Martin M. Miles' photos

In the winter of 1850, Scotland was hit by a severe storm. In the Bay of Skaill, the storm tore earth from a large irregular mound. When the storm passed, villagers discovered the outlines of a village consisting of several small houses without roofs. Excavations began, but were abandoned in 1868. The site remained untouched until 1913, when it was looted in a single weekend by a party with shovels, who took an unknown amount of artefacts. In 1924, another storm tore away part of one of the houses, and it was decided to secure the site and investigate it thoroughly. The excavations opened up a stone-built Neolithic settlement, sometimes called the "Scottish Pompeii" because of its excellent preservation. The site was occupied from roughly 3180 BC to about 2500 BC and is Europe's most complete Neolithic village and older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza. The rectangular houses, built of stone, used earth sheltering: built sunk in the ground, into mounds of prehistoric domestic waste. This provided the houses with stability and also acted as insulation against the harsh winter climate. On average, each house measures 40 m² with a large square room containing a stone hearth used for heating and cooking. Given the number of homes, it seems likely that no more than fifty people lived in Skara Brae at any given time. The dwellings contain several stone-built pieces of furniture, including cupboards, dressers, seats, and storage boxes. Cattle, sheep or goats and pigs were kept around Skara Brae, barley was grown. The arl (a simple plough) was already known. In addition, the inhabitants lived from game, fish, mussels and seabirds or their eggs. A workshop was found in Skara Brae where local stones were processed. Finds of haematite from Hoy show that there was an exchange between the islands of the archipelago.

In the winter of 1850, Scotland was hit by a severe storm. In the Bay of Skaill, the storm tore earth from a large irregular mound. When the storm passed, villagers discovered the outlines of a village consisting of several small houses without roofs. Excavations began, but were abandoned in 1868. The site remained untouched until 1913, when it was looted in a single weekend by a party with shovels, who took an unknown amount of artefacts. In 1924, another storm tore away part of one of the houses, and it was decided to secure the site and investigate it thoroughly. The excavations opened up a stone-built Neolithic settlement, sometimes called the "Scottish Pompeii" because of its excellent preservation. The site was occupied from roughly 3180 BC to about 2500 BC and is Europe's most complete Neolithic village and older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza. The rectangular houses, built of stone, used earth sheltering: built sunk in the ground, into mounds of prehistoric domestic waste. This provided the houses with stability and also acted as insulation against the harsh winter climate. On average, each house measures 40 m² with a large square room containing a stone hearth used for heating and cooking. Given the number of homes, it seems likely that no more than fifty people lived in Skara Brae at any given time. The dwellings contain several stone-built pieces of furniture, including cupboards, dressers, seats, and storage boxes. Cattle, sheep or goats and pigs were kept around Skara Brae, barley was grown. The arl (a simple plough) was already known. In addition, the inhabitants lived from game, fish, mussels and seabirds or their eggs. A workshop was found in Skara Brae where local stones were processed. Finds of haematite from Hoy show that there was an exchange between the islands of the archipelago.

In the winter of 1850, Scotland was hit by a severe storm. In the Bay of Skaill, the storm tore earth from a large irregular mound. When the storm passed, villagers discovered the outlines of a village consisting of several small houses without roofs. Excavations began, but were abandoned in 1868. The site remained untouched until 1913, when it was looted in a single weekend by a party with shovels, who took an unknown amount of artefacts. In 1924, another storm tore away part of one of the houses, and it was decided to secure the site and investigate it thoroughly. The excavations opened up a stone-built Neolithic settlement, sometimes called the "Scottish Pompeii" because of its excellent preservation. The site was occupied from roughly 3180 BC to about 2500 BC and is Europe's most complete Neolithic village and older than Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza. The rectangular houses, built of stone, used earth sheltering: built sunk in the ground, into mounds of prehistoric domestic waste. This provided the houses with stability and also acted as insulation against the harsh winter climate. On average, each house measures 40 m² with a large square room containing a stone hearth used for heating and cooking. Given the number of homes, it seems likely that no more than fifty people lived in Skara Brae at any given time. The dwellings contain several stone-built pieces of furniture, including cupboards, dressers, seats, and storage boxes. Cattle, sheep or goats and pigs were kept around Skara Brae, barley was grown. The arl (a simple plough) was already known. In addition, the inhabitants lived from game, fish, mussels and seabirds or their eggs. A workshop was found in Skara Brae where local stones were processed. Finds of haematite from Hoy show that there was an exchange between the islands of the archipelago.

The Wheebin Standing Stone (aka Stane O' Quoybune) is a menhir that was erected in the 2nd millennium BC. It is 3.5 m in height. The menhir is fenced in by now, as the constant rubbing of domestic animals over the years polished the surface of the lower part of it.

The Orkney Museum is housed within Tankerness House, considered one of the most important early townhouses in Scotland. The earliest parts of the building were constructed in the 1530s and served as manses for the cathedral. Whalebone plaque from the Scar Viking boat burial, almost certainly made in Norway, between 750-850 AD. At the top of the plaque, two inward-looking stylized animal heads have been carved. In 1985, farmer John Deerness had taken a walk along the beach at Scar, Sanday. He discovered what he thought were human bones sticking out in the sand. When he looked closely, he discovered a small object about the size of a pound coin. His neighbour had thought the object was part of a car battery, but nevertheless John kept it safe. In 1991, Julie Gibson visited the site and saw rivets in the sand. Julie called in to visit Caroline Deerness, who remembered the object her husband had found and showed it to Julie. Julie identified the find as a lead bullion weight. If the weight found on the beach was associated with the human bones and the rivets – Julie Gibson and Raymond Lamb concluded there could be a Viking boat burial at Scar – a rare find for Scotland… and they were right! The Scar Viking boat burial was excavated in November 1991.

The Orkney Museum is housed within Tankerness House, considered one of the most important early townhouses in Scotland. The earliest parts of the building were constructed in the 1530s and served as manses for the cathedral. Pictish Symbol Stones

The Orkney Museum is housed within Tankerness House, considered one of the most important early townhouses in Scotland. The earliest parts of the building were constructed in the 1530s and served as manses for the cathedral. Following the Scottish Reformation the houses were purchased from the church by the archdeacon Gilbert Foulzie, who in 1574 built an additional wing and the entrance archway facing onto Broad Street.

Bishop's Palace is the ruined former bishop's castle and residence in Kirkwall. The castle was built at the same time as St Magnus Cathedral under Bishop William the Old in the 12th century. After the defeat in the Battle of Largs in 1263, the Norwegian King Håkon IV stayed in the castle and died there. It seems that Bishop's Palace was only used sporadically and the building fell into a ruinous state already by 1320. Bishop Robert Reid took care of the castle in the 16th century. He had the surviving structure restored, extended and added extensions. A large part of the building that remains today dates from this construction phase.

There is no landscape on the Orkney Islands without the sea - and as it is very windy, the weather can change from rain to sunshine in a matter of minutes.

King Sigurd of Norway is said to have converted Orkney around 996 AD, but it does not appear to have come under the control of the Roman church until the time of Adalbert, Archbishop of Hamburg (1043-72) In 1152/3, Nidaros (Trondheim) became an archbishopric and Orkney came under its ecclesiastical control. Thorkel Amundson, foster father of Thorfinn Sigurdsson (The Mighty) had a homestead in Deerness. According to the Orkneyinga saga Thorkel killed Rognvald in 1046. Excavations have uncovered a Viking settlement a short distance of the medieval church at Skaill in Deerness. The medieval parish church was taken down and rebuilt in late 1790s. The present church is the 1790s church, remodelled in the 20th century and by now is owned by "The Friends of St Ninian’s", formed in 2009 to save this church. The tombstone kept inside was found on the graveyard. It is a typical "hogback" made from red sandstone. It is dated to the late 11th century.

King Sigurd of Norway is said to have converted Orkney around 996 AD, but it does not appear to have come under the control of the Roman church until the time of Adalbert, Archbishop of Hamburg (1043-72) In 1152/3, Nidaros (Trondheim) became an archbishopric and Orkney came under its ecclesiastical control. Thorkel Amundson, foster father of Thorfinn Sigurdsson (The Mighty) had a homestead in Deerness. According to the Orkneyinga saga Thorkel killed Rognvald in 1046. Excavations have uncovered a Viking settlement a short distance of the medieval church at Skaill in Deerness. The medieval parish church was taken down and rebuilt in late 1790s. The present church is the 1790s church, remodelled in the 20th century and by now is owned by "The Friends of St Ninian’s", formed in 2009 to save this church. The tombstone kept inside was found on the graveyard. It is a typical "hogback" made from red sandstone. It is dated to the late 11th century.

King Sigurd of Norway is said to have converted Orkney around 996 AD, but it does not appear to have come under the control of the Roman church until the time of Adalbert, Archbishop of Hamburg (1043-72) In 1152/3, Nidaros (Trondheim) became an archbishopric and Orkney came under its ecclesiastical control. Thorkel Amundson, foster father of Thorfinn Sigurdsson (The Mighty) had a homestead in Deerness. According to the Orkneyinga saga Thorkel killed Rognvald in 1046. Excavations have uncovered a Viking settlement a short distance of the medieval church at Skaill in Deerness. The medieval parish church was taken down and rebuilt in late 1790s. The present church is the 1790s church, remodelled in the 20th century and by now is owned by "The Friends of St Ninian’s", formed in 2009 to save this church.

About 400 people live on Burray, one of the smaller islands. This lonely red postbox, which stands in a windy spot, knows them all. For sure.

The Clouduhall Stone is a standing stone south of St Margaret's Hope. The stone is about 2.5 m high. The stone may mark a burial. An ancient stone cist cairn about 40.0 m away.

There were fears locally that it might be sold for conversion or fall into disrepair. As the church is surrounded by a large graveyard it was considered important that locals and the wider community could continue to visit the graves . The "Friends of St Peter’s" was set up as a charity to support the restoration and preservation of the kirk for the benefit of the community. Following an approach to national church preservation charity Historic Churches Scotland, a partnership was formed which enabled an offer to be made to the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland to acquire St Peter’s for £1. With Historic Churches Scotland assuming ownership of the building, and the Friends taking on the day-to-day running of the kirk, the future of the historic building, and public access to it, has been secured.

There were fears locally that it might be sold for conversion or fall into disrepair. As the church is surrounded by a large graveyard it was considered important that locals and the wider community could continue to visit the graves . The "Friends of St Peter’s" was set up as a charity to support the restoration and preservation of the kirk for the benefit of the community. Following an approach to national church preservation charity Historic Churches Scotland, a partnership was formed which enabled an offer to be made to the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland to acquire St Peter’s for £1. With Historic Churches Scotland assuming ownership of the building, and the Friends taking on the day-to-day running of the kirk, the future of the historic building, and public access to it, has been secured.

Rolling landscape on South Ronaldsay

Torquay Standing Stone stands 4,40 high, moss and lichen-covered, overlooking the coastline