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Aerial view of Sanday from the south Whitemill Bay are particularly o’Howar on Papay.. . This discovery is fine, but the Sanday beaches Beneath the peat there is consistent with pollen studies are so attractive that this is another thin stratum of gla- which suggest a reduction in only a selection. cial till on top of the under- woodland around this time. lying sandstone. Sand dunes are still a major Archaeology Sanday has a feature of the coastline in The suggestion is that rela- very large number of archae- Sanday, where they have not tive sea level may have risen ological sites and was settled suffered the industrial depre- by as much as 3m during the before 4000 BC by Neolithic dations of Mainland beaches. last 6,500 years, implying man. The fertile and easily The dunes along the east that much low-lying land tilled sandy soil would have coast between Tres Ness and has been lost to the sea. This been very attractive to the Lopness are particularly may in part explain the early farmers. There are bur- impressive. Also of interest is apparent lack of evidence ial mounds all over the the submerged forest at for Mesolithic settlement in island, most notable being SANDAY (ON Sand-ey, level, the highest point being while much of the north and Otterswick. Sandy Isle) About 20km The Wart (HY630378, west coasts are rocky. The Quoyness , Els Ness, is a particularly fine example (12.5 miles) long by 11km 65m). The coastline is most- flat eastern part of the island Submerged Forest The (7 miles) wide, Sanday is the ly low-lying with wide is composed of flag- existence of a submerged largest of the North Isles. expanses of windblown sand stone, while the hillier west- forest at Otterswick was first Flat except at its southwest and flat sandy bays, but ern part is a ridge of Eday recorded in the 1840s after a end, the island seldom there are low cliffs (20m) on sandstones, with mostly severe gale revealed tree exceeds 20m above sea the west side of Spur Ness, rough hill land. roots in the ebb. Old tree roots have indeed often been It has some of the best Whitemill Bay is one of the finest beaches in Orkney seen in this area at very low beaches in Orkney, with tides. Recent investigations beautiful white sands, have proved the presence of backed by dunes and a substantial amount of machair, with small loch and decayed vegetation below marshy areas, which results about 0.8m of sand. in a marvellous variety of wild flowers in summer. This thin layer consists of The island is especially peat with branches of attractive to waders, while Willow trees which date Otters are quite common. from about 4500BC - about The beaches at Backaskaill, Sty 1,000 years before the build- Wick, Tres Ness, Lopness, ing of the houses at Knap Scuthvie, Sandquoy and

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Recent radiocarbon dating Burnt mounds are also of human bones from the common, a good example tomb gave a date of about being on the east side of the 3000BC. Gump of Spurness (HY606348), where a large Mount Maesry (HY783435, knowe has burnt stones ON Maes-reyrr, Maes-roo showing. Others include or cairn of stones) on Start Butter Knowe (HY709432) Island is another - and Ivar’s Knowe in type chambered tomb and Sellibister. These heaps Quoyness chambered cairn - side chamber was used by lighthouse were formed from stones Mount Maesry on Start Island is a Maeshowe-type chambered cairn keepers to store potatoes, . heated in a fire and then Quoyness Chambered about 9m long, but only the Further unexcavated used to heat water to do Cairn (HY676377) on inner part now remains. The Neolithic tombs are at cooking. Many other such Elsness. This tomb is a very chamber itself is 4m long, Egmonds Howe, just south piles exist on the island, but good example of the 2m wide and 4m high, with of Quoyness, on the south- most are now part of culti- Maeshowe-type of tomb and six cells opening off it ern point of Tresness vated land and have been is very similar to Cuween through low entrances in a (HY711375), and Rethie ploughed out. Nearby at Cairn in Firth. It was first symmetrical layout. Most of Taing (HY651442), near Hacksness, signs of a settle- excavated in 1867 by Farrer, the stones are beach stones, Roos Loch, where erosion ment are to be seen in the after which it was used as a with nicely smoothed sur- has exposed the entrance face of a low cliff, which is convenient quarry. faces, thus giving a quite Cist grave on Els Ness passage of a cairn. being eroded by the sea. different effect to the interi- In 1951-52 Childe made or than is usual in cham- Bronze Age There are many Brochs Sanday has several good the damage and creat- bered cairns. barrows and cairns, at least broch sites, including at ed the present 4m high exte- 26 being scattered over Buryan (HY772434), near rior, which is impressive, Skulls and bones were found Elsness near Quoyness Start Point, where, although but not all original due to the in four of the cells, as well as cairn, and the point of Tofts half has been lost to the sea, repairs. The outer casing two curious polished slate Ness which has over 300 the shape can still be made may well have been part of objects similar to those cairns, one long mound and out, and Wasso (HY709379) the final sealing process as found at . A con- three large mounds, com- on the point of Tresness, Petrie states that “the outer- siderable amount of pottery Walling and midden being eroded by the sea at Pool bined with dykes and enclo- where there is a large mound most wall-face seems to sherds were found, while the more than 3 metres high and seems likely that this unusu- sures. The mounds seem with walls and uprights have been built across the human skulls and other cover over a hectare. These al type of feature is due to likely to be Bronze Age showing. At Backaskaill door of the passage”. bones represented at least farm-mounds, or tells, are the large amount of blown burials, but some have been (HY642392), a rocky out- ten adults and five children. likely to be very ancient, and sand. The best examples are shown to be dwellings. crop has a 40m section of The passage enters the well- The chamber and passage would have been quite evi- Beafield (ON Baejar Fjall, Future excavation will prob- eroded cliff with walls and built main chamber from the were full of stones when the dent in Viking times. It Farm Hill, HY684405), ably reveal much informa- floors showing as well as a southeast. It was originally tomb was first opened. tion on this period. defensive ditch on the land- Backaskaill Bay - Kettletoft in distance, broch mound on right ward side, while the large Quoyness chambered cairn - entrance passage Egmonds Howe, Els Ness, is eroding away mound next to the steading at How (HY661393) is most likely also a broch.

Many of the larger Sanday farmsteads are built on prominent mounds, which contain the ruins of previous buildings. Some of these are

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Scar Boat-Burial Another m u e s

spectacular recent Viking u M

excavation was on the shore y e n

at Scar (HY675457), at the k r north of Burness, where O storm erosion exposed a Norse boat-burial. Some years earlier the farmer had found a lead item, which turned out to be a Viking Backaskaill Bay and Kettletoft Old Cross Kirk , Backaskaill weight. Excavation in 1991 revealed the outline of a boat Tafts (ON Tobt, dwelling, until about 500BC, when a Pictish and Norse artefacts, about 6.3m long, the shape HY748462) and How (ON large Iron Age roundhouse but whether this is due to being shown by about 300 Haugr, mound, HY660393). was built. reuse or social interaction is iron nails in the sand. The Many other examples are not clear. Radiocarbon dat- wood had decomposed, but obvious by observation. Further buildings were ing shows that the Norse the artefacts which had sur- erected and by the 6th centu- arrived during the 8th century vived are of great interest. Pool (HY619379), below ry AD the settlement con- North Mire, is a major set- sisted of a cluster of small The new arrivals brought a Three people had been tlement site, which is being houses with a flagged court- much more intensive style of buried here, a man in his seriously eroded. yard area. Pictish influence farming, which may well 30s, an old lady of about 70 Excavation has revealed a was indicated by the finding have been based on dairy- and a child of about 10. The long period of occupation, of a stone marked with a ing, as the bones of many man was in the bow, with a starting in the Neolithic and double disc symbol and a calves were found. The cat- sword and arrows, a bone extending into the Norse decorated bone pin with tle bones showed evidence comb, some lead weights period. Remains of at least double disc and Z-rod of wear associated with and 22 pieces for playing fourteen Stone Age houses Pictish symbols. being used for traction, Scar Viking whalebone plaque

some kind of game. The m u

were found, together with a while horse bones showed e s

woman had a beautiful u huge amount of pottery, The Vikings built new hous- no such pathology, suggest- M

whalebone plaque, a gilded y

which ranged in style from es, often using the bases of ing that the latter was not e n

brooch and several small k possible in the previous buildings, while used for heavy work. A r iron tools. O earliest levels to typical the wheelhouse was still in small number of deer were Grooved Ware in the later use in the 11th century. In the also present. Scar Viking whalebone plaque The plaque may have been levels. The site was aban- early Norse settlement peri- for smoothing, used in con- boat burials are rare in Black Rock (HY675417), doned by about 2000BC od there is a mixture of Six-row bere barley and junction with an oblate glass Britain and this site was the on the shore of Lamaness some oats were grown, object, as found at Howe in first of its type to be exca- Firth sits on the boundaries Lopness Bay looking east towards Northwall while..Large quantities of Stromness. The burial is vated using modern tech- of the three Sanday parishes carbonised seaweed were probably 9th century. Such niques. and is said to be the meeting found, whose exact function remains unclear. Fish bones Scar Viking shears and spindle whorl Black Rock - at the meeting point of three parishes m

dating from the Neolithic to u e

th s the 11 century have been u M

found here, and suggest that y e n k

some offshore fishing was r taking place since early O times but that there was a large increase in activity when the Norse arrived.

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Lady Kirk (HY675399) on turies with its miles of the coast road between Lady exposed beaches and huge and Kettletoft, was built in offshore kelp beds. The 1773, and is now roofless. island accounted for about The west door dates from 25% of the 3,000 tons which the 1600s, and the present were produced annually at building is probably built on this time. The lairds profited the site of a series of older greatly from the trade, but churches. At the top of the the workers also had to be exterior steps leading to the paid and some part of this former north gallery, there is profit did “trickle down”. an enigmatic impression in a stone which is reputed to be Ortie There are still many Old Lady Kirk is now roofless and was built or renovated in 1773 the “Devil's Handprint”. It kelp pits around the coast as Columba), Cross and Lady. is said that “many years ago well as ruined shelters and The roofless Cross Kirk the minister had been in the houses for the kelpers. The The original Start Point lighthouse in 1821 (HY653392) dates mostly habit of being tempted to deserted village of Ortie th from the 18 century, and have his way with more than (HY689454) is said to have was abandoned by 1897. It one of his lady parishioners been built to house some of th incorporates parts of a 12 in what he thought was the these people, who then left century kirk itself on the site “The Devil’s clawmarks” safety of the House of God.” when the price of kelp col- of a more ancient chapel, lapsed. Ortie is interesting place of three Sanday lairds. built on the shore near a Until recently, folk passing not for the age of the houses, It may well have been the broch, like so many others in along the nearby road at but for the traditional man- traditional meeting place, or Orkney. night, would hurry past with ner of construction, where ting of Viking times. The eyes averted from the kirk. “simmons” - ropes made nearby farm of Odinsgarth The great Sanday folklorist, The “print” is in solid stone from oat straw - were placed and the old name for Walter Traill Dennison and serves no obvious pur- over the couples to support 19th century farm steading at Stove Otterswick, Odinswick, are (1825-1894) is buried in the pose – thus there is no expla- thatched roofs. suggestive of a previous model farm, near the Loth Lighthouses There are pop- graveyard. He gathered up nation for it other than that name for the rock being ferry terminal, there is an ular, possibly apocryphal, folk stories all his life and th Old Nick himself left his 19 century farms More unusually large steading for tales to the effect that the Odinstone. his work has preserved a clawmark while overseeing recent sites of interest its time. It had a Clayton- island ministers might some- large body of tales, tradition proceedings below. include the deserted steading Shuttleworth steam-driven times pray along the follow- Medieval and later Sanday and dialect which is all the at Tres Ness (HY704388) threshing mill and a huge ing lines "Please Lord, we has many ancient chapel more authentic for his being A pre-reformation commun- with an octagonal horse byre. The steading was beseech Thee, let there be no sites, and is still divided into a member of the community ion cup has survived and is engine-house which worked burnt down while everyone wrecks but if, in Thy infinite three parishes – Burness (St he was recording. still used today in the pres- the mill in the barn next was away at the County wisdom and mercy, Thou Tangles were collected and dried until recently ent Cross Kirk. There are door. At Stove (HY609355) Show some years ago. wouldst suffer a wreck to also several mounds inside Ortie, Burness - detail of roof construction with simmons Ortie, Burness - detail of roof construction with simmons and around the kirkyard as well as walls and midden eroding from the nearby shore. This is yet another ancient settlement site.

Kelp Making Sanday was well placed to take advan- tage of the Kelp Boom of the late 18th and early 19th cen-

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Despite this new lighthouse the Dutch frigate Utrecht with 200 soldiers and 220 sailors aboard went ashore at the Holms of Ire in 1807, the 366 survivors surrendering to the local laird. There was considerable worry in Orkney about the presence Start Point lighthouse and Mount Maesry, Start Island of so many of the then WWI German destroyer, B98, was wrecked at Lopness Bay in 1919 Orkneys) dried in the sun in enemy’s men, but jubilation summer-time, and carefully in Sanday at the plunder of saved like treasure for this the beached ship. purpose. Richer people here (as do also the more power- The present lighthouse was ful inhabitants of North built in 1870 by Thomas Ronaldsay, where there is no Smith and Robert moorland) have peats Stevenson, when the vertical brought to their house from black and white stripes were Eday in large boats over the painted to distinguish it from Ayre Sound and Start Island most fearful sea and at very North Ronaldsay. It was WWII Chain Home Low radar station at Lettan, Northwall made automatic in 1962. happen then, may it please “The inhabitants of Sanday long intervals, and some- Birds Sanday, with its their resplendent breeding Start Island can be reached Thee Lord, to let it be on our earnestly and often desire times at shorter ones”, many flat, sandy and muddy plumage and the Knots will at low tide across Ayre shore rather than on some- this to happen, so that they Bleau Atlas of Scotland beaches, backed by machair, be a lovely deep russet red. Sound. body else's". get a supply of material for 1654. small lochs and marshes, is fire from the wrecked ships, very attractive to waders, In late summer waders 20th century Wartime relics It is also said often to have for there is no moorland or The old saying that “Sanday both as breeders and return on passage to their include the the German been the case that when God peaty ground in the whole kye shite fire” has a basis in migrants. In spring, wintering areas in large Destroyer B98 from World did indeed see fit to suffer a island. Now they prepare fact. Many of the inhabi- Turnstone, Redshank, numbers. Knot and Bar- War I at Lopness Bay wreck to happen (as part of food and drink for them- tants gathered up cow pats Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Grey tailed Godwit are the first to (HY746441). It was driven His Plan for the Best) then selves, either with straw, or and dried them, stacking the Plover, Purple Sandpiper, arrive, and besides the ashore in 1919 while under he was often first on the with animal dung, or with results like peats. They no Sanderling, Bar-tailed species previously men- tow to the scrapyard. Only scene! As the Good Book long stalks and leaves, as of doubt burnt fine, especially Godwit and Knot pass on tioned, Little Stint and the turbines and boilers says, "there is a time to kill seaweed (of which there is a with the assistance of some their way to their northern Curlew Sandpiper may also remain above the sand. and a time to heal" great amount both here and fine wood from a wreck. breeding grounds. The latter be seen. (Ecclesiastes 3:3). in all the islands of the two will be changing into Start Point The low-lying In World War II at Lettan The present Start Point lighthouse was built in 1870 east side of the island was a there was a Chain Home Wetland at the north end of Sanday is very attractive to waders graveyard to many ships Low radar station, which before the building of the formed part of the air Start Point Lighthouse defences of Scapa Flow and (HY786435). There were 22 Northern Britain. Several wrecks in the period concrete buildings survive. between 1788 and 1802 There was also a dummy air- when an unlit beacon was field on the Plain of Fidge, finished. The light, the first the site of the present day revolving apparatus in Sanday Golf Course. Only Scotland, was finally a small building known as installed in 1806. the “brickie hut” survives.

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well as exposed coastline, which means a diverse range of plants and ensures a car- pet of colour all summer.

Much of the land is not intensively farmed which helps to preserve these pret- ty swards. Ladies Bedstraw, Grass of Parnassus, Daisies, Ayre Sound and Start Island during an autumn gale and several species of The inks are covered with a carpet of wild flowers in summer Buttercups, Eyebright and The east end of Sanday is a hiding places for many dif- mented by large numbers of came ashore at Backaskaill off the north coast, where Orchids are some of the staging point for migrants, ferent species. Robins, immature birds. The species Bay and died. The reasons the extensive kelp beds are plants which make the island with Start Point and the Wheatears, Red-backed are similar, but may also are unknown, but some important foraging areas. so colourful in summer. North Loch being particular- Shrikes, Willow Warblers, include Whitethroat, Lesser cetaceans may get disorien- ly good watching places. Chiffchaffs and Redstarts Whitethroat, Black Redstart, tated in the shallow waters . The shallow, seas with gen- Otter Along the shore, or The extensive flat sandy tend to be the most common Garden Warbler, Blackcap, Sperm Whales are regular tly-shelving beaches around round the small lochs, espe- beaches such as Cata Sand with perhaps a few Goldcrest, Blackbird, Song visitors to Orkney waters. much of the island also cially in the early morning, (HY700410), Otterswick Bluethroats. Rarities also Thrush, Redwing, Fieldfare, probably discourage the or late evening, the elusive (HY680430) and The Ouse regularly turn up, especially Ring Ouzel, Yellow-browed Seals Sanday has the largest Common Seal’s principal Otter may be seen. The (HY670395) are examples during spells of easterly Warbler, Red-backed Shrike, discrete population of predator, the Killer Whale. island has a considerable of places where the car can winds and poor visibility.. Barred Warbler and others. Common Seals in Scotland, Smaller numbers of Grey population, and their tracks make a good hide. with over 4% of the UK Seals come ashore to breed with five toes and the scuff- In summer the lochs have a Start Point can be good for population. The breeding on the Holms of Spurness mark of the tail may often be Patches of vegetation, field good selection of wildfowl, sea-watching especially groups haul out on skerries and the Holms of Ire in the seen on the sand or at the dykes and ditches can be while there are Tern colonies when the wind is in the east. around the island, especially autumn. edge of lochs. They also at Westayre Loch, Start Sooty and Manx Shearwaters as l l

leave their fishy spraint on e

Point and Els Ness, as well well as Kittiwakes, Fulmars, b prominent places. Otters p m

as Arctic Skuas on the Gump Gannets, and Skuas pass a

have poor eyesight but C

of Spurness. Wheatears and daily while Pomarine Skuas e i excellent hearing and sense r u

Meadow Pipits are common are seen occasionally. a

of smell so stealth is crucial. L breeders as are waders, with over 100 pairs of Ringed Flora Sanday has a wide Whales are occasionally Plover on the island. variety of plant habitats stranded on Sanday. Single including machair, lochs beachings are most com- In autumn rarities frequently with marshy surroundings, mon, but in 1994 several appear and numbers are aug- farmland and moorland, as Orchids thrive on the machair young male Sperm Whales Otters are quite plentiful but rarely seen except in the gloaming Ring Plovers are common on Sanday Bar-tailed Godwits particularly like Cata Sand Sanderling in winter plumage Sanday has 4% of the UK population of Common Seals

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SANDAY TRANSPORT Getting To Sanday Both Orkney Ferries, Tel (01856) 872044 and Loganair, Tel (01856) 872494, operate daily services to the island from Kirkwall. Please refer to their latest timetables for details. Sanday Dial-a-Ride meets sched- uled ferry arrivals. To book a con- 8.25MW windfarm at Spurness which was installed in 2004 nection call Tina Flett on (01857) 600467 Getting around on Sanday Taxis, Car and Bicycle hire are available on the island. Minibus tours are also run. Tel (01857) 600370 (Damian Wood) or (01857) Bernie Sanday croft with meadow Flett. Crafts and Industry As in Renewable Energy In 2004 SANDAY SERVICES other islands, the main three large wind turbines SANDAYATTRACTIONS industry is beef production, were installed on Spur Ness Where to Stay and Where to Eat although some sheep are next to the ferry terminal. Kettletoft Hotel **INN - comfort- “by the sun” also kept. The Sanday Show The 60m towers support able small hotel serving home- Stove 19th century farm cooked meals. Fish & chip take- Pool settlement site in early August is a good three-bladed turbines with aways Wed & Sat. Tel (01857) Ness of Brough opportunity to see the quali- 40m blades giving a generat- 600217. The Belsair Guest House Rethie Taing Kettletoft pier in 1900 ty of the local livestock as ing capacity of 8.25MW. has en-suite rooms and serves Roos Loch homebakes, bar snacks and well as a great range of local Holms of Ire evening meals. B&B and Hostel Orkney Angora produce. Several boats, To quote a Sandayman, “The accommodation is also available. Scar which fish for crabs and lob- wind turbines have completely Check current “Islands” brochure. Whitemill Bay sters, are based in Sanday. transformed the Sanday skyline Shops Sanday has a wide range of Ortie in the South End. The general shops and services available, Otterswick including general stores with fuel Black Rock Orkney Angora at Breckan opinion seems to be that they are at Kettletoft, Lady and Cross. Bay of Sandquoy (HY674450) specialises in quite attractive and certainly not There is an excellent butcher in Northwaa the Angora wool products, an eyesore. They do not appear Kettletoft. North Loch Tofts Ness Ayres Rock has a hostel, campsite, and welcomes visitors to the to be noisy, but even if they were, Lettan WWII radar station B&B accommodation and a small craft shop. This unusual cot- they are a good distance from Scuthvie Bay craft shop which also sells crab and Start Point lighthouse tage industry was estab- the nearest homes, so they aren't lobster, with takeaways on Mount Maesry Saturday - Diane Grieve Tel lished, from the ruins of a going to annoy anyone.” Buryan Broch (01857) 600410. derelict croft, by William & “Orcadia” at Kettletoft pier in 1981 Bay of Lopness WWI German destroyer B98 Elizabeth Sichel in 1982. Sanday Show is held in early August - the year’s biggest community event Kettletoft from the pier today Sanday Golf Course Cata Sand They personally supervise Tress Ness Farm all aspects of the business to Wasso Broch maintain their high quality Elsness Quoyness chambered cairn standards. Their thermal Egmonds Howe chambered cairn clothing products and other Old Lady Kirk garments are sold by mail Kettletoft village order throughout the U.K Bea Loch Old Cross Kirk and abroad using a catalogue Backaskaill Bay and website - Tel (01857) Doun Helzie beach & cliffs 600421. Hacksness

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