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Welcome to Inverness.
Portland to Inverness via Amsterdam; a quick stop to do some grocery shopping followed by a 2.5 hour long drive up north to Thurso where we caught the evening car ferry to Stromness (90 minutes) on the main(is)land of Orkney.
A quick night in the pre-booked mini apartment and another ferry ride put us on the small Isle Of Hoy the following morning. We reached the settlement of Rackwick on the opposite side of the island around noon and were debating whether to try to hike over and to climb The Old Man Of Hoy that very afternoon/evening. Some intermittent rain and a promise of better weather the following day convinced us to wait.
Following the example of another party, we set up our tent right next to the parking lot (with public toilets and a sink nearby) versus checking out the bothy down below (in the wrong direction).
Photos
Faffing around? For a trip where the longest of our planned routes was to be 5 pitches, it sure took a lot of gear (May 2024).
Arriving in Inverness (May 2024).
Alright, here we are (May 2024).
Tesco experience in the UK is equivalent to a Walmart one in the US I think. A quick stop to do some grocery shopping for the trip, especially for the night or two of camping on Hoy (May 2024).
Some random village just north of Inverness (May 2024).
Colorful landscapes along the drive north from Inverness to Thurso (May 2024).
Thurso as seen from the Scrabster ferry terminal (May 2024).
Our ride up to the Orkney Islands (a ~90 minute sailing; May 2024).
On the ferry (May 2024).
The first fish & chips of the trip. It would be a reliable go-to during the trip (May 2024).
The Old Man Of Hoy as we sail by the Isle Of Hoy on the way to the mainland of the Orkney Islands (May 2024).
A slightly different angle (May 2024).
While Shirley was napping in the lounge below, I was hanging out on the windy and damp deck, shooting sail-by pics of the Old Man (May 2024).
Taking full advantage of that lounge thing that we paid a bit extra for (May 2024).
St. John’s Head on Hoy (May 2024).
Our little apartment just outside of Stromness (May 2024).
Waiting for our ferry to Hoy at the Houton terminal on the mainland of Orkney the following morning (May 2024).
And there it is (May 2024).
Getting onto the Hoy-bound ferry (May 2024).
Our trusty steed on the ferry (May 2024).
The ferry making a stop on the Isle Of Flotta before sailing on to Hoy (May 2024).
Cold and windy conditions (May 2024).
Damp conditions greeting us on Hoy (May 2024).
Well that was a surprise (May 2024).
Fish farming (May 2024)?
Approaching the settlement at Rackwick Bay with intermittent sunshine poking through (May 2024).
Hiking down to check out the beach at Rackwick Bay (May 2024).
The boulder beach of Rackwick Bay (May 2024).
Those boulders are like microwave sized and larger (May 2024).
The approach hike to The Old Man would take us over that hill the following morning (May 2024).
Rackwick Bay (May 2024).
Heading back to our parking lot-side camping site (May 2024).
Once we gave up on the idea of trying The Old Man Of Hoy that afternoon, we drove around exploring the island that afternoon (May 2024).
Stumbled onto this little cafe. The rhubarb scone was to kill for (May 2024).
Hoy sights (May 2024).
Sheep everywhere (May 2024).
Back in our camp at Rackwick Bay. Climbers’ bothy is off in the distance on the left (May 2024).
Our parking-side camp (May 2024).
Dinner back in camp. Sky is overcast in one direction (May 2024).
And clearer in the other. This was a decent place to camp actually: a table and, more importantly, a toilet and a sink nearby (May 2024).
A traditional Scottish dessert (May 2024).
Go to The Old Man Of Hoy.
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