SCOTLAND. DAY 5 ORKNEY MAINLAND (POMONA)
This was a day to explore the ancient Pictish sites of the island. Our quest included Skara Brae, a village revealed by a storm disturbing the cliffs in the mid 19th century. Nearby Skaill House afforded some information on more recent history. Skaill House also represents a grand version of what we came to see as a 'typical' Orkney house. Grey pebble-mix walls with white window frames. Gardens were sparsely vegetated with stumpy shrubs. An aesthetic you could tire of quickly in the bleak, long winters of northern Scotland.
Later in the day we viewed the Brough of Birsay across the tidal causeway which at that point was at least a metre underwater. Determining to return next day when we could cross over, we returned to Kirkwall for some shopping.
Dinner at the Golden Dragon that night was notable for one ubiquitous but unmentioned stir-fry ingredient. Hard to pick out - but even harder to swallow!