Day 18 - Marwick Head

It was raining hard when we got up and did so for most of the day.  It eased about 11 so we went to Marwick Head which is owned by the RSPB and has very hgh cliffs similar to Bempton in Yorkshire.  It is the biggest seabird nesting area in Orkney.  There are puffins here but we didnt see any - I think they were safely tucked away in their burrows in the wet and windy weather.  We did see lots of birds nesting on the cliff ledges mainly fulmars, guillemots and kittiwakes.

 

 
Razorbills

 
 
Marwick Head

 
Fulmars

 
Razorbills


 
A small section of the cliff face

 
Guillemot

Kittiwakes

Along the cliffs is the 48ft high Kitchener Memorial which is to commemorate the loss of the battleship HMS Hampshire in WWI on 5th June 1916.  It had struck a German mine laid just 1 week previously just off Marwick Head.  Lord Kitchener, who was the face of the "Your Country Needs You" campaign was onboard and one of the 700 who died.  There is a wall naming all who died, plus another 9 who were in a fishing boat called the Laurel Crown, which had been hired for war service on minesweeper duties around the HMS Hampshire but struck another of the mines just 17 days later killing all on board, one of which was an Orcadian from Bursay. 

 
Marwick Head and Kitchener Tower

 
Kitchener Tower 

We did a circular walk from the car park and along the cliff top.  It was possible to get right to the cliff edge with no barriers, just a sign warning of dangerous sheer drops.

We had our lunch back at the car and it was still raining.  I noticed a little bird on the wire fence and took some photos and found it to be a Wryneck.  I havent seen one of these before.

 
Wryneck

 
Wryneck - he even stuck his tongue out at me

 
Male Linnet


 
Male and female Linnet

 
No 7 bus going to Birsay Palace - but look where its going via 😮

 
Valais Blacknose Sheep

 
Valais Blacknose Sheep 


We passed through the village of Twatt in West Mainland.  It used to have road signs but these have all been stolen by tourists and the council have stopped replacing them.  They had no trouble before the village name became an expletive.  Google the name to see photos of previous road signs and a church seat which is also no longer there.

 

 
Worn out sign for Twatt Church

 
Twatt Village Church

We came back to the lodge and had a rest before going out early evening.  The rain had stopped and we had a bit of evening sunshine.  We decided to take another look around Kirkwall and then eat out. 

 
Wireless Museum - looks interesting so may visit at weekend

 
Kirkness Marina

 
Coastline east of Kirkness

 
Telephone Box still in use

 
Interesting shop

 
Intriguing street name

 
Black Guillemot - Kirkwall Marina

 
Guillemot?  Seen in Kirkwall Harbour

 
Pedestrian Street Kirkwall - early evening and no-one about

 




 


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