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Awaiting Your Return From Shore |
The Orkney
Islands are politically a part of Britain, yet seem quite different in many
ways. Numerous place names have non-English sounds, reflecting the original
Viking settlement of the 9th century. Norse crafts and traditions are
obvious everywhere. These islands were ruled from Norway and Denmark until
1468, when a Norwegian king gave them to Scotland in lieu of a dowry for his
daughter's marriage to King James III. In addition to the Norse heritage
there are numerous remains of prehistoric monuments such as the Stenness
Standing Stones at Finstown.
The archipelago is located at the same latitude as southern Greenland; the
Gulfstream accounts for the islands' temperate climate. Approximately half
of the 60 islands are inhabited; the rest are home only to seals and sea
birds. Most of the inhabitants, who draw their livelihood from the fertile
hills rather than the sea, live on Mainland, the largest of the Orkney
Islands.
Kirkwall, located on Mainland, is the principal harbor and capital of the
Orkneys. Steep-roofed stone houses line streets that wind around the
medieval St. Magnus Cathedral. A museum featuring Orkney historical
artifacts is housed in the 16th-century Tankerness House. Other attractions
around the island include Maes Howe, the site of Britain's best-preserved
megalithic tomb, and the stone-age village of Skara Brae. Scapa Flow serves
as a reminder of more recent times when, during both World Wars, Britain's
naval base was located here.
The islands are virtually a museum of prehistoric times. Rock circles,
cairns, standing stones, ancient tombs and prehistoric villages are
scattered about, gaining these islands international recognition. The Orkney
Islands are a bird-watcher's paradise, with a myriad of puffins, eider
ducks, whooper swans and arctic terns. These birds, as well as many other
species, nest here during the summer months. |
Awaiting Your Return
From Shore |
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