Day 206 - Orkney with the Lord Lieutenant, Veterans, Cadets, Emergency Services and Youth Groups from Orkney

Visit Orkney! http://www.visitorkney.com/

The warmth and friendliness from the minute I drove off the ferry on Orkney to now being sat here in the Air Terminal about to fly to the Shetland Islands has been overwhelming. Everyone has been helpful and has made me feel so very welcome here.

Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands is 10 miles north off the coast of Caithness. Orkney comprises approximately 70 islands of which 20 are inhabited. The largest island is known as the “Mainland” and the largest settlement and administrative centre is Kirkwall.

The name "Orkney" dates back to the 1st century BC or earlier and the islands have been inhabited for at least 8,500 years. Originally occupied by Mesolithic and Neolithic tribes and then by the Picts, Orkney was invaded and forcibly annexed by Norway in 875 and settled by the Norse. It was subsequently annexed to the Scottish Crown in 1472, following the failed payment of a dowry for James III’s bride, Margaret of Denmark. Orkney contains some of the oldest and best-preserved Neolithic sites in Europe, and the “Heart of Neolithic Orkney” is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Orkney is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, a constituency of the Scottish Parliament, a lieutenancy area, and a former county. The local council is Orkney Islands Council, one of only three Councils in Scotland with a majority of elected members who are independents.

In addition to the Mainland, most of the islands are in two groups, the North and South Isles Agriculture is the most important sector of the economy and the significant wind and marine energy resources are of growing importance. The local people are known as Orcadians and have a distinctive dialect and a rich inheritance of folklore.

Both Orkney and Shetland saw a significant influx of Norwegian settlers during the late 8th and early 9th centuries. Vikings made the islands the headquarters of their pirate expeditions carried out against Norway and the coasts of mainland Scotland. In response, Norwegian king "Harald Fair Hair" annexed the Northern Isles (comprising Orkney and Shetland) in 875. Rognvald Eysteinsson received Orkney and Shetland from Harald as an earldom as reparation for the death of his son in battle in Scotland.

The martyrdom of Magnus Erlendsson, who was killed in April 1116, resulted in the building of St Magnus Cathedral, still today a dominating feature of Kirkwall.

Orkney was the site of a Royal Navy base at Scapa Flow, which played a major role in World War I and II. After the Armistice in 1918, the German High Seas Fleet was transferred in its entirety to Scapa Flow to await a decision on its future. The German sailors opened the sea-cocks and scuttled all the ships. Most ships were salvaged, but the remaining wrecks are now a favoured haunt of recreational divers.

One month into World War II, a German U-boat sank the Royal Navy battleship HMS Royal Oak in Scapa Flow. As a result, barriers were built to close most of the access channels; these had the additional advantage of creating causeways enabling travellers to go from island to island by road instead of being obliged to rely on ferries.

The causeways, known as the Churchill Barriers, were constructed by Italian prisoners of war, who also constructed the ornate Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm.

The navy base became run down after the war, eventually closing in 1957. The problem of a declining population was significant in the post-war years, though in the last decades of the 20th century there was a recovery and life in Orkney focused on growing prosperity.

With all this remarkable history, I was honoured to be joined today by Veterans from World War II and to start our walk at the St Magnus Cathedral.

It was also a pleasure to be joined by Cadets from Orkney and young people from Youth Groups on Orkney who use the Youth Café http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/OADP/index.asp?pageid=1956 and are part of “Connect” who assist young people to find employment. I was also delighted that through the media coverage on Orkney, young people had also read about BRIT and the 2012 mile walk and decided to turn up to support me on the walk.

Joined by the Lord Lieutenant, Veterans, Emergency Services, Cadets and Youth Groups from Orkney on Day 206 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk

It was a super day and another unforgettable experience. I’m sincerely grateful to the Lord Lieutenant of Orkney, Doctor Tony Trickett MBE, who coordinated my visit, introduced me to youth groups on Orkney, assisted with media coverage including BBC Radio Orkney, and gained the support of the Emergency Services, Veterans and Cadets to support Day 206 of my BRIT 2012 mile walk.

I am finishing Day 206 with 690 miles to go.

With best wishes,

Phil