged but Scapa Flow remains one of the best wreck diving locations in the world.
But the most amazing thing about the Orkneys is the prolific number of prehistoric Stone Age sites. There are great standing stone rings at Stenness and Brodagar, which are very impressive, although not especially unique within the British Isles. However, the windswept Stone Age village of Skara Brae is a rarity beyond measure, one of the world’s unique archaeological treasures. Uncovered by sea erosion in 1850 this remarkable village was inhabited 5,000 years ago – long before the Pyramids were built....
The West Australian, March 2007
The Orkney Islands are on the same latitude as southern Norway. Islanders call themselves Orcadians but don’t consider themselves Scottish. Their history, culture and language are more Scandinavian than Gaelic and when they refer to ‘the mainland’ they mean the largest of their 70 islands and not Scotland.
It’s not just the people and culture that differ between Orkneys and Hebrides; the landscape couldn’t be more different. It’s mostly flat (except Hoy), richly fertile and has been inhabited for more than 5,000 years. Local people say Orcadians are farmers who do a spot of fishing whereas Shetlanders are fishermen who do a spot of farming and Hebridians, well, they’re foreigners.
The ferry arrives in the beautifully preserved port of Stromness full of fishing boats and dour looking sandstone houses capped with glistening slate roofs. The cobbled streets and tiny shops seem to belong to another time. The natural deep-water harbour of Scapa Flow has long been a shelter for explorers, whalers and merchants from the perilous, north Atlantic and was the Royal Navy’s main base during WWI and WWII.
In 1919 the captured German fleet was anchored in Scapa Flow and rather than hand the ships over to allied forces Admiral Von Reuter scuttled all 74 of them. Some were subsequently salvaged but Scapa Flow remains one of the best wreck diving locations in the world.
But the most amazing thing about the Orkneys is the prolific number of prehistoric Stone Age sites. There are great standing stone rings at Stenness and Brodagar, which are very impressive, although not especially unique within the British Isles. However, the windswept Stone Age village of Skara Brae is a rarity beyond measure, one of the world’s unique archaeological treasures. Uncovered by sea erosion in 1850 this remarkable village was inhabited 5,000 years ago – long before the Pyramids were built....
The West Australian, March 2007
The Shetland Isles
The Shetland Isles are the furthest north of all of the British islands, 7 hours due north by ferry from the Orkneys and on the same latitude as Hudson Bay and parts of Alaska. Fortunately they never get so cold because their shores are continually washed by the Gulf Stream, which brings warm water up from the Gulf of Mexico and keeps Britain warmer then its continental neighbours.
Another Northlink ferry takes passengers and cargo to the Shetland port of Lerwick. Not being a great sailor I booked a cabin and a night crossing through the unpredictable North Atlantic. A great choice as I slept all the way in great comfort, saved a days travelling time and a night’s accommodation costs.
Lerwick is surprisingly large and attractive for the most isolated town in Great Britain. It’s nearer to Oslo than Edinburgh and Iceland than southern England. A third of all Shetlanders live in Lerwick and it’s harbour bustles with fishing boats, ferries, oil rig supply vessels, naval boats and the occasional cruise ship.
Another Northlink ferry takes passengers and cargo to the Shetland port of Lerwick. Not being a great sailor I booked a cabin and a night crossing through the unpredictable North Atlantic. A great choice as I slept all the way in great comfort, saved a days travelling time and a night’s accommodation costs.
Lerwick is surprisingly large and attractive for the most isolated town in Great Britain. It’s nearer to Oslo than Edinburgh and Iceland than southern England. A third of all Shetlanders live in Lerwick and it’s harbour bustles with fishing boats, ferries, oil rig supply vessels, naval boats and the occasional cruise ship.
Arriving in Lerwick 7am on a surprisingly sunny autumn morning with just a light breeze I decided it was a good day to take the small boat across to see the Great Broch on the uninhabited island of Mousa.
These Iron Age stone towers are only found in Scotland, usually along the coast and very common on the islands. Scottish coastal communities must have been regularly attacked from the sea and it’s hard to imagine that today’s peace loving Scandinavians were once some of the most dangerous and feared people on the planet!
The 2,000-year-old circular Great Broch of Mousa is a 40-foot tower with double skinned walls tied together with stone slabs creating an enclosed staircase up to a parapet. There are no outside windows and the smooth sides would be impossible to climb and easy to defend....
It seemed only natural to seek out the most northerly point on the British Isles so I drove north passed the huge North Sea oil terminal of Sullom Voe and took the small car ferry across to the island of Yell. Then continued on to the even smaller car ferry across the Bluemull Sound to the island of Unst, which is as far north as the UK goes.
Driving north until the road ran out it was a further 3 mile hike across a peat bog to the northern most point - the very last building - a lighthouse perched on a sea-stack called Muckle Flugga.....
At the opposite end of Shetland is Jarlshof, an even more spectacular pre-historic village than Skara Brae because it wasn’t abandoned 4,500 years ago. It has been continuously inhabited with a timeline of buildings from the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Picts, Norse and culminating with a seventeenth century castle.
Jarlshof is more impressive and accessible than Skara Brae as its possible to walk through alleyways and into buildings. Walking through this haunting village, standing inside buildings, touching stone tables that have been used since time immemorial is a truly humbling experience. Sitting on a stone bed in a small stone room it seems as though you can feel the generations of humanity who lived and died here. This is a close as you can get to the ancient people who lived beyond historical record and gave rise to the people of these islands.
The West Australian, March 2007
These Iron Age stone towers are only found in Scotland, usually along the coast and very common on the islands. Scottish coastal communities must have been regularly attacked from the sea and it’s hard to imagine that today’s peace loving Scandinavians were once some of the most dangerous and feared people on the planet!
The 2,000-year-old circular Great Broch of Mousa is a 40-foot tower with double skinned walls tied together with stone slabs creating an enclosed staircase up to a parapet. There are no outside windows and the smooth sides would be impossible to climb and easy to defend....
It seemed only natural to seek out the most northerly point on the British Isles so I drove north passed the huge North Sea oil terminal of Sullom Voe and took the small car ferry across to the island of Yell. Then continued on to the even smaller car ferry across the Bluemull Sound to the island of Unst, which is as far north as the UK goes.
Driving north until the road ran out it was a further 3 mile hike across a peat bog to the northern most point - the very last building - a lighthouse perched on a sea-stack called Muckle Flugga.....
At the opposite end of Shetland is Jarlshof, an even more spectacular pre-historic village than Skara Brae because it wasn’t abandoned 4,500 years ago. It has been continuously inhabited with a timeline of buildings from the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Picts, Norse and culminating with a seventeenth century castle.
Jarlshof is more impressive and accessible than Skara Brae as its possible to walk through alleyways and into buildings. Walking through this haunting village, standing inside buildings, touching stone tables that have been used since time immemorial is a truly humbling experience. Sitting on a stone bed in a small stone room it seems as though you can feel the generations of humanity who lived and died here. This is a close as you can get to the ancient people who lived beyond historical record and gave rise to the people of these islands.
The West Australian, March 2007
An Edinburgh New Year
Edinburgh is such a great place to welcome in the New Year. Just before the 100,000 party goers descended on the city centre for the traditional Hogmanay street party we went shopping in the Sales.
The atmosphere was already buzzing by mid afternoon. Multiple stages were full of late night performers (Texas, K.T.Tunstall and El Presidente) doing sound checks in the Princes Street gardens. Ceilidh music was drifting from side streets, the wail of an occasional piper could be heard and crowds were gathering for the candlelit concert at St. Giles cathedral.
Gated barriers had sprung up around the city centre to stop traffic and control the hoards about to descend. The aroma of fried onions and burgers wafted from dozens of fast food trucks preparing for the evening rush and gigantic video screens were being erected so that nobody would miss any action. The Ferris wheel, the ice rink and the stomach churning rides of the fair were doing great business and the persistent drizzle put nobody off.
The shops were closing early and even some pubs closed at 5pm but only to restock and clean up before their annual marathon that is Scottish Hogmanay.
Reading Eagle, January 2006
The atmosphere was already buzzing by mid afternoon. Multiple stages were full of late night performers (Texas, K.T.Tunstall and El Presidente) doing sound checks in the Princes Street gardens. Ceilidh music was drifting from side streets, the wail of an occasional piper could be heard and crowds were gathering for the candlelit concert at St. Giles cathedral.
Gated barriers had sprung up around the city centre to stop traffic and control the hoards about to descend. The aroma of fried onions and burgers wafted from dozens of fast food trucks preparing for the evening rush and gigantic video screens were being erected so that nobody would miss any action. The Ferris wheel, the ice rink and the stomach churning rides of the fair were doing great business and the persistent drizzle put nobody off.
The shops were closing early and even some pubs closed at 5pm but only to restock and clean up before their annual marathon that is Scottish Hogmanay.
Reading Eagle, January 2006