The exhibition of World War Two artefacts and archive of Dunnet Head and Burifa is now housed at the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre, Lyness, Hoy, creating a link of information provision across the Pentland Firth. The exhibition was donated to Orkney Islands Council in 2011 by the Dunnet Head Educational Trust. From Dunnet Head, the most northerly point of the UK mainland, you can travel to Hoy via Northlinks Ferries from Scrabster to Stromness and then from the Houton Ferry Terminal to Hoy. Hoy is also famous for the Old Man of Hoy - a distinctive rock formation which attracts many climbers each year.
You can see more about opening times of the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre at http://www.scapaflow.co.uk/sfvc.htm
Hands Across the Firth Collaboration between Orkney and mainland Scotland.
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Monday, 11 April 2011
Carriage Driving
The Orkney Carriage Driving Group is an active group promoting the gentle art of carriage driving. The owners of Gaira Driving Ponies are very active within the group, and are members of the Orkney Tourism Group. The secretary of the tourism associationNorth of Scotland Hospitality which operates under the byeline LetsGoNorth is an enthusiast of driving, and she had an excellent day out with the Orkney group on Sunday 10th April. It was a glorious day, great company, great food, and most important, great horses! We were even joined by a dog in harness!
Merry Men of Mey Carriage Driving at Mey are members of LetsGoNorth.
Merry Men of Mey Carriage Driving at Mey are members of LetsGoNorth.
Monday, 4 April 2011
North of Scotland Hospitality (NOSH) and Orkney Tourism Group join forces!
In a major coup, the tourism associations, NOSH and OTG have joined forces to promote tourism in the far north of Scotland. This means that Caithness & Sutherland will benefit from Orkney's strong branding, putting us on the same stage for the first time! You can see more about NOSH at www.letsgonorth.com and about OTG at http://www.orkneytourism.com/
Tuesday, 18 January 2011
Rural Network Project Visits announced - Apply now!
The Dunnet Head Educational Trust and Orkney Tourism Group will be hosts for a cross firth workshop on 15 March. See Scottish National Rural Network for further details and to apply for participation.
Friday, 19 November 2010
Tourism Conference
a representative from Brough Bay Ltd. and the Dunnet Head Educational Trust attended the Orkney Tourism Conference in Kirkwall on 18th November. The conference was sponsored by the Orkney Tourism Group, VisitScotland and Loganair.
It proved once again that Orkney are to the forefront of tourism development, and theirs is a model which could be used in the rest of Scotland. While it is true that there are certain advantages to being an island with geographical limitations, Orkney are building themselves to be a world class destination - something the rest of Scotland can only dream of. They recently won the cruise port of the Year award, while John o Groats won the carbuncle of the year award, and then refused to collect it, thereby missing a marketing opportunity. Any publicity is good publicity!
It proved once again that Orkney are to the forefront of tourism development, and theirs is a model which could be used in the rest of Scotland. While it is true that there are certain advantages to being an island with geographical limitations, Orkney are building themselves to be a world class destination - something the rest of Scotland can only dream of. They recently won the cruise port of the Year award, while John o Groats won the carbuncle of the year award, and then refused to collect it, thereby missing a marketing opportunity. Any publicity is good publicity!
Monday, 18 October 2010
The Travelling Scholar
We were visited on Saturday by Howie Firth, (historian, writer and broadcaster) and Selena (a student of fine arts and photographer). The objective was to do the Pictish walk linked with Howie's talk in Caithness Horizons which took place on 7th October. There was some reorganising to do as Howie was not able to do the talk and walk on the 9th as planned, so things were rearranged. The event was part of the Highland Archaeological Festival and the British Science Association's Travelling Scholar programme.
Howie, Selena and I did a tour of the Brough area. Howie and Selena had never been to Dunnet Head, and Howie was fascinated by the sight of his native Orkney from this side of the water. We did a very brief tour of Dunnet Head, but clearly WWII was not high on the agenda. We then went to Brough Bay where Howie was able to speak to Mervyn Sinclair and get more local insights to the area about the fishing and history of the Bay.
Next we went to Brough Castle, the remains of a promontory fort, and where I have always been fascinated by the presence of perfectly formed circles in the ground which could have been brochs. Howie thought it would make a good archaeological study. Brough Castle is twinned with Wick Castle, but very little is known about it.
Then on to the souterraine at Ham Farm which has variously been described as the Pictish house and souterraine. Howie thought it was actually a small Neolithic tomb with a broch on top. He explained the importance of these for the defence of the harbours, of which Ham would have been one. They were all on high places so the occupants could signal to each other in the event of marauders coming up the Pentland firth.
Finally, we retired to Windhaven where Brian explained the role of the inn in the days of smugglers' - which is now our kitchen.
Howie, Selena and I did a tour of the Brough area. Howie and Selena had never been to Dunnet Head, and Howie was fascinated by the sight of his native Orkney from this side of the water. We did a very brief tour of Dunnet Head, but clearly WWII was not high on the agenda. We then went to Brough Bay where Howie was able to speak to Mervyn Sinclair and get more local insights to the area about the fishing and history of the Bay.
Next we went to Brough Castle, the remains of a promontory fort, and where I have always been fascinated by the presence of perfectly formed circles in the ground which could have been brochs. Howie thought it would make a good archaeological study. Brough Castle is twinned with Wick Castle, but very little is known about it.
Then on to the souterraine at Ham Farm which has variously been described as the Pictish house and souterraine. Howie thought it was actually a small Neolithic tomb with a broch on top. He explained the importance of these for the defence of the harbours, of which Ham would have been one. They were all on high places so the occupants could signal to each other in the event of marauders coming up the Pentland firth.
Finally, we retired to Windhaven where Brian explained the role of the inn in the days of smugglers' - which is now our kitchen.
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Orkney Science Festival
The Dunnet Head Educational Trust have prepared a display and DVD for showing in the King Street Hall in Kirkwall. The display focusses on species identification and is supported by materials from the RSPB, Forestry Commission and SNH, as well as the Trust's own literature.
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