A fine walk, a bit of art and some wartime history
Posted: Monday, 30 April 2007 |
Saturday morning was superb weather, although it was v v cold - you can't see the biting wind in the pics.
House is full of boxes of books following auction, so fresh air is required to escape the fusty booky dust. One of our wonderful rangers (for the World Heritage Site) were conducting a walk to the Broch of Borwick at Yesnaby so we went up.
The old wartime buildings on the cliffs have been there since WWII, when Orkney was home to over 60,000 service personnel of one kind or another - huge dairy herds were encouraged to provide milk, Gracie Fields sang from the balcony of the Stromness Hotel, and the local girls' feet didn't touch the ground. These red brick sheds were part of a camp here. There were anti-aircraft guns of different sizes fixed to the concrete base, and the raw recruits would use them in training. The equally raw recruits stationed at Twatt aerodrome would fly past the Yesnaby cliffs trailing windsocks, whereupon the gunners would fire live ammunition at the windsocks. One pilot, scared witless the first time, said that from then on he made sure his windsocks were tied on with very long pieces of rope!
At the moment, the sheds are being used to house an art exhibition.
I liked the small hut with the curtains and things in frames and I also loved the felt flags, but I'm afraid the Oppenheimer atom stuff didn't do it for me. However, in principal I am a fan of public art, especially in incongruous places, and even more especially when those spaces are never used for anything else. Nice one!
The walk along the cliff gives some top geography, including the old stramatalites, which I'm reliably informed are ancient fossilised lichen.
Here we are looking out to sea, next landfall, Canada.
The broch of Borwick is very smart, we sat inside, ate a bit of fudge and had the old 'So, brochs then, what were they all about, eh?' debate for a bit. We were checked out thoroughly by a nearby resident fulmar.
A jolly time was had by all.
And there's the Old Man of Hoy, peeking round the cliff.
Many thanks to Elaine the ranger!
House is full of boxes of books following auction, so fresh air is required to escape the fusty booky dust. One of our wonderful rangers (for the World Heritage Site) were conducting a walk to the Broch of Borwick at Yesnaby so we went up.
The old wartime buildings on the cliffs have been there since WWII, when Orkney was home to over 60,000 service personnel of one kind or another - huge dairy herds were encouraged to provide milk, Gracie Fields sang from the balcony of the Stromness Hotel, and the local girls' feet didn't touch the ground. These red brick sheds were part of a camp here. There were anti-aircraft guns of different sizes fixed to the concrete base, and the raw recruits would use them in training. The equally raw recruits stationed at Twatt aerodrome would fly past the Yesnaby cliffs trailing windsocks, whereupon the gunners would fire live ammunition at the windsocks. One pilot, scared witless the first time, said that from then on he made sure his windsocks were tied on with very long pieces of rope!
At the moment, the sheds are being used to house an art exhibition.
I liked the small hut with the curtains and things in frames and I also loved the felt flags, but I'm afraid the Oppenheimer atom stuff didn't do it for me. However, in principal I am a fan of public art, especially in incongruous places, and even more especially when those spaces are never used for anything else. Nice one!
The walk along the cliff gives some top geography, including the old stramatalites, which I'm reliably informed are ancient fossilised lichen.
Here we are looking out to sea, next landfall, Canada.
The broch of Borwick is very smart, we sat inside, ate a bit of fudge and had the old 'So, brochs then, what were they all about, eh?' debate for a bit. We were checked out thoroughly by a nearby resident fulmar.
A jolly time was had by all.
And there's the Old Man of Hoy, peeking round the cliff.
Many thanks to Elaine the ranger!
Comments
Can anyone please help, I,m trying to locate Mr, Raymond Linkater he is a former R,A,F, friend of national-service days[1953-1955], at that time Raymond lived near to Stenness on mainland and i have happy memories of my visit there during Easter 1955. I now suffer from a serious life threatening illness and my time is short,so i would like to here from him or any of his family as soon as possible. If anyone can help please e-mail me at, turnergeoffrey@yahoo.co .uk All of my efforts to trace Raymond have been in vain, My best regards to all in the beautiful islands of Orkney, Geoff, TURNER.
geoff, turner from washington tyne& wear
This looks like the same place as in the pics in FC's blog. These buildings must have been hoaching with island bloggers!
Jill from EK
Were you following me Stromness Dragon....did you see a stripey cat with a digicam swaggering along? Did you leave a comment?
Flying Cat from not-quite-in-Big Cage
I thought the pictures looked familiar, but then I blamed the deja vu feeling to an overdose of caffeine. Must be the Stromness air that makes the locals go up and stroll the same ruins. Do stay away from the top of cliffs folks: I would rather not read RIPs on IBHQ's site. Unless of course the obituaries are as irreverent (dead on the mark, if I may say so) and as fun as those a university down south puts out.
mjc from NM,USA
Sorry FC, I didn't realise how similar they were - I bow to your superior and indeed earlier posting. I thought I saw a slinky stripey fellow in the vicinity....anyway, just remember that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Stromness dragon from In the feline shadow
There was a tale current during the days that those buildings were active which went like this. The pilot of the target towing plane called up the range controller in charge of all the testosterone fuelled young men who were being taught how to fire the various anti aircraft guns with a request. Would said controller be so kind to tell the young men on the guns that the pilot was pulling the target not pushing it.
Hyper-Borean from Fighter control
Geoff, I knew Linklaters that stayed near the Brig o Waith in Stenness. Thora is the ladies name and she used to teach in Stennes school, in fact she taught me when I was 5. Think they might still be there, in a peedie hoose next to what I believe used to be the Golden Slipper, a war-time nightspot. Maybe they are related to your pal?
Ruthodanort from Unst
There's a firm called Linklater Engineering in the West Mainland. Its in the phone book.
Muness from Fetlar
Many thanks to Ruthodanort from Unst and to Muness from Fetlar for the information they both sent to me i shall follow-up all leads and let you know the results. Geoff.
Geoff, Turner from Washington, Tyne&Wear
please do Geoff, if there's no luck there we can ask aboot a bit more.
Ruthodanort from Unst
Geoff, another thing you might try is sending a letter to the local newspapers, The Orcadian and Orkney Today. Everybody in Orkney readsthem, and a lot of exiled Orcadians too, so someone might know your friend. Best of luck.
Stromness Dragon from Inside the paper
To Stromness Dragon, Thanks for advice and for allowing me to use your wonderful blog site. Geoff.
Geoff, Turner from Washington, Tyne&Wear
Is that patchwork sweater in the photos one of Island Thread's offerings?
calumannabel from Patchwork spotting HQ Ness
Re jumper, not sure of origins. I'll ask the lad next time I see him. It is quite jolly, isn't it?
Stromness dragon from The woolshed
Thora Linklater still stays there...her husband Freddie used to pop in to the Stromness Deli when fpu worked there, prop himself on the counter, and launch into one of his stories. He had twinkly eyes, a venerable embonpoint and Dennis Healey eyebrows...and a liking for Shetland Roses. He's sitting on a creepie somewhere over the Styx, winding wool for the Fates and regaling them with tales of the Golden Slipper....
Flying Cat from The nostalgic nook
Please don't apologise SD, Great Minds and all that! Is it knitted patchwork they do Oot West? They're the ones for finding things to do with a sheep....
Flying Cat from an admiring glance
Hello Everyone, Ihave at last been able to contact my former R.A.F.friend Raymond Linklater,my thanks go to all of the island bloggers who helped me in my search,to Ruthodanort,to Muness of fetlar and to youStromness Dragon for allowing me to invade your blog-site. My thanks also go to The Orcadian and Orkney Today newspapers for publishing my request for help. My best wishes to everyone on the islands. Bless you all, Geoff, turner.
Geoff, Turner from washington tyne& wear
Hi Geoff, Excellent news, I am really glad you managed to locate your friend. I spotted your letters to the papers and Things That Go moo sent in one too! Happy to have my blog used for such a purpose! Best of luck.
Stromness Dragon from Shucks, twere nothin'
Thanks for the update Geoff. And the blessings. Count yoursel blessed in return!
Ruthodanort from Unst
I'd prefer to be blissed than blessed...
Flying Cat from The Sunroom of Eternity
I know this is a comment on an old post, but... We visted Orkney recently and walked in this area, didn't reach the broch though. We were wondering about those old wartime buildings, good to see they're used for art sometimes! We had some close encounters with fulmars too! Crafty Green Poet http://craftygreenpoet.blogspot.com
Crafty Green Poet from Edinburgh
Life in Stromness, writing stuff, staring out of the window, history, growing veg at the allotment.
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