Orkney played a vital role in both World Wars and the vast number of wartime structures that litter the landscape are testament to this fact. Its importance was mainly thanks to a body of water named Scapa Flow, a sheltered natural harbour surrounded by many of the Orkney Islands. It is also ideally situated for guarding the North Sea and these factors contributed to Scapa Flow being chosen as the main base for the Royal Navy fleet during both World Wars. The protection of the fleet was a priority and this led to numerous coastal defences and batteries being built on the islands, some of which I recently visited on the wartime themed itinerary detailed below.
Unfortunately there were many local wartime casualties, including a combined total of over 1600 lives lost from attacks on HMS Hampshire and HMS Pheasant during the First World War, and HMS Royal Oak during the Second World War. A tragic accident on board HMS Vanguard during the First World War also resulted in over 800 lives lost and the death of the first civilian through enemy action during the Second World War also took place on Orkney when James Isbister was killed in Stenness. When I first visited Orkney I wasn't fully aware of how much the present day island life had been shaped by this dark period. After following this 1 day itinerary I felt a greater appreciation of the local impact and legacy left by this significant era of history. Tales of horror, hope and human spirit were intertwined in all the places that I visited.
ABOUT THE ITINERARY AND MY ADVICE
The itinerary is one of several autumn and spring themed day trip ideas that are being introduced by Destination Orkney over the coming months as part of their 'See You at The Weekend' campaign. I'll be trying them all out so stay tuned for lots more Orkney inspiration from me.
If you intend on following the full Wartime itinerary then I would advise some advance planning as you will need to take in to consideration opening times and book a place on the Ness Battery Tour. Due to these variables it is unlikely that your route will be exactly the same order as mine. The day is quite intense as there is a lot to do and see but if you're short on time and want to visit all the attractions mentioned then it is doable, just be prepared for a full day out. Alternatively, you can select a few sites to visit and take your day a bit easier or if you have more time, spread the itinerary out over a couple of days and enjoy it at a more relaxed pace. I've included a list of the locations below, with a map at the bottom of the page. I've also provided the approximate minimum time needed to visit (although you could spend much longer at most sites) and some helpful tips at the bottom of each attraction to make your planning as easy as possible - don't say I'm not good to you...
ORKNEY WARTIME ITINERARY LOCATIONS
STOP 1
Churchill Barriers
TIME REQUIRED - 5 MINUTES
The Churchill Barriers are a series of 4 causeways that link the 5 islands of Orkney Mainland, Lamb Holm, Glimps Holm, Burray and South Ronaldsay. Today most people view them as a convenient transport connection and they have certainly opened up local work and tourism opportunities. Indeed, it is the presence of the barriers that allowed me to travel between the various islands on my 1 day itinerary with ease, yet they are probably the most significant wartime legacy on Orkney.
You just have to look beyond the barriers to the rusting remains of ships rising out the water to be reminded of the reason these causeways first came about. These ships are blockships, deliberately sunk to block the passages between the islands. Along with submarine nets they formed naval defences designed to stop German U-boats. However, on 14th October 1939, German U-Boat U-47 managed to pass the blockships at high tide and torpedo HMS Royal Oak which was moored in Scapa Flow. The battleship sank quickly, with the loss of over 800 lives.
Winston Churchill proceeded to visit Orkney and instructed the building of 4 permanent barriers. The project was a great feat of engineering as the deep water and tidal currents caused logistical problems. A shortage of labour force resulted in many Italian prisoners of war being brought to Orkney. Quarries and infrastructure including rail links and piers also had to be created.
Below the smooth tarmacadam surface that exists today, is a massive hidden layer of rocks and concrete. In fact, 250,000 tons of broken rock set in wire cages and 66,000 cast concrete blocks were used to build the barricades. The work began in May 1940 and was completed in September 1944. Today, two of the barriers have been listed by Historic Environment Scotland as structures of national importance and a powerful reminder of Orkney's wartime past.
TIPS FOR VISITING
Hoxa Head
TIME REQUIRED - MINIMUM 45 MINUTES ALTHOUGH YOU COULD SPEND MUCH LONGER
My first proper stop of the morning was on the island of South Ronaldsay, easily reached from Mainland thanks to the previously mentioned Churchill Barriers. On the west coast of the island, Hoxa Head overlooks the The Sound of Hoxa, one of the main approaches to Scapa Flow.
Extensive coastal batteries were built on the surrounding islands of Flotta and South Ronaldsay to defend this strategic Orkney location and it is here that the substantial ruins of clifftop batteries that were operational during both world wars can still be found. Coastal defences are a common feature on Orkney but those at Hoxa Head are among the best ones to visit as there is still an extensive amount of structures remaining with evidence of gun emplacements, observation towers, an accommodation camp and more. I should add that many of the buildings are in a dangerous condition, with some partially collapsed so it is not recommended or advisable to explore inside.
The complex of batteries extends over 700m around the headland and has been listed as a Scheduled Monument. A battery was first installed here during the First World War which included gun and searchlight emplacements, engine room, shelters, accommodation and observation posts. At the end of WW1 the battery was decommissioned and the guns sold for scrap, I'm sure in the thinking that they wouldn't be needed so soon after!
With the arrival of another World War, the defences had to be rebuilt, and a second gun battery known as Balfour Battery was constructed and the whole site extended. Mothballed in 1943, the site was finally abandoned by 1950. I for one hope we never need defences like this again.
TIPS FOR VISITING
STOP 3
Italian Chapel
TIME REQUIRED - 10 - 20 MINUTES
The Italian Chapel is a building I don't think I'll ever tire of visiting. I've been several times now and have noticed something new on each occasion. There is a reason it is one of Orkney's most popular attractions drawing over 100,000 visitors each year.
Essentially the Chapel is constructed from two Nissen huts which have been transformed in to a small but beautifully formed sanctuary. The building came about after a request from Italian prisoners of war who were captured in North Africa and brought to Orkney to assist with the building of the Churchill Barriers. Many of them were based at Camp 60 on the island of Lamb Holm and wanted their own place of worship. The request for a chapel was agreed and the prisoners undertook the construction work and interior decoration during their spare time. One of the prisoners, Domenico Chiocchetti, was an artist and he was responsible for a large part of the design. He was assisted by Giuseppe Palumbi, a blacksmith, and Domenico Buttapasta, a cement worker, among many others. The Italian Chapel is stunning and a testament to their devotion and talent. It is hard to believe all the intricate detail was mainly fashioned from scrap material, concrete and some bought items from the prisoners welfare fund.
After the interior was completed, the prisoners started work on the exterior. Standing before the ornate white facade, there is little evidence that the building actually consists of two very plain Nissen huts. Head around the side and the back of the chapel to fully appreciate what basic shelters they were working with.
The Italian Chapel was actually only in use for a short period and has been restored and preserved over the years since which I for one am glad of as not many beautiful things rise out of the horror of war. 5 reasons to visit the Aberdeen Christmas Village & Market + more festive activities in the city4/12/2018
I've just returned from a winter city break in Aberdeen which has left me feeling all festive. I'm still getting to know the city, so it was great to have a few days to explore some of the sites, discover cute cafes and I even started my present shopping which is making me feel all smug as I'm usually a last minute person. Being a city means that Aberdeen doesn't shut down for the winter and I found countless ways to spend my time including a free lunchtime concert, a visit to the Botanic Gardens and museum trips among many other activities. In fact, I've written a blog post all about the indoor activities that I discovered during my latest trip to Aberdeen. However, one of the main reasons for this trip was to embrace the seasonal spirit at the Aberdeen Christmas Village and Market. The Village has an extended footprint this year and boasts the stunningly dramatic backdrop of Marischal College. With regional businesses and community groups at the heart of the event, it was nice to visit a Scottish Christmas market that supports and champions local talent. Here are a few of my reasons to visit the Aberdeen Christmas Village this year... 1. SHOP FOR LOCAL GOODS AT THE CHRISTMAS MARKET No Christmas Village would be complete without a festive market and Aberdeen is no exception. However, I was delighted to find out that a new market supporting local makers had been introduced for 2018 which is the kind of shopping I enjoy.
I don't know about you, but I'm more than a bit weary of seasonal events in other parts of the country that feature numerous stalls selling the same mass-produced items year after year. It is refreshing to see a Scottish city embrace local talent as their main shopping focal point. Christmas in the Quad takes place within the impressive courtyard of Marischal College and the cute little cabins are all home to businesses from the North East of Scotland, with a small stage also providing a platform for local musical talent. It is the perfect chance to pick up a unique gift while supporting local enterprises. The market runs from Thursday to Sunday until Sunday 23rd December and the line-up changes every week so there are new opportunities to buy a varied range of regional arts. crafts, food and drink each weekend. I combined a shopping excursion to the Christmas Village with a trip to the Aberdeen Etsy pop up market and managed to find some really unusual locally made presents. Although the Etsy market is finished for now, it is worth keeping an eye out for other makers events in the city.
Since moving to Orkney, I've found myself more and more interested in the Norse heritage of the islands. Unlike many other Scottish places connected with and ruled by the Vikings, it is hard to escape their legacy here.
I was excited to learn that a 1 day Orkney Viking itinerary had been put together by Destination Orkney which includes some of the most significant sites on Mainland. This seemed like the best way for me to start learning more about this era of local history so I set off on a beautiful autumnal Saturday to try the route out for myself. It turned out to be a pretty epic excursion which started on a tidal island and ended on a sea-stack, with a few top notch attractions in-between. It also transpired that visiting these sites outwith the popular summer tourism season meant I had almost every one to myself - result!
By the time I finished, I felt I had gained a much better understanding of the Norse settlers that colonised Orkney, which at one time held a central position in the Viking world. However, I also discovered that much is still unknown about them, including when exactly they arrived (probably the 8th century) and whether they arrived peacefully or took the land by force.
Whatever the answer to those questions, it is agreed that Norse culture and dominance quickly took over, and it was not until 1468 that Norse rule in Orkney formally came to an end. Today, evidence of their habitation can be found in structures, artefacts, place names and even the Orcadians themselves as DNA tests have shown a significant percentage of islanders have genes that can be traced to Norway. It is hard not to be drawn in by this intriguing island heritage and if you want to find out more, the Orkney Viking itinerary is definitely a good introduction.
ABOUT THE ITINERARY AND MY ADVICE
The itinerary is one of several autumn and spring themed day trip ideas that are being introduced by Destination Orkney over the coming months as part of their 'See You at The Weekend' campaign. I'll be trying them all out so stay tuned for lots more Orkney inspiration from me. If you intend on following the full Viking itinerary then I would advise some advance planning as you will need to take in to consideration tide times, booking tours and opening hours. Due to these variables it is unlikely that your route will be exactly the same order as mine. The day is quite intense as there is a lot to do and see but if you're short on time and want to visit all the attractions mentioned then it is doable, just be prepared for a full day out. Alternatively, you can select a few sites to visit and take your day a bit easier or if you have more time, spread the itinerary out over a couple of days and enjoy it at a more relaxed pace. I've included a list of the locations below, with a map at the bottom of the page. I've also provided the approximate minimum time needed to visit (although you could spend much longer at most sites) and some helpful tips at the bottom of each attraction to make your Viking adventure planning as easy as possible - don't say I'm not good to you...
ORKNEY VIKING ITINERARY LOCATIONS
STOP 1
Brough of Birsay
TIME REQUIRED - MINIMUM 30 MINUTES TO VISIT THE ISLAND + ADDITIONAL 15 MINUTES IF YOU ARE ALSO PLANNING TO VISIT ST MAGNUS CHURCH
My day started off just after sunrise as I made my way across the tidal causeway to reach my first destination, the Brough of Birsay. Pink skies lit up the island ahead and as always I was full of excited anticipation at the thought of visiting somewhere new.
I actually wasn't sure what to expect when I arrived but I can honestly say the site surpassed my expectations and set a pretty high bar for the rest of the day. It probably shouldn't have been a surprise that the Brough of Birsay was a special place to explore. Archaeological excavations here have revealed that this tidal island was a place of power, first for the Picts from the 600s and later the Vikings, who arrived there in the 9th century and developed the Norse settlement over the next 300 years.
It is also thought to have been the home of Earl Thorfinn the Mighty, Orkney's most powerful Earl which would have made it a very important place. Earl Thorfinn was the grandson of Malcolm II, King of Scots, and during his lifetime in the 11th century he built a kingdom larger than any other Earl of Orkney.
The settlement is very clear to make out and I loved the fact you can walk around it so freely. Although it is mainly the foundations that are left, it felt pretty easy to imagine what it would have looked like. Standing within the living space of Viking houses gave me goosebumps as I imagined who might have called these buildings their home. Their lives almost felt within touching distance.
The remains of houses, a sauna, blacksmith's workshop and a significant church surrounded by monastic buildings have all been discovered here along with some fascinating artefacts that are now housed in Orkney Museum. With such a packed itinerary ahead, I couldn't linger here as long as I would have liked but it felt like the perfect introduction to Orkney Viking history.
Back on the mainland I took a walk along to St Magnus Church in the village of Birsay. There is still some debate as to whether this is located on the foundations of Christ's Kirk built by Earl Thorfinn in 1064. Although this is widely accepted view, others speculate that Christ's Kirk was located on the Brough of Birsay.
As Christ's Kirk or Christchurch, was the burial place of Earl Thorfinn and also the murdered Earl Magnus (later St Magnus), it plays an important role in Norse history. Pilgrims visiting the grave of Magnus told stories of 'heavenly lights and a strange fragrance'. Claims of visions and miracles led to him being declared a saint and his remains exhumed before later being interred in St Magnus Cathedral, which was built in his honour and on my 'to visit' list later in the day.
TIPS FOR VISITING
STOP 2
Maeshowe
TIME REQUIRED - 90 MINUTES
Maeshowe is probably better associated with Neolithic rather than the Norse chapter of Orkney history. However it turns out this unassuming green mound is not only one of the finest Neolithic buildings to survive in North West Europe, it is also home to the largest collection of Viking runic inscriptions to survive outside Scandinavia.
The interior of the chambered tomb can only be visited on a guided tour which I had pre-booked, so I made my way to the Historic Scotland visitor centre and joined a small group of fellow sightseers. After a short bus journey and an easy walk, we bent over and shuffled our way along the gloomy passageway that leads in to the central chamber. If you were to guess the location of the highest villages in Scotland, I bet your first thought probably wouldn't turn to somewhere south of Glasgow in the heart of the Scottish Lowlands. Yet, not only does Wanlockhead in Dumfries and Galloway hold the claim to fame as the highest village in Scotland at 1531 ft above sea level, it is also the next door neighbour to Leadhills, the second highest village in Scotland, situated just across the regional border in South Lanarkshire. Both settlements developed and grew thanks to the discovery of the most important lead-zinc deposit in Scotland which brought mining and jobs to the area, with gold and other rare minerals also found locally. Although mining no longer takes place, the evidence of it is everywhere, from the visible heaps and shafts to the libraries, cottages and museum. Easily reached in less than an hour on the M74 motorway from Glasgow, a combined visit to Leadhills and Wanlockhead makes an ideal day trip. This is an area that definitely doesn't get the attention it deserves on the Scottish visitor trail despite having plenty of history and numerous unique attractions. As heading off the typical tourist route in Scotland is my speciality, I decided to leave Glasgow behind and head south to make a day of it among the beauty of the Lowther Hills. To say it was a unique adventure is an understatement and the locals I encountered were as friendly and passionate about their area as they come. If you're looking for a day out with a difference, I highly recommend the short detour from the motorway to visit these two distinctive Scottish villages. If you still need convincing, here is a summary of what I got up to along with a few more ideas for exploring these underrated regions - Leadhills and Wanlockhead RailwayMy first stop, and one of my main reasons for visiting Leadhills, was to take a trip on the Leadhills and Wanlockhead Railway. It is Britain's highest narrow gauge adhesion railway at almost 1500 ft above sea level and was built on the original track bed of the Caledonian Railway which closed in 1938. During the summer months you can take a 25 minute rail journey to the village of Wanlockhead, although disappointingly on the Saturday that I arrived there were no trains running. Despite checking ahead as advised on social media and on the website there was no mention of a closure and there were several other disappointed visitors that turned up while I was there. I'm assuming this is down to the fact that the railway is run by volunteers, so just be aware that checking ahead does not guarantee the train will be running when you get there. However, I did enjoy looking around the small station and the signal box, there is also a rather unique toilet which is basically a shed on the platform with a toilet inside! If all had went to plan, the train would have taken me on a journey along a line that connects Scotland's two highest villages, passing the disused Glengonnar Mine along the way. Leadhills Railway is an interesting wee place and the train journey is still something I would love to do so I'll try again at some point in the future and report back with more info. Hopetoun Arms - the highest residential hotel in ScotlandAs Leadhills is Scotland's second highest village it might not come as a surprise that it is home to the highest residential hotel in Scotland at 1297 ft above sea level. As my plans for the day had gone awry, I decided the Hopetoun Arms was a good place to get a cup of tea and reassess my itinerary. I hadn't actually made any real plans for the day other than taking the railway to the mining museum, however the hotel staff came to my rescue and provided me with a leaflet for the Leadhills Heritage Trail. It piqued my interest and I decided that it would be next on my agenda, but not before I finished my generous serving of tea. The Hopetoun Arms is a family run hotel with a homely atmosphere, with historic charm and period features. This year it has also won the Scottish heat of the 'Window with a View' contest after a guest submitted a photograph from his bedroom view overlooking the village and the surrounding Lowther Hills. You'll have to book a stay and decide for yourself if the hotel has the best view in all of Scotland. Leadhills Heritage TrailThanks to the Leadhills Heritage Trail leaflet, I spent the next hour on an interesting saunter through the village. If you don't manage to pick up a leaflet, there is a board with a map of the route just opposite the hotel, although it doesn't have as much information on it.
The circular trail is marked with 9 points of interest and one of the more notable sites is the grave of John Taylor who is recorded as having died in 1770 at 137 years of age! There were poor birth records at the time and his age was calculated by his personal recollection of an eclipse of the sun in 1652. Accurate or not, he sounds like an interesting character and his story has made him a local legend. Other attractions along the way include the Leadhills Miners Library (see below), the village square and the curfew bell which was rung to inform minors of shift changes and accidents. The Leadhills Heritage Trail is an easy walk and helps to bring the story of the village to life. It also encourages you to explore some of the backstreets and historical objects which you might otherwise miss. |
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