Edinburgh Scotland.

We arrived in South Queensferry which is the tender port for Edinburgh. When we took our tender ashore we saw that a previous one had got stuck on a mud bank and another one was trying to pull it free. They were there for over an hour so I am very glad we hadn't gone ashore a few minutes earlier.

We decided we would go to Edinburgh castle as the last time we were there we took the HOHO bus and didn't have time to go in.

Two Scots Guards on duty.

Once you get inside the castle gates it is not at all as I expected a castle to look like. It looks more like a town with roads and houses.

The One o' clock gun which gets fired daily.

There was a lovely view out across Edinburgh from the castle.

The Forth Rail Bridge which was opened in 1890. Our ship is just visible behind it.
I hope you have enjoyed our British Isles cruise, and if so, come back soon to see the pictures from Scandinavia.

Orkney Islands Part 3.

It is now a year since this cruise and 6 months since I last posted any photos from it, so I think it is high time I got some more posted.
Our next stop on our Orkneys tour took us to the Brock of Gurness. The following photos show the large site where the dwellings were in use in 100BC.

The Broch is the central part and the dwellings were built around it.

After visiting the Brock we returned to Kirkwall and St. Magnus Cathedral.

Memorial to John Rae the Arctic explorer.

When we got back to the port the pipers were there to play us out.

As we left we passed the lighthouse on our way to South Queensferry, the tender port for Edinburgh.

Cappuccino.

Home only 2 days and I am missing my cappuccinos! Thank you to Lievieu (sp?) for all the lovely patterns you made for me.

Sunset and contrails.

Orkney Islands part 2.

Well I have eventually got around to posting more photos from our cruise around the British Isles.
After we left the Standing Stones of Stenness we went to the ancient village of Skara Brae.

The houses were built sunken into the ground.

It felt strange to be walking where people were known to have lived thousands of years ago.

This is one of the passageways into the houses that has been reconstructed using the original stonework.

Skara Brae is right on the coast with beautiful views.

Although the sky was blue it was very cold and windy and I would think, very bleak in the winter.

Leaving there and heading for Broch of Gurness we passed some workers digging peat.

The Broch is the central building and the dwellings were built around it and it dates from 100BC.

Leaving the Broch of Gurness we headed back to Kirkwall.

St. Magnus Cathedral Kirkwall.

As we returned to our ship, the pipers were there to see us go.
Next stop will be Invergordon Scotland.

Kirkwall, Orkney Islands.

Orkney Islands, Scotland.

Our first stop on Orkney was Maes Howe which is an ancient chamber tomb dating back to 2700BC. It was very low to get in and unfortunately as I get claustrophobic, after the first two or three feet, I had to reverse back out and let Ivor go in on his own.

He said once you had gone through the low and narrow passage it opened into a large chamber with some natural light.

As no photos were allowed inside I kept the camera and took a photo of some local inhabitants while I waited.

The scenery was lovely too, but it was very cold and windy there.

Next were the four Standing Stones o' Stenness thought to date from 3100BC and the oldest standing stones in Britain. You can read more about them here.

They stand up to 19 feet high.

On the short trip from Stenness we passed this swan sitting on her nest.

Next was the Ring of Brodgar which has many more standing stones but not as big as the previous ones we saw. You can read more about it here.

I took so many photos on Orkney that our next stop at Skara Brae will have to come in the next post.