Island Hopping Through History in Scotland

Days 26 and 27, 2023 North Atlantic Adventure

Tuesday and Wednesday, June 6-7, 2023; Portree and Kirkwall, Scotland.

I wasn’t expecting much of Kirkwall as I knew next to nothing about it, other than it is in the Orkney Islands on the north of Scotland.

Kirkwall is perhaps best known as a place to visit if you want to see ancient sites. The town itself is on the site of a Norse town founded 1,000 years ago. But if you go back much further – say 5,000 years — the thriving Neolithic village of Skara Brae was thriving. It was buried below the earth for thousands of years until a storm uncovered it a little more than a century ago. Now it is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I didn’t visit there today because I am booked for a Skara Brae tour when the Zuiderdam returns to Kirkwall in a few weeks. This morning I just enjoyed the sail-in from the Crow’s Nest. After the hilly – dare I say mountainous – terrain of the Isle of Sky and even Ireland, the Orkney Islands are fairly flat and so was the water in the bay. But it was a busy morning.

As we headed to the cruise dock, the Le Dumont d’Urville (Ponant polar expedition vessel) already was moored. The Ocean Endeavour (owned by Copenhagen-based Albatros Travel, which also specializes in polar expedition cruises and tours) entered the harbor and anchored. It is the first time on this segment that we have seen other ships – even small ships — in port. I guess the busy summer season is beginning.

By mid-morning there was no line for the complementary shuttle that took us the two or three miles to the town center.

From there it was just a few blocks to the towering St. Magnus Cathedral, which dates to 1137 when construction began.

Nearby are the ruins of the former Bishop’s Palace and Earl’s Palace. Of course I stopped for a while to sketch.

The weather has turned markedly cooler, with the high around 50 degrees under a cloudy sky. Fortunately, there wasn’t too much wind. For the first time since we left Norway in early May I wore my all-weather jacket.

After exploring the thousand-year-old buildings and the church cemetery, I headed down the street for a little window shopping. Remembering my concerns about fitting everything I already have into my suitcases for the flight home, I just admired the locally made woolens. There isn’t much need for them in Texas, anyway.

Yesterday was my second visit to Portree, Scotland, Last time I only had a little time to see the town on the Isle of Skye before leaving on a tour to the north of the island. And when the tour returned, I had even less time to quickly hug and chat with a dear high school and college friend who happened to be in town with her husband.

This time I jumped on an early tender and methodically explored every block of the downtown area. Leslie, the proprietor of Highland Natural Accents, seemed like an old friend as she remembered my sisters and me looking through every color combination of woolen headbands before making our choices. I stopped in MacKenzie’s Bakery for the highly recommended donuts and a flat white, which I enjoyed while sitting outside in the sun and sketching.

Portree sits on a hill above the harbor, and from one side you see the postcard view of the harbor buildings. Of course, I also needed to sketch the scene. Paint will bring the colorful buildings to life.

It’s hard to believe we only have two ports left before returning to Rotterdam. I’m realizing how different back-to-back cruises are than long single cruises. Most of the people I’ve barely met will be leaving. But for now I will look forward to tomorrow – when I will be hunting for a monster. Stay tuned!

.