An Orkney
holiday in August 2003 produced several surprises.
Having motored
all of 500 miles towards Ultima Thule followed by a 90-minute sea-crossing,
we discovered we were still not, after all, "abroad." Terry
Wogan wafted across the local airwaves. The dominance of "mainland"
TV became clear from our very first conversation with a local (the St Magnus
Centre guide): "And if you’d crossed on the Hamnavoe last night
you’d have had Cameron for company!" [Cameron Who?] "You know, Cameron
of Big Brother. He came home yesterday for the first time since
winning." I still failed to react. "Goodness! You must be the only man
in the country doesn’t know that Cameron comes from Orkney!" Hmm … And
my attempt to save face, mumbling "there was a Yorkshire lass went out
in the second round, wasn’t there?" was a bit hollow. But the possibility
that somewhere as distant as Orkney could be at the hub of Big Brother
just hadn’t crossed my mind.
St Magnus
himself, for someone of Viking stock, turned out to be another surprise.
He was a man of peace. When coerced in his youth to take part in a Hebridean
raiding expedition he insisted that, since he had no quarrel with their
intended victims, he would not fight. A sword was thrust into his hands
and he was told he must defend himself. Instead he stood throughout the
conflict singing psalms. Nobody attacked him. (Sadly, his saintliness
did not preserve him from a bloody end eventually at the hands of relatives.)
The magnificent
12th century cathedral built in his honour was another surprise.
Constructed by stonemasons from Durham, it towers above all other buildings
in Kirkwall. And during our visit it was host to a spectacular flower
festival.
Did we enjoy
Orkney’s 5,000 year-old World Heritage Sites – Skara Brae village and
Maes Howe chambered tomb? We certainly did! No surprises there, more a
source of amazement. And much the same goes for the islands’ wonderful
all-round skies, and for the many flocks of Lapwing and Curlew – as common
as Starlings or Gulls back home.
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