It is 6.40am and I’m standing at the bus stop in Thurso sheltering as best as I can from the cold wet and misty rain that’s wafting about, while patiently waiting for the number 80 bus to appear which will take me to John O’Groats. Such are the trials of navigating Scotland by public transport, but exactly on time the bus appears around the corner through the gloom.
I am the sole passenger and with the heaters on, the windows inside steam up, making any views of the scenery flashing by outside very limited.
Once my bus arrives at John O’Groats carpark bus stop, I find that the entire place is devoid of life, all sensible people are tucked up out of the miserable weather. One advantage however is the opportunity to get an obstructed selfie with the famous road sign. Across the road is a camp ground full of campervans, and surrounding the main car park there are a few tourist shops where I’m able to peer through the windows.
By 8am a small souvenir shop at the wharf has opened which provides welcome shelter. Inside there is another couple who are also booked on the John O’Groats ferries Maxi Day Tour of the Orkneys. The shop assistant takes the liberty of giving us an historical run down of Jan De Groot, who ran the original Orkney ferry in the 15th century. Outside the shop more passengers on the tour start to congregate at the entrance to the wharf.
As we queue up to board the Pentland Venture, the crew proudly comment that this season there has only been one cancellation of the trip due to foul weather, and today’s tour is one of the last of the season. We leave the rain behind on shore as we head out to sea and blue skies make an appearance; even though the wind is still bitterly cold many of the other passengers are also outside on the top deck to take in the views as we pass a few of the nearby islands.
The ferry escapes the windswept sea into the relative calm of Burwick harbour. From the small wharf, a ramp leads up towards not one but two coaches, such is the number of passengers booked on today’s tour.
Good morning, my name is Darren, comes a voice across the PA. I’ll be your tour guide, now I’m known for a few jokes from time to time, and we’ve got a lot to cover on an action packed day, which is probably why they called it the maxi tour. The winds can be fierce on these islands, but we have adapted over the years to cope with them. For example we put stones in the bottom of our rubbish wheelie bins, so they won’t blow away.
We cross over the first of the Churchill barriers, which are man-made causeways constructed during World War 2 to protect the strategic anchorage of Scarpa Flow. In 1939 this was the scene of the sinking of HMS Ark Royal, now a protected war grave. Its ship’s bell resides in St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwell, which is where we are now arriving into, and despatched with some free time to wander around the town. Similar to the mainland, it’s a rather quiet damp Tuesday morning and the cobbled laneways lined with shops lead away from the cathedral down towards the harbour only a few minutes away.
We’re told a must try is the famous Orkney ice cream, and The Daily Scoop café by the cathedral proves popular with many from the tour. In stark contrast, is The Ba, which could be easily interpreted as a chaotic game of street football played every Christmas and New Year’s Day. Many of the buildings along the streets where it is played have permanently mounted brackets for the installation of temporary barricades especially put up for match day.
Back on board the coach our next stop is Stromness, where we are informed the next gastronomic delight awaits us, Orkney Crab Sandwiches.
On the way, our coach pulls over on the side of the road by a large green field, seemingly nowhere really in particular. Everyone on the left side of the bus is giggling and taking photos of the road sign of the settlement, Twatt. The rest of us seated on the right side not being able see, wonder what all the commotion is about (traveller tip, always sit on the left side).
Second tip, the crab sandwiches live up to the sales pitch, and are a popular and tasty snack best enjoyed after wandering up and down the narrow paved streets of Stromness. With glimpses of the harbour, of houses adorned with fish pots and mooring buoys, and access down narrow laneways with names such as Khyber Pass.
Dating back to 3100 BC Skara Brae, is Europe’s most complete Neolithic village. Leaving the visitor centre we walk along the path leading towards the remains, excavated from the grassy dunes only meters way from blustery winds coming across from the North Atlantic Ocean and into the bay of Skaill. A well laid out path to follow, weaves around the various pits which contain remains of several houses, each with their own unique facilities including kitchens and bedrooms.
A couple of hundred meters away from the site is the foreboding 17th century Skaill Manor House, previously a private residence and now open to the public. It is a welcome relief to escape the cold outside, our faces glowing from the icy winds.
Time is now counting down to our 5.30pm return ferry to John O’Groats and the sky is filling in with grey low lying cloud. A sure sign that winter is just around the corner, but we’re ticking off the list of attractions on our itinerary like professionals.
Heading in the return direction of Burwick, next stop, another significant Orkney attraction.
The Ring of Brodgar, is a Neolithic site comprising of a perfect circle of large upright flat stones complete with a moat, and close by we’re offered a quick stop to admire the slightly smaller scale Standing Stones of Stenness. Walking about both of these sites you can only wonder how they were constructed and what their purpose must have been.
Final stop, The Italian Chapel. Not the first thing which you would normally associate with Scotland and the Orkneys, however during the construction of the Churchill barriers, Italian prisoners of war built the chapel from two Nissen military huts and a labour of love. It has been restored a couple of times since completion after the war’s end.
The entrance façade welcomes you into intricately hand painted walls which follows the walls up into the curved ceiling, with the altar taking pride of place at the far end.
A quick look around the outside of the chapel are the reminders of its military origins, with corrugated iron and unpainted brick walls.
Leaving the coach and walking back down the ramp to board our ferry, we thank our guide. We’ll miss his constant dialogue of local knowledge, mixed with plenty of banter and dad jokes.
If you enjoyed your tour, please post a review, just a reminder my name is Darren, but if you didn’t like it, then it’s Frank.
Orkney disappears out of site as the ferry rocks slowly from side to side, and I sit outside again on the top deck behind the wheelhouse for a little shelter.
The wind has been very much the common theme of the day, but I can’t forget the ice cream and crab sandwiches too.
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