Orkney Islands, Shetlands and Fair Isle

[David Sutton]

Travelling to the UK next spring and plan to visit the Orkney Islands to photograph standing stones. I've allowed 10 days or so for this leg of the trip (or longer if I get stuck there because of the weather) and would quite like to go to the Shetlands and Fair Isle as well. Any suggestions for landscapes/wildlife locations and for accommodation?
Thanks in advance, David

[Wim van Velzen]

hi David,

I was there last July and enjoyed Orkney a lot.
Some recommendations, apart from the Stones and Mounds - Rackwick Bay and the Old Man of Hoy are very very nice, esp. the boulders in Rackwick Bay. Great shapes and patterns.

A nice point for birds is near the Brough of Birsay (Mainland´s NW point).

What you should absolutely see in my opinion is Duncansby Head near John o´Groats. It is near the ferries to Orkney, has some lovely stacks, lots of seals and many many birds.


Sorry, can´t help you Shetland-wise - still on my own wish list!

PS I hope to have a lot of Orkney pictures on my site within a month.

[David Sutton]

Thanks for that advice Wim. I've had your web site bookmarked for a long time and go there when I need some inspiration. I look forward to seeing your new pictures.
My original plan was to travel from Glasgow up the west coast and after spending time in the north to drive down to the Welsh coast and Cornwall to photograph the stones and lighthouses I missed last time, but there will be only so much I can do in a month and I may just take it one day at a time.

[papa v2.0]

Hi David

Lived in Orkney for three years, setting up and running prepress for the new local paper and now back home in Inverness.

I know a lot of standing stone sites, Brochs, Pictish forts etc on the way from Glasgow to Orkney and over the North of Scotland as well as the orkney ones!
I know the main local photographer very well as he worked for the paper as well, he has lots of local knowledge, very nice guy.
This is a very good site about Orkney by one of Orkneys leading historians.

http://www.orkneyjar.com

I just happened to have this sitting on my desktop, its from a slide taken on my first visit to Orkney 23 years ago!
Big skies in Orkney.

[attachment=16398:Brogar.jpg]

If you need any info about getting around/conyacts, where to stay etc in Scotland give me a mail. Only be to pleased to help. Might be able to put you up for a night in Inverness.
PS take a brolly!

Cheers.

[David Sutton]

Hi. Thank you for the offer of help. I'm just heading out the door (it's a sunny day and a friend has lent me his 1 ds3 to play with   ). I'll send an email tomorrow.
Lovely slide! Also I didn't have that website on my list, and it looks a good read. When I was there in spring two years ago I had the air conditioning on in the car most days, but I'm not expecting to strike it lucky every time, so some sort of brolly is on my list, as is buying a pair of wellies on arrival. I recall taking a lot of shots standing in the middle of streams.
Cheers, David