This morning we took a drive to Houton on the mainland of Orkney. This was the closest we were going to get to Scapa Flow best known as the site of the United Kingdoms chief naval base during World War I and World War II. Following the German defeat in WWI, 74 ships of the Kaiserliche Marines High Seas Fleet were interned in Gutter Sound at Scapa Flow pending a decision on their future in the peace Treaty of Versailles. On 21 June 1919, after nine months of waiting, Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, the German officer in command at Scapa Flow, made the decision to scuttle the fleet rather than allow it to fall into British hands. Our next stop was Maeshowe, the finest chambered tomb in Western Europe. Built before 2700 BC, it was raided by the Vikings in the mid-12th century and plundered of its treasures. What the Vikings left behind however, is various runic inscriptions carved into the walls which is known as one of the best collections of runes in the world and includes the Maeshowe Dragon - a very well known Orkney icon. Although I have visited the chamber many times, it never fails to impress and leave me with a sense of awe and wonder that almost 5,000 years ago people were able to build something of such exact proportions! We then stopped for lunch on the Isle of Burray at the Sands Hotel. After lunch we journeyed to South Ronaldsay to visit the Tomb of the Eagles which is perched above the dramatic South Ronaldsay Cliffs. The Isbister Chambered Cairn - better known today as the Tomb of the Eagles - is one of Orkneys top archaeological sites. Discovered by chance by a local farmer Ronnie Simison in the 1950s, this Stone Age Tomb revealed an amazing collection of bones and artefacts, placed here some 5,000 years ago. It is now run by the Ronnie’s two daughters Freda and Kathleen who offer an intimate and informative introduction to the displays, the tomb and its environs. On the way back to Kirkwall we stopped at the Italian Chapel which was built by Italian prisoners of war during World War II. The prisoners were building that are known as the Churchill Barriers, a series of four causeways that link the Orkney Mainland in the north to the island of South Ronaldsay via Burray and the two smaller islands of Lamb Holm and Glimps Holm.They were built primarily as naval defences to protect the anchorage at Scapa Flow. The prisoners were given two Nissan huts that they placed end to end and then hand painted the interior to resemble an Italian chapel. Simply amazing! Tomorrow we are back to the mainland thus ending the islands part of our Highlands and Islands adventure.
Posted on: Wed, 14 May 2014 19:21:40 +0000
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