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Hoy
Hoy (ON Ha-ey, High Island) is the second largest of the
Orkney Islands and different in character from the others.
The north end is hilly with the Ward Hill (479m) and Cuilags
(433m) being prominent landmarks from many parts of Orkney.
Much of the north end of Hoy is an RSPB Reserve.
The north and west coasts have spectacular cliffs, only
the south end being low and fertile. One of Orkney’s
most well-known icons is the famous rock stack, the Old Man
of Hoy (137m), which stands on a lava platform. The ferry
passes the Hoy cliffs on its way across the Pentland Firth,
allowing a stunning view of the noble stack.
 The
wide sweep of Rackwick, on the north west side with a sand
and boulder beach bounded on both sides by high cliffs, is
well appreciated from the path to the Old Man, from which
there are good views across the Pentland Firth to Scotland.
Rackwick has a beauty and climate all of its own, but beware
the midgies!
The imposing craigs at St John’s Head (351m) are the
highest vertical sea cliffs in Britain. The horizontal beds
of sandstone have weathered to give dramatic reds and yellows,
which are especially vibrant with a low evening sun.
 Below the Ward Hill, on the road to Rackwick, lies the enigmatic
Dwarfie Stone with its hand-carved chamber. This may be Neolithic,
but is unique as the only such tomb in UK. It must have taken
a lot of work using only hand tools to excavate the cavity.
There are good views across Scapa Flow from the road along
the east coast to North and South Walls (ON Vagr, Voe or
Bay), where the landscape is more like the rest of Orkney.
Most of the population lives at the south end of the island.
Near the Water of Hoy, a small fenced memorial to Betty
Corrigall lies on the parish boundary. This young girl committed
suicide in the 19th century after becoming pregnant to a
local man who left on a whaling ship for the Nor’Wast.
Further south, Pegal Burn is the largest stream in Orkney.
This attractive watercourse and estuary is a fine place for
a picnic and also to see an Otter if you are lucky.
Lyness was a large naval base during both
World Wars and was known as HMS Prosperine. Underground oil
storage tanks, a large harbour, dubbed “Golden Wharf” on
account of its cost, and a huge array of buildings sprang
up. Now most of this has now been removed, and Lyness is
the ferry terminal for Houton on the Mainland and for Flotta.
Although most of the detritus of war has now been tidied
up the poignant Naval Cemetery remains as a reminder of the
human sacrifice involved.
The Naval HQ and Communications Centre on the hill above
has fine views.
The Scapa Flow Visitor Centre is in what was the pumphouse
serving the Royal Navy fuel oil tanks during WW2. One of
the oil tanks has also been retained and contains displays
of military equipment and artefacts.
Inside the pumphouse the machinery has been renovated and
there are displays of small artefacts, photographs and documents
relating to the two World Wars. Outside several WW1 German
guns, railway stock used in WW2 and a propeller off HMS Hampshire
can be seen.
Melsetter House and Rysa Lodge were designed by William
Lethaby in Arts and Crafts style for the Middlemore family.
At Melsetter the original house dating from 1738 is part
of the 1898 design, forming the most attractive country house
in Orkney.
 Longhope Lifeboat Station at Brims is now a museum whose
main exhibit is the lifeboat which served here 1933-1962,
the Thomas McCunn. Since being established in 1874, many
successful rescues were undertaken from here, and perhaps
coxswain Dan Kirkpatrick was most deserving of fame.
It was from here that he and his crew left in the lifeboat
TGB to go to the aid of a Liberian freighter, Irene, in March
1969. Sadly all were lost in tumultuous seas in the Pentland
Firth. A bronze statue in Osmondwall Cemetery honours the
TGB crew.
The present Longhope Lifeboat, The Helen
Comrie, is of the latest Tamar class which came on station
in October 2006. She is based in the little harbour at Longhope.
 At Hackness there is a Martello Tower and gun battery, one
of two built during the early 19th century Napoleonic Wars
to protect shipping from marauding American privateers. Convoys
were introduced at that time to guard merchant vessels from
attack, and Longhope was a good place for ships to gather.
The towers had 24-pounder guns mounted on
top, while the nearby battery had eight 24-pounder guns,
with barracks, stores and a magazine. The site is now managed
by Historic Scotland, and has been extensively renovated.
Cantick Head Lighthouse was completed in 1858 by David Stevenson.
It was automated in 1991. There are good views over the Pentland
Firth from here and Killer Whales have been seen close in
at times.
In contrast to the dramatic cliffs of North Hoy, the low
cliffs, fine beaches and fertile land make for much more
gentle walking. Primula scotica and other maritime heath
plants thrive along the south coast.
Nature
Otters and seals live around the coasts and many of Orkney’s
characteristic birds thrive here. In winter North Bay is
excellent for waders and wintering wildfowl, and a flock
of Barnacle Geese stays here each winter.
Archaeology
There are several broch mounds around Longhope, but perhaps
the most interesting association dates from 995, when King
Olaf Tryggvason of Norway forcibly converted Earl Sigurd
the Stout to Christianity at Osmondwall on pain of killing
Sigurd’s son.
A trip to Hoy with its varied and dramatic scenery, wonderful
views of the rest of Orkney and historic sites from the relatively
recent past makes an interesting addition to any visit to
Orkney. It can be reached from both Houton or Stromness by
ferry, and accommodation is available. |
