ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 19:45 Page 14 NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT In addition to the huge array of possible to have every season in ancient and more recent monu- one day! The combination of ments, Orkney has a rich and constantly changing weather interesting natural environment. and changes in day length make The combination of fertile farm- for a huge variety of lighting land with the various other habi- conditions which makes Orkney tats makes it a very good place a paradise for artists, photogra- for wildlife, and especially birds. phers and lovers of the land- There are cliffs, marshes, moors scape in all seasons. Thus there and maritime heath as well as is no “best” time to visit. sheltered bays, small islands and lochs, all of which attract a vari- Skipi Geo and the Brough of Birsay There are many good locations Hen Harrier (Katabelly) ety of different species, depend- for observing wildlife, including ing on the season and weather. several RSPB Reserves. During the summer many thousands of The many superb beaches and birds breed in Orkney, and the dramatic cliffs also provide cliff colonies of seabirds are wonderful opportunities for especially impressive at walking. Whether just a stroll Marwick Head in Birsay, and along the Bay of Skaill or Noup Head on Westray. Both Aikerness after visiting Skara Grey and Common Seals also Brae or the Broch of Gurness, or breed in Orkney. one of the many more adventur- ous walks, Orkney will never Maritime Heath, for example, Marwick Head has dramatic high cliffs Baby Grey Seal (Selkie) fail to please. The islands are on Papay and on Rousay is a great for cycling too, as the hills favourite nesting site for Terns are not steep, and the roads quiet. and Arctic Skuas. The Heather Moorland on the hills is home to The predominant daytime Hen Harrier, Merlin and Short- colours in Orkney are the eared Owl as well as many greens, blues and browns of species of waders, with particu- grass, water and moor. These larly large numbers of Curlew colours vary with the season and and Oystercatcher. are particularly vibrant in sum- mer, but more muted in other Orkney is also well situated to seasons. Orkney is also famous see migrants and winter visitors for its sunsets and for its long Whitemill Bay, Sanday such as the Great Northern Atlantic Puffin (Tammy Norie) hours of daylight in summer. Stoneyhill, Harray Diver, Long-tailed Duck, Primula scotica - unique to Orkney, Caithness and Sutherland The Northern Lights are occa- Goldeneye, Iceland Gull and sionally seen, usually on a dark, other species. The harbours at moonless winter night. Kirkwall and Stromness are both good places to look for The Orkney climate is much gulls and sea ducks, while the influenced by the sea, which lochs of Stenness and Harray in varies in temperature by only a the vicinity of the Standing few degrees over the year. This Stones are excellent places to see ensures that winters are mild, but wildfowl in all seasons. that summers are never hot. The weather is very variable, and it is 14 15 ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 19:45 Page 16 NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT GEOLOGY Having been heavily glaciat- ed during the last Ice Age, the landscape is of smooth rolling hills, and shallow sounds and bays. Since the ice receded about 13,000 years ago, rising sea level has flooded the area to form the present landscape of islands and water. As the ice sheet melted, sea Ancient basement rocks are only exposed in a few places, as here at Yesnaby level rose too fast to allow much cliff erosion, and thus in many sheltered parts of Orkney shores slope gently Aerial view of Lochs of Harray and Stenness with Stromness and the Hoy Hills in the background down to a depth of about The natural environment of to 4,000m of mud and sand be seen. These are the fos- 70m. On the more exposed Orkney has been formed by sediment accumulated on silised remains of blue-green western side the spectacular the interaction of land, sea the lake floor as rivers erod- algae (cyanobacteria), prim- cliffs as well as many other and ice. Each island is dif- ed the surrounding moun- itive plants which are current coastal features were ferent, resulting in a wide tains. The tropical climate thought to have created the created prior to glaciation. variety of scenery and habi- encouraged the evolution of oxygen-rich atmosphere of tat in a small area. It is geo- many species, and many fish Earth by fixing large The rock lends itself to the Rough seas at Yesnaby, West Mainland logically an extension of fossil beds were laid down amounts of Carbon dioxide formation of spectacular northeast Caithness, and are in the sediments. Examples rock stacks such as the Old mostly composed of of these fossil fish can now Only at Stromness, Yesnaby Man of Hoy, large caves Devonian Middle Old Red be seen at the Fossil and and on Graemsay are the which may collapse to form Sandstone flagstones and Heritage Centre in Burray. basement rocks visible. “gloups” (ON Gluppa, pre- sandstones, except for Hoy Some species had scales Similar to those of nearby cipitous chasm) as at the which is largely Upper Old which formed strong Sutherland, they date from Gloup in Deerness, and nat- Red Sandstone. armour, while others resem- about 1,000 million years ural arches such as at the Vat ble modern fish. ago. There are also small of Kirbuster, on Stronsay. About 350 million years ago exposures of volcanic rocks, Features like these are the Lake Orcadie covered an Fossilised plants and inver- lavas and tuffs. These are result of erosion and are area from the Norwegian tebrates also occur. At mostly evident as intrusions, continuously evolving. coast to the Moray Firth. Up Yesnaby stromatolites can or “dykes”. The sandstone weathers to The Old Red Sandstone rock strata are very obvious Fossil fish may be seen at the Fossil & Vintage Centre “Horse teeth” stromatolite, Yesnaby Ripple marks on rocks, Yesnaby Volcanic trap dyke 16 16 17 ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 19:45 Page 18 NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT GEOLOGY e c i growth of trees. At present f f O about half the area is agricul- c i h tural pasture and half semi- p a r natural heath with many g o r d montane characteristics. y H K U The coastline with its many e h t bays, sounds and rounded d n a islands is about 800km (500 O S miles) long, and is made up M H of cliffs (20%), rocky banks f o r or low cliffs (70%) and e l l o sandy beaches (10%). r t n o There are wind-blown sand C e links covered with machair h t f vegetation in some areas, o n o particularly in the North i s s i Isles, and the shallow seas m r e around the coast abound p y b with islets and skerries. 9 1 2 t r a The dramatic cliffs of Hoy h c run from the Kame in the y t l a r north to Torness in the south i m d and rise to 351m at St John's A m Head, presenting a spectacu- o r f lar view from the ferry. d e c u d o r Apart from Hoy, where the p e Ward Hill reaches 479m, R St John’s Head and the Old Man of Hoy Orkney is not very high. established themselves since first-time visitors and return- The low-lying, rounded the Ice Age (including man) ing natives so pleasantly landscape with rolling hills has created the current green when they get off the boat or and gentle valleys has result- and blue welcoming land- aircraft. ed in several large lochs, scape which greets both some connected to the sea, as well as numerous bogs Remains of ancient trees are exposed at low tide in several places and marshy areas. Many of the latter have now been drained, but large areas have also been preserved as they are important wildlife habi- tats. form good soils, which give good agricultural soil, with of man and his animals. Due the characteristic grassland only the higher areas being to exposure there is consid- Thus a combination of geol- and heath vegetation. covered in blanket peat. The erable stress on vegetation, ogy, glaciation, erosion by Overlain with a coat of present environment is very which in turn limits the sea and weather combined glacially-deposited clay, much a combination of geol- crops which may be grown, with the effects of the vari- much of the land makes for ogy, climate and the effects and severely stunts the ous species which have 18 18 19 ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 19:45 Page 20 NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT CLIMATE The growing season in Orkney extends for only about half of the year, or a month less than in southern Scotland. However, this is greatly compensated by the long hours of daylight in summer, when it never real- ly gets dark, and the sun is above the horizon for over 18 hours. The corollary of course is midwinter, when the sun is very low in the sky, and is only above the horizon for about 6 hours a day. As for the best time to come to Orkney, it is hard to Midsummer light over the North Isles from Wideford Hill at 01:00 - “The Grimlins” or “Simmer Dimm” advise! At any season sever- Orkney's climate is remark- months while December and The weather is greatly influ- al types of weather may be had in a day.