09.07.2024 Twatt! and Marwick Head

Well we are being lucky with the weather, another sunny warm breezy day. We are all heading to the west of the main land today. Looking for Twatt. This is an area, not sure why it is called Twatt. The name comes from the old Norse and roughly translated means Clearing Meadow. Firstly we headed out to Find 'Loons' this turned out to be a parking area by the road with a path round to a wall. Because of the shape of the wall it gathers the sound of Bird song and enables you to hear it clearly. as for walking out to the various pools in the area, there were no definite paths. What we did see though were 2 Hares in the field next to the wall, just enjoying the sunshine.

Hares in the meadow by 'The Loons'

Then we got into the car and drove to a village called Birsay. This was interesting as there is a large fine ruin of a house there. It was the home of Robert Stewart who was the illegitimate son of James V of Scotland, and a noblewoman Euphemia Elphinstone. Robert was given the title Earl of Orkney by James VI of Scotland his nephew. The Palace was built in the 1570s. Master, Missus Morgan and I had a wonderful time looking around.

Earls Palace of Robert Stewart Earl of Orkney. Note the black sashes on the Stewart Coat of Arms. This denotes that Robert was a Bastard.

The Earl's Palace is an extensive site. There were actually 3 Cellars serving the Kitchen.

I found the remains of a spiral staircase and pointed them out to Missus.

Morgan and I looking out of a hole in the wall, from the old to the modern world.

We had fun peeping through holes!

It is a big site.

When we had arrived in the Village of Birsay we had a cup of coffee from the village store because the Café isn't open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Before we left we went back to the village shop and had a Mr Whippy Ice cream.

Me and my Mr Whippy ice cream I had to share with the Missus

Yum. Missus and I went to have a look at the village church as it is called St Magnus and is on the St. Magnus trail, from that church where his bones were taken to be interred at St. Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall..

Inside St Magnus Church

The Magnus Window in St Magnus's Church

Then we set out to find the Kitchener Monument. We could see it in the distance as it is a tower. We eventually found a car park with a path up the hillside to the monument. Missus said she wanted to have a go at getting up there. So with 2 walking sticks she set off at a gentle pace. Lord Kitchener was on the HMS Hampshire sailing to Russia in 1916. The Hampshire had left the Orkney isles on 5th June 1916 with an escort of 2 destroyers but lost them in the bad weather conditions. At about 7.45pm there was an explosion and the bottom of the boat was holed. There had been over 700 people on board, but there was only 12 survivors. Lord Kitchener's body has never been found. He was last seen on the Bridge. There has been many theories about what caused the Hampshire to sink, but it has now been established that she struck a mine. The ship sank in 40feet of water and remains there today and is classified as a war grave, just off Marwick head. The monument takes the form of a tower with a curved wall in front of it with all the names of the people who lost their lives when it sank.

Also at Marwick head there are spectacular Sandstone Cliffs and there is a large Sea Bird colony at the these sheer rock faces. Guillemots, Razor Bills, Fulmars, Gannets and Puffins. We think we also saw a Bonxie (Gt. Skua). We also saw Rabbits lying out enjoying the Sunshine. On the way up the grassy track there were Cows and Calves in a field they too were laying down sun bathing, it was certainly a very peaceful scene.

Sunbathing Cows and Calves

Missus made it to the Monument and also did some bird watching and took some photographs. It was sunny but there was still a fresh breeze up there. Then it was time to start coming down again, steadily.