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Sanday
 Sanday (ON Sand-ey, Sandy Isle) is the largest of the North
Isles. It is very low lying, apart from at the south end,
and has many beautiful sandy beaches backed with machair.
In summer there is a riot of wild flowers, while the shallow
sandy bays are a favourite with the many migrant and resident
waders.
Although there are many sites of archaeological interest,
only the Quoyness chambered cairn is actually on display
to the public. This impressive Maeshowe-type cairn on the
peninsula of Elsness dates from about 3000BC and very much
merits a visit.
Sanday was settled before 4000BC, and the early farmers
would have found the light soils easy to till. It was also
probably the first to be settled by the Vikings for the same
reason. Excavations at Pool have shown that occupation was
virtually continuous from the Neolithic until post Viking
times.
A recent exciting find at Scar was a Viking boat burial,
in which three people were interred. A spectacular whale-bone
plaque was among the artefacts found. This may be seen, along
with other artefacts, at the Orkney museum in Kirkwall.
 Start Point lighthouse was first lit in 1806, although an
unlit beacon was installed in 1802. The present light was
built in 1870. It is painted with vertical black stripes
to distinguish it from North Ronaldsay lighthouse, which
has horizontal red stripes. Start Island can be reached at
low tide by crossing Ayre Sound.
With its flat terrain and lovely shoreline, Sanday is good
for bird watching, walking and cycling. The many flat, muddy
and sandy beaches, backed by machair, small lochs and marshes
are very attractive to waders, both breeders and migrants.
 Otters frequent the shores and small lochs, and may be seen
in the early morning or late evening. Their presence can
be noted from their distinctive tracks and fishy spraints.
Many Common Seals live around Sanday, especially off the
north coast. Grey Seals breed on the Holms of Ire and Spur
Ness.
There are two hotels at Kettletoft for accommodation and
meals. Sanday can be reached daily by sea or air from Kirkwall. |
