Well, what a surprise. We upped sticks and moved to Kirkwall today. The Lonely Planet says that Orkney’s capital is lovely, but the Rough Guide calls it a disappointment. The LP turns out to be the guidebook with which I concur. How anyone could call this town a let-down is beyond me. It’s really very lovely.
We arrived here via Waulkmill Bay and its lovely, golden sanded beach. The children had a great time playing in the water and collecting shells. The sun even shone during our visit.
Kirkwall’s a sizeable place. It’s going to take us more than an afternoon to get around it. Today, we saw the St. Magnus Cathedral and the ruins of both the Bishop’s Palace and the Earl’s Palace.