A Highland Cow in a meadow, Mainland, Orkney

Tags:   Highland Cow Orkney Orcadian Livestock Farm Farming Bovine Wooly Wool Furry Animal Rare Breed Scottish Scotland UK Britain British

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The Earl's Drinking Hall at Orphir - the site where Svien Breastrope accused Sveinn Ásleifarson of cheating at drinking at Jarl Paulsson's Yule feast.

This was an arguement that was resolved by Sveinn Ásleifarson persuading Breastrope of his error with an axe, resulting in Jarl Paulsson exiling him from Orkney as it was poor form to kill someone at a Yule feast.

This is why it is important never to cheat at drinking.

The drinking hall is the foundation in the foreground, the farm behind is comparitavly "modern". It was built by Jarl Haakon Paulsson who ruled from 1103 - 1123. He also built the church (next to the drinking hall, naturally) in pennance for murdering his cousin Jarl Magnus Erlendsson... who later bacame St Magnus. Which makes his exciling of Asliefsson all a bit hypocritical!

Tags:   Earl Bu Orphir Orkney Orcadian Viking Norse Jarl Paulsson Haakon Nordic Medieval Dark Age Scotland Island Isle Scandinavian Scandinavia Scottish UK Britain British

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So... our last day has come to an end, our bags are (mostly) packed and we are getting ready for the return drive home.

It has been a blast Orkney, and I am not ready to leave yet. But everyone has had a great time, and we will be back!

Tags:   Orkney Blast Burray Tofts Island Isle Orcadian Beer Scotland Scottish UK Britain British Drink Bottle Swannay Brewery Traditional Ale

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The Old Man of Hoy taken from the Stromness to Scrabster ferry. Our return homewards....

Tags:   Old Man Hoy Stromness Scrabster Ferry North Link Hamnavoe Atlantic Ocean Sea Stack Rock Cliff Sandstone Stone Island Isle Orkney Orcadian Scotland Scottish UK Britain British

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Back home... think we have been missed!

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