The Orkneys

[schizowife]

Hi All,

We are off to the Orkneys on Aug 12th for 3 weeks in our Bessie. If there is anyone who can offer any advice on places to stay (wild camping) would very much appreciate it. And what T25 spares or essentials would you take with you if you were going? Am getting excited now but want to make sure we are as prepared as we can be:)

[DarkPoet]

Can't wait to take mine to Orkney if only to be have my photo taken next to this



Will confirm what my friends/family have said for years

[schizowife]

Can't wait to take mine to Orkney if only to be have my photo taken next to this



Will confirm what my friends/family have said for years

Haha Will keep an eye out for that sign!!!

[Kernbunker]

I was up there last year, had a great time. Wild camping is easy, just find a beach, stop, camp. The locals may come to have a chat, but only because they're interested. Even had an impromptu night (er yes - I can recommend a mechanic there too) in Kirkwall tesco car park which wasn't so bad either.

The neolithic sites are a must, amoung the finest in Europe. You can buy a Historic Scotland pass for the Orkney only sites, but if you are considering stopping at any places in Scotland en route it might make sense to get a year's membership. (National Trust membership doesn't cover this - unlike in England) It's not a Historic Scotland (or National Trust for Scotland) site, but I recommend Tomb of the Eagles, they even let you handle neolithic tools, bones etc. Better than most museums.

Since you're there in August you might catch the South Ronaldsay ploughing match, a tradition specific to that island. Little girls dress as decorative horses, boys have miniature ploughs with which they compete on the beach.

Be prepared for great skies and rapid shifts in weather. On these windy islands the light changes every 5 minutes. While walking you'll be stopping all the time for photos and to change from waterproofs to shorts!

[Nicola&Tony]

. . . And what T25 spares or essentials would you take with you if you were going?

There's info about this in the Wiki and a recent post in technical or gen chat.

No shortage of places to wild camp in Orkney, just borrow some OS maps from your local library (Landranger series with the pink covers) and check out some of the car parks that aren't in built-up areas.

Whereabouts in Orkney are you heading, Mainland, South Isles or North Isles? I've been to Orkney many times as I have friends who used to live on one of the North Isles (Eday).

Tony

[schizowife]

Thankyou for the replies and i shall go look in wiki and tech chat for more info. Have a few OS maps And we are hoping to do Mainland, South Ronaldsay (Kernbunker do you know what date the ploughing match is?), Rousay and Hoy. Do you think that is too much for 14 days??

Will we really need shorts?

Kernbunker anyone is welcome to pop by and say hello (you can't miss us, Bessie has her name written on her hightop) i love a good natter with locals.

We did central/west Scotland and Skye with tents 2 years ago and whenever we wild camped anywhere near a property i always went and asked if they minded. We were rewarded numerous times for our consideration with water refills, fresh eggs, offers of hot showers, offers to recharge batteries and phones etc and even 4 steaming bowls of stew one evening from a lovely couple whose dog laid guard outside our tent for the 2 nights we were there.

And where else could you wake in the morning to reindeer nibbling at your sleeping bag Oh i do so love Scotland!!

[Kernbunker]

I can't remember exactly when the ploughing match is, but it would be the latter half of august. This should whet your appetite: http://www.orkneyjar.com/tradition/festivalofhorse.htm When you get there, buy the Orcadian newspaper, published weekly, it'll tell you about all the events, agricultural or otherwise. The beach at St Margaret's Hope was one of my favourites for camping and only a hop and a skip from the short route ferry.

[Nicola&Tony]

. . . we are hoping to do Mainland, South Ronaldsay (Kernbunker do you know what date the ploughing match is?), Rousay and Hoy. Do you think that is too much for 14 days??

Sounds reasonable but it just depends how many places you want to take a closer look at as there's plenty to see (depending on what you enjoy of course). Orkney is very different to the west coast and Skye etc I reckon. Midges can be terrible on parts of Hoy when the weather conditions are suitable for them!

A few pics from our 2007 trip:
http://s198.photobucket.com/albums/aa78 ... ey%202007/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tony

[schizowife]

Thankyou Kernbunker and Tony. Getting closer now....can't wait!!!

Thanks for the link Kernbunker very interesting site

And some great looking places in those pics Tony. Sure i'll come back with 100's myself LOL