Things to do
Churchill Barriers
In 1914 The Royal Navy's Grand Fleet arrived in Scapa Flow to one of the worlds largest natural harbour's to take on the German fleet in the Baltic. The islands of Lamb Holm, Glims Holm, Burray and South Ronaldsay to the east of Scapa Flow were quickly identified as a weak link, block ships were sunk to narrow the channel.
No 3 Barrier No 1 Barrier The remains of 'The Reginald'
Following the outbreak of World War 2, further blockships were sunk, some old ships and some specially made. Disaster was to strike, on the 14th of October 1939 Korvettenkapitän Günther Prien in command of U-boat U 47 took advantage of a high tide and made a daring attack on the mighty Royal Oak entering between Lamb Holm and the mainland, Kirk sound. The Royal Oak was sunk with the loss of 833 men.
With the war a mere six weeks old, this was a major coup for Nazi Germany, Prien was the first U-boat commander, indeed the first member of the Kriegsmarine to receive the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross. Prien received the nickname Der Stier von Scapa Flow ("The Bull of Scapa Flow"); the emblem of a snorting bull was painted on the conning tower of U-47 and soon became the emblem of the entire 7 Unterseebootflottille.
What was not so widely known is that Prien fired seven torpedoes, five of which failed. Many years later, in September 2002, one of the unexploded torpedoes that the U-47 rose to the surface from its resting place at the bottom. The unexploded torpedo, minus its warhead, gradually drifted towards the shore, where it was spotted by a crewman aboard the Norwegian tanker Petrotrym. A Royal Navy tugboat intercepted the torpedo, and after identifying it as belonging to the U-47 63 years earlier,EOD personnel detonated it a mile from shore.
Prien went on to be a renowned U-boat ace sinking more than 30 Allied ships totalling more than 200,000 tons. On the 7th of March 1941 U 47 went missing, nobody is sure of the fate of the U 47, Prien or his crew.
The sinking of the Royal Oak still stirs serious emotions, to get the full picture please take time to go to Peter Rowlands superb site www.hmsroyaloak.co.uk great pictures and narrative.
Within a month of the sinking of the Royal Oak Churchill himself visited Orkney and ordered the building of four causeways to seal the gap forever. Opened by the Lord of The Admiralty on the 12th of May 1945, just in time for the end of the war! There lasting legacy is to have linked the Orkney mainland with the four islands of Lamb Holm, Glims Holm, Burray and South Ronaldsay. The three most northerly barriers are pretty well much as built, albeit with upgraded roads, barrier number 4 between Burray an South Ronaldsay no longer looks artificial as dunes have accumulated on the eastern side, even covering a blockship. It has been calculated that over the coming years a lagoon will form, creating another wildlife haven - I can't help thinking, whatever we do, Mother Nature will always take back and improve on.
Sand build up on No 4 Barrier Remains of a blockship in the sand Beach on the east side of No 4 Barrier
There is much debate on what to do with the barriers to improve and protect them as they take some pounding. I would have thought an obvious step was to sink some more ships to stem the tides as well as providing more sites for divers. The blockships are not eyesores, indeed it is sad to to watch them gradually erode, the 'new' ships would eventually become history.
Coastal erosion is a big issue around Britain and one solution is huge rubber blocks made of used tyres and compressed in a hydraulic press, one enterprising Orcadian is already doing this, typical Orkney, there is always a home grown solution!!
Bird watching - serious pastime in the Orkney Isles!!
Birsay Moors - RSPB nature reserve. Moorland habitat for Arctic skuas, hen harriers, red-throated divers, and - on the ground - Orkney voles. Best in summer.
Off the A966 5 miles north of Finstown.
Brodgar - RSPB nature reserve located in a spectacular setting beside the Ring of Brodgar stone circle. This reserve is best for seeing Orkney waders, curlews, snipe, lapwings, dunlins, redshanks and oystercatchers. Best in summer.
On the B9055 2 miles north of Stenness. The best place to park is at the Ring of Brogar parking lot.
Copinsay - Uninhabited island famous for its large colonies of kittiwakes, guillemots and razorbills. Fulmars, and puffins also breed along the cliffs of Copinsay.
Island is 2 miles east of Mainland. Accessible by boat from Skaill (day trips)
Cottascarth and Rendall Moss - RSPB nature reserve. Fantastic for breeding curlews, and a good spot to see hen harriers, merlins and short-eared owls.
Off the A966 3.5 miles north of Finstown
Marwick Head - RSPB nature reserve featuring thousands of breeding seabirds in a clifftop location. The views are spectacular.
On a minor road 11 miles north of Stromness at Birsay.
Noup Cliffs - Probably the best known RSPB reserve on Orkney - an absolute paradise for bird lovers. Noup Cliffs is the largest seabird colony in Orkney, featuring Guillemots, kittiwakes, razorbills, fulmars, and puffins. Free entry, but donation requested. Best in summer.
By road from Pierowall to Noltland Castle, then to Noup Hill, follow the road to Noup Lighthouse, where there is a parking area.
If birds are your thing, take a look at www.tim-wootton.com a local artist and illustrator with a passion for wildlife - well worth a visit.
Fishing
With it's location and loch's Orkney is a prime fishing destination, both for Sea Angling and some of the best Trout fishing - best of all it is all completely FREE!! The Orkney Trout Fishing Association maintain the fishing and welcome any donations to maintain and keep the fishing the way it is.
Diving
With the remains of the German World War 1 Grand Fleet scuttled and many other maritime casualties and blockships Scapa Flow is a divers haven.
Highland Park Distillery
Orcadian's are rightly proud of their local brew, 'Highland Park' inexorably linked with Magnus Eunson who was a local character, butcher, smuggler and illicit distiller at 'High Park' above Kirkwall.
The whole fascinating story can be found at www.highlandpark.co.uk
Excellent visitor centre and shop and well worth a visit, it only remains to say I can add my recommendation to that of F. Paul Pacult, a renowned US spirits authority and whisky enthusiast who describes it as 'The Best Spirit in The World' - no debate here, it is!!
Of course in today's world I have to tell you to enjoy alcohol sensibly and read all the labels - but it will be worth it!!
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