Margaret’s Travel Log 6: Orkney

September 11-12, 2005: Orkney at last, after a full day of travel from Oxfordshire. The least said about that, the better! In contrast, it’s easy to run short of words when trying to describe Orkney. For starters, the lighting is so variable. It can change from full sun to overcast in minutes and days that start with drizzling rain can evolve into either mist or intermittent sun and cloud.
The low sun angle is a delight for photographing just about anything but you need to be precise with exposures – and also make effective use of exposure compensation.

Setting the camera to full auto or “P” can result in missed shots. You need between one and 1.5 EV of underexposure to capture the full colours of a sunrise or sunset and about a stop of overexposure to record misty scenes accurately. Even in full sunlight, the light is so gentle that it is rare to miss out on recording shadow detail. However, the tonal nuances in the grey-blue skies are easy to lose and I have frequently had to use a very light gradient filter on the sky in scenic shots to recapture the full range of hues and tones in the original scene.
We have been both unlucky and lucky with the weather. Yesterday dawned fine but grey, segued gently into a light drizzle between 8.30 and 9.30 am but cleared up and became progressively finer and less cloudy during the day. This gave us the chance to visit one of Orkney’s ancient site, the Tomb of the Eagles in South Ronaldsay. The site, which combines Bronze and Iron Age buildings, was discovered by farmer, Ronald Simison, is privately owned and run. The remains of more than 300 people have been found here, along with bones and talons of sea eagles and domestic and religious artifacts. Some of these remains are held on display in the family-run museum, while the rest are stored in Edinburgh. The walk to and from the main tomb passes along some interesting headlands, which offer chances to view sea birds and some of the many seals found around the coastlines.

The remains of a Bronze Age dwelling that probably housed an extended family roughly 3000 years ago. The house had running water and a central “cooking pot” made from slabs of stone, which was heated with hot rocks from an external fireplace. Roughly a metre square, this cooking pot also provided heating for the house. The stone structure would have been roofed with thatch. (Gradient filter added to restore the natural appearance of the sky.)
After lunch, we embarked on a walk around the Hoxa Dam, one of the many natural lakes that punctuate Orkney’s landscape. The “Dam” itself lies between two beaches – one largely sandy and the other rocky – and the walk takes you up onto a hillside that provides excellent view over Scapa Flow and the islands of Flotta and Hoy.

A typical Orcadian scene: path-side grasses are filled with wildflowers, the wind makes catspaws on the still water and the sunlit hillsides carry cloud shadows. The low tide reveals abundant seaweed along the rocky shoreline. This type of scene is easily captured with the camera in auto or “P” mode.
We had planned to visit Hoy today as it is the most mountainous of the islands. However we were unable to secure a place on the ferry (it takes only 16 cars) so we have booked to go on Thursday. This was fortunate and it began to rain as we left the ferry terminal and has continued drizzling since.
The wet weather doesn’t deter Orcadians, especially the young. To our delight, a group of primary school children in rowing boats passed by our cottage mid-morning, supervised by two teachers in a power boat. The kids were obviously having fun, especially when one teacher shouted “round Robin” and they had to swap places. Their reward was being allowed to row to the other side of the Flow to check out a large group of seals before returning to their lessons. It’s great to see schools still teaching the crafts on which the islands have relied for centuries.
With no let up in the rain, this afternoon will be devoted to checking and sending emails at the library in Kirkwall and visiting the ancient Cathedral of Saint Magnus, which was begun in 1137 by Earl Rognvald Kolsson in memory of his murdered uncle, Magnus Erlendsson. (The Viking influence remains strong in local names.) Both were subsequently canonised and their remains are buried in the cathedral. The weather if forecast to worsen this evening so there may be some opportunities for dramatic shots later on.

Two stops of under-exposure were required to record the normal hues and tones of a colourful sunrise. In the north, sunrise lasts for almost an hour and the colours can be intense. Note the traditional fishing boat in the foreground.

The roll-on-roll-off ferry between Stromness and the mainland port of Scrabster (near Thurso) leaves at around 7 am, with the returning ferry arriving at around 10.30. Bracketing is required to obtain a shot that captures the correct balance between the subject and its background and subsequent levels adjustment was required to recreate the true tones and hues in the scene.

Dramatic lighting is common in Orkney. This shot shows a ship in Scapa Flow, lit by the late afternoon sun streaming through gaps in the clouds. Shot with the EOS 300D and 55-200mm lens.

Boat handling skills are vital for children who grow up on an island. These primary school kids were out in a misty drizzle, exercising their sea legs and exploring the Stromness harbour.

Wildflowers can be found almost everywhere and are ideal subjects for the Ixus 750. Its large screen makes it easy to frame shots at low angles and provides a clear view for the photographer. The style of the stone wall, with its vertical arrangement of capping stones, it typical of Orkney and northern Scotland.