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Rousay
 Rousay (ON Hrolfs-ey - Rolf’s Island) has been called “The
Egypt of the North” due to its concentration of prehistoric
tombs and other monuments. This round, hilly island has a
road around the coast and makes a pleasant excursion from
the Mainland via the ro-ro ferry from Tingwall in Rendall.
Near the pier is the unusual two-tiered chambered
cairn of Taversoe Tuick. This unique little tomb also has
two entrances. Further west are two more chambered cairns
at Blackhammar and Yarso. Both are of the “stalled” type and
are divided up by upright slabs as in a byre.
Blackhammar only contained two burials and a broken Unstan
Ware bowl, while Yarso had remains of at least 21 people.
In both cases flint and bone tools were found as well as
deer bones at Yarso.
 Midhowe stalled cairn is the largest chambered cairn in
Orkney. The chamber measures 23x4m and is divided by 12 pairs
of “stalls”. About 25 bodies had been laid in
a crouched position on or under shelves between the stalls.
The outside walls are carefully built with stones set at
an angle like the designs on Unstan Ware pottery.
Midhowe forms part of the Westness Walk,
which also takes in the Midhowe Broch, whose walls still
reach 4.3m in height. This Iron Age building was occupied
from about 200BC to 200AD and finds included some Roman artefacts
such as pottery and a bronze ladle. There was also
evidence of bronze working including crucibles, moulds and
jewellery.
On Moaness near Westness farm is the site of a Pictish and
Viking cemetery. Many Viking brooches, pins, tools and weapons
were found, including an elaborate Celtic brooch-pin. The
boat graves contained the remains of two men buried with
their weapons, one of whom had four arrowheads in his body.
Above the Bay of Swandro lie the ruins of a Norse Farm and
nearby on Moaness there is a Norse boat shed and slipway.
There is another broch at Swandro, while Skaill is an 18th
century farm whose tenants were evicted by General Burroughs
in the 19th century. Nearby St Mary’s Kirk became disused
in 1820. Thus the Westness area was the most important in
Rousay for thousands of years, with continuous settlement
since Neolithic times to the present.
The moorland Trumland RSPB Reserve near the pier is a good
place to see Hen Harriers, Merlin, Peregrine and Red-throated
Divers, while the rare Primula scotica may be found on the
maritime heath of the west coast.
Nearby Wyre has a 12th century Norse castle, Cubbie Roo’s
Castle and a 12th century Romanesque chapel, both of which
are said to have been built by Kolbein Hruga, a colourful
character in the Orkneyinga Saga.
Egilsay was the site of the martyrdom of Earl Magnus and
has the fine 12th century St Magnus Kirk with its tall round
tower. A cenotaph marks where he is said to have been killed
at Easter 1117.
All three islands are reached by ferry from Tingwall in
Rendall. |
