Wed 13 04 2016. Dornoch to Stromness, Orkney.
North to Lybster, where we didn’t see the famous harbour due to Hamish refusing the very narrow and steeply downward roadway.
Then to another world famous attraction of northeast Scotland, Whaligoe, which we were unable to find due to a criminal lack of any road signs whatsoever. It took Hamish three drivebys to track down the slim row of cottages and tiny carpark between the A99 and the sea.
Whaligoe was very well worth the effort, thanks in no small part to Davy, the resident historical expert and friend of the very famous!
Whaligoe has its own 365 step precipitous stone stairway down to a wee stone cove where the locals caught and processed those ‘silver darlings’ the herring. These steps enabled the women of the village to carry the herring up to the top of the cliffs on their seven mlle walk to Wick, where they could sell the catch.
Davy regaled us with tales gleaned from his grandfather of Whaligoe life and then his own encounters with famous visitors from the ‘Coast’ programme, Billy Conolly (who returned with his wife from LA) and Edwin Collyns (Orange Juice- There’s Never Been A Girl Like You Before?) whose grandad lived locally. Now he’ll be able to tell his visitors about his encounter with Hamish!
Next, off piste, on a single track signposted road north to the ‘Grey Cairns of Camster’. This exceptional tourist attraction consists of two mounds of grey stones in the middle of a deserted landscape.
We were most upset when, after lunch, a small silver car arrived with two American tourists, to spoil our lonely isolation.
We followed them across duckboards to the mounds. Apparently they are reconstructions of ancient burial mounds. So we were expected to crawl on stone and gravel for about ten yards into the centre of the mounds to see a small space surrounded by stones in the centre. Amazing.
Alastair explored the first, dirty hands and knees, sore head. Lisa and Alastair explored the second hole, dirty hands and knees and sore heads. We gave the third a miss, predicting the same. We aren’t completely stupid. The Americans appeared to appreciate all three, while we headed off.
Scrabster was just the place for an afternoon kip after all our exertions. We even found fresh water by the harbour side. Lovely ferry ride to Stromness.
On arrival Hamish was snugly wrapped up in the harbour car park and we were snugly wrapped around a pint of ‘Island Hopping’ inside The Ferry Inn within ten minutes. A couple of pints and a wee dram later found us back in Hamish sleeping soundly.
