Still on the beaten path with a group tour but it is well done and the trip to Orkney today was amazing.  The north coast of Scotland is very different from the Highlands which we passed through when we left Inverness.  Much more barren.  The ferry went from Scrabster to Stromness – how are those for place names?? We then drove over to Kirkwell, our headquarters on Orkney for two nights. As it was late afternoon we just wandered around the town doing a little shopping and getting oriented.  I was surprised to find Orkney so cultivated with lush green fields stretching out as far as the eye can see and of course, sheep and cattle.  A visit to St. Magnus Cathedral was a real treat as this magnificent church was begun in the 1100’s and added on to for several centuries creating the magnificent structure now sitting in the middle of Kirkwall. With its distinctive sandstone hues the church is one of Orkney’s most magnificent landmarks.  

Tomorrow we visit the ancient ruins that dot the islands and the reason I wanted to make the journey to Orkney this trip.  Standing stones and burial cairns are among the treasures that await us.