We were up at 7.30 and had a rather indifferent breakfast before departing at 9.00. We had time to spare before catching the 12.00 ferry from Scrabster to Stromness, so given the clear and sunny weather decided to venture back to Dunnet Head again.
Following a little photography and watching the ferry coming into Scrabster, across Dunnet Bay, we headed back to the car and to the ferry, stopping in Thurso in order for Pauline to get some new batteries for her camera. We arrived at Scrabster at 10.55, sitting around for some considerable time before boarding the ferry, the P&O St Ola.
The boat departed on time, and we settled into seats at a table near the bows. The initial part of the crossing was reasonably smooth, but as we got into open water beyond Dunnet Head, the sea became much rougher, to our discomfort.
I went on deck with Richard as we came past the island of Hoy, Pauline feeling far too unwell to move. We were rewarded with a view of the famous ``Old Man of Hoy'', a 118m granite stack rising from rocks below the high cliffs of the island. The boat continued around St John's Head, site of the highest sea cliffs in the British Isles, over 300m in height. The tops of the cliffs were shrouded in thick cloud.
As we turned into the western end of Hoy Sound, the sea became smoother, much to our relief. As we docked in Stromness the captain apologised for the sea conditions, hoping that our journey ``had not been too uncomfortable''. We were soon off the boat, searching for a place to stop, but unfortunately due to our state were not fully alert and took an interesting detour around most of the backstreets of town before finding a parking place on the seafront. We went into the tourist information office, enquired as to the location of our B&B, then spent some time browsing a small exhibition about the Orkney Islands before returning to the car for a bite to eat, now feeling sufficiently recovered to face the thought of food.
We decided to visit a couple of things on our way to the B&B, first port of call being the Standing Stones of Stenness. Originally this was a circle of twelve stones surrounded by a ditch, constructed around 3000BC. Four of the stones have remained upright to the present day.
Next was the Ring of Brogar, a ring of originally sixty standing stones erected in the third millennium BC, about a mile along the road from the Stones of Stenness. 27 stones remain standing, and the surrounding ditch has survived although somewhat silted up. Unfortunately we arrived at almost the same time as a tourist bus, full of rather elderly tourists with footwear completely unsuitable to the location. Luckily for us they were being rushed through and we had some time with the stones largely to ourselves, looking at one which had been split by a lightning strike a few years ago
We then made our way to the B&B at Gitterpitten Farm run by a Mrs Nicholson, who proved to be very friendly and helpful. We unloaded the car and took stuff to our rooms, Richard and I being in an attic room reached via a rather steep staircase. After unpacking a little, we went into the living room, investigated the various maps and guidebooks on offer, and settled down to a game of Monopoly.
Our game was put on hold while we had dinner: scotch broth, roast chicken and banana split. We returned to the game, in which Richard was rapidly building up a business empire liable soon to bankrupt both Pauline and I. After receiving a particularly heavy rent demand from Richard (hardly the world's most lenient landlord), Pauline decided to give in and hand over her assets (and rent demand --- how kind!) to me. With the addition of Pauline's properties I then had some full sets to develop, leading to Richard's eventual downfall. Perhaps rival computer companies could try similar tactics with regard to Microsoft?
After the game, we spent a little time looking at the maps and deciding which places we wanted to visit, then watched the end of ``Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves'' on television (we weren't bothered about seeing the film as a whole, having seen it on our holiday in Jersey two year previously), saw the news and weather and then retired to bed at around 11.00.