Yesnaby and Gurness

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Yesnaby
Yesnaby
I had a very clear memory of the cliffs at Yesnaby and was keen to revisit. The force of the Atlantic has created many stacks and geos and the walk in either direction from the carpark is beautiful. One way, you reach the magnificent stack known as Yesnaby Castle.

Yesnaby Castle
Yesnaby Castle
Yesnaby Castle

The other way, you pass more stacks and geos to reach a ruined broch.

Yesnaby
Yesnaby
Yesnaby Broch

But what I really remembered was this:

Yesnaby 2015
Yesnaby 2015
An archway that I had walked on in 1996. I took one look in 2015 and backed off in the other direction. How could I have done that? But here’s the proof. My knees feel weird just thinking about it now.

Yesnaby 1996
Yesnaby 1996
The weather finally failed us in the afternoon after our walk at Yesnaby, so we headed off in the car to the Broch of Gurness. Even though the sea has eaten away part of the site, there’s still an impression of a bustling Iron Age village with  a cluster of dwellings around the central broch. The red-hooded figure in the background is me. It was dreich!

Broch of Gurness
Broch of Gurness
Broch of Gurness
Broch of Gurness
Broch of Gurness

Only one more episode to go in my Orkney Saga. Stay tuned….

Scotland, UK , ,

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