The previous time we visited the Brough of Birsay see here and here, the rain started to come in horizontally so we cut things short.

In June this year the weather was much more amenable.

On the way up we had stopped off at Marwick Head again.

Hoy from Marwick Head, Old man of Hoy just visible poking up at right hand end of island:-

Marwick Head from Brough of Birsay, Kitchener Memorial standing out on Marwick Head:-

Mainland Orkney from Brough of Birsay:-

Viking ruins lie close to the causeway from the mainland:-

This time we were able to stroll to the lighthouse:-

Stevenson Lighthouse, Brough of Birsay from path across the brough:-

Close up:-

From northwest:-

From South:-

The arrangements for accessing Maeshowe in Orkney had changed since the first time we visited. Now you have to take a bus from the visitor centre a few hundred yards along the road. As a result we heard of the Barnhouse Stone which sits in a field a bit west of Maeshowe and lines up with it and one of the solstices.

I later stopped to photograph it:-

Maeshowe from Barnhouse Stone:-

Maeshowe entrance:-

Ness of Brodgar from Maeshowe. The Ness of Brodgar is the spit of land between the two lochs you can see in the photo. Just below the lowest rightmost hill in the background you can make out the Ring of Brodgar:-

View southwest from Maeshowe:-

View from Maeshowe towards Hoy:-

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With the exception of Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery on Hoy, Comely Bank Cemetery in Edinburgh may possibly contain the most Commonwealth War Graves in one location anywhere in Scotland. 301 servicemen are buried here, from both wars. Its location near a hospital (or two) no doubt contributed to that.

Unusually the memorial stones in the Great War section are laid flat:-

Flat memorial stones. The Stone of Remembrance is to the left here behind the shrubs:-

More flat memorial stones:-

All these flat stones commemorate more than one serviceman:-

Stone of Remembrance. It is inscribed, “1914-1918 1939-1945. To the honoured memory of his Majesty’s forces who gave their lives for their country and who lie buried in this cemetery. The following are not commemorated elsewhere. Private R Brines, Middlesex Regiment. 19/1 1920, Private A Brown, Highland Light Infantry, 9/1/1920, Private Jackson Robb, Royal Scots, 30/8/1921.”

Information board:-

Dunnet Head is the northernmost point of the Scottish mainland and hence of Britain.

Dunnet Head from distance, from a side road off the A 836:-

Cliffs at Dunnet Head:-

Lighthouse, Dunnet Head:-

Dunnet Head Lighthouse Foghorn, island of Hoy in background:-

Lighthouse and foghorn:-

Lighthouse Information Board:-

Lighthouse and Pentland Firth:-

Cliffs again:-

Hoy from Dunnet Head:-

Pentland Firth and Hoy from Dunnet Head:-

The Old Man of Hoy is just visible in this zoom (and in the previous photo if you squint a bit):-

So farewell, then Orkney. The Castle of Mey, formerly owned by Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, was so close to where we made landfall on the Scottish mainland once more that it made sense to visit. It is, after all, far too far for a day trip.

Castle from car park:-

Going through the gate seen in the above photo leads to the side of the castle. The castle’s garden is behind you in this view:-

Front view of castle:-

I had taken the rear view before entering the castle proper. No photos were allowed inside:-

Castle from garden:-

Pentland Firth and Hoy from the castle’s garden:-

I took this to try to capture an image of the Old Man of Hoy. A telescope on the elevated platform the previous photo was taken from showed it, just, but it was too misty without sufficient magnification:-

This is Dunnet Head – the northernmost part of the Scottish mainland, from the car park at the Castle of Mey. (I managed to capture a bird in flight as well):-

The big former oil tank at Lyness now houses a large video screen showing films about Scapa Flow and the ships which once used it, plus several exhibits of large(ish) military machinery.

A troop carrier with US markings and searchlight in background:-

A DUKW (or Duck) + Crane:-

Wheeled anti-aircraft gun. Not the best photo I’ve ever taken:-

Signs outside pointed to an air-raid shelter. We followed them to the entrance:-

It was quite extensive inside. This is a view of the corridor:-

I suppose the rooms may have been furnished with chairs or bunks but they don’t look very prepossessing now:-

Interior exhibits. On entering there is a display of photographs of ships in Scapa Flow and pieces of naval equipment/relics from both World Wars.

There was also a model of Scapa Flow showing dispositions of the interned German High Seas Fleet ships after WW1 but before the Grand Scuttle.

Island of Hoy to right, Fara left middle, Flotta towards top:-

Island of Hoy to bottom left, Rysa Little to bottom right, Fara top middle:-

Island of Hoy to bottom (Lyness to right,) Fara in middle ground, Rysa Little to left. Flotta top right:-

A naval torpedo, part cutaway:-

A typical 1930s room:-

Compton Mackenzie‘s battledress! Apparently he owned a couple of the Orkney islands, was stationed there and donated this uniform:-

Church Army Rest Hut sign. This was above the present day café inside which we had a very nice cake and coffee. It was done out in 1940s style. Unfortunately it was so well patronised I felt unable to take a photo. I had meant to go back for one but the ferry departure time crept up on us before I could:-

More external exhibits at Lyness Naval Museum, Hoy, Orkney.

A naval mine:-

Oil pipes:-

A propeller from HMS Hampshire:-

The last remaining oil tank at Lyness. Now houses museum exhibits:-

The Scapa Flow Visitor Centre and Museum is almost directly ahead of you as you disembark from the ferry at Lyness, Hoy.

It’s not very prepossessing from the outside but is packed with exhibits relating to the miltary use of Scapa Flow in the two World Wars.

Several naval guns lie in the forecourt:-

You’ll see in the first picture two information boards. This board relates to the complex as a whole:-

Also exterior to the main museum is this example of anti-torpedo netting:-

The main World War 2 defence artillery battery for the Sound of Hoy was the Ness Battery. A few buildings remain. They have that vaguely Deco style of a lot of World War 2 fortifications. We missed the guided tour so didn’t get the full access. We’d only gone out for an evening stroll.

Shore Battery. Atlantic/Pentland Firth beyond:-

Graemsay and Hoy from Ness Battery:-