ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 20:23 Page 312 WEST MAINLAND - HARRAY HARRAY - ORKNEY’S LANDLOCKED PARISH t h sumed all the ale intended g i r y for the Birsaymen. Harray p o c folk have ever since been n w o called "Crabs". The r C Hinatuin Stone still stands (HY318158) and the name is said to mean "going back in shame", referring to the Birsaymen who insulted the Harray folk. Bronze Age Harray has many mounds, knowes or howes (ON Haugr, mound or gravemound). Some of these are man-made and oth- ers are glacial deposits from when the ice was retreating Aerial view of Harray and the Loch of Harray from the south HARRAY (ON Herad, Harray Crabs About 1137 11,000 years ago. Near (HY307163), Burrian, In 1936 a Pictish symbol Orkney Museum. This class Inland District) is the only St Magnus' remains were to Winksetter the Knowes Corrigall (HY324194) and stone with an eagle, crescent I stone dates from the 6th or Orkney parish not to touch be transferred to Kirkwall, o’Trotty (HY341175) are a Burrian Broch (HY296184), and V-rod and a mirror was 7th century and was found in the sea, and lies in the centre carried by the men of each series of Bronze Age tumuli, which is on the shore of the found at the Knowe a ruined passageway. of the West Mainland. It is parish in turn. The proces- which are scattered in two Loch of Harray. o’Burrian and is now in the mostly fertile agricultural sion of Birsaymen was to rows along the Ward of m u The Burrian Stone was found at the Knowe o’Burrian land, apart from the hills meet the Harraymen at the Redland. Four gold disks, e s m u amber beads and burnt u e bordering Evie and Rendall. Hinatuin stone on the M s u bones were found here in y It was known as the “parish Stoneyhill Road. e M n k y of lairds” as nearly all the 1858. Recent excavations r e O n k land was held under Udal The Birsaymen were appar- have revealed burial cist in r Law by the farmers. The ently late in arriving. When the largest mound as well as O Harray Loch is one of the they did they found the a Bronze Age building near- best fishing lochs in Harraymen, "coming crawl- by. Another Bronze Age Scotland, as well as being ing oot o’the ditches like tumulus is the Knowe home to thousands of wild- crabs oot o’the ebb", on o’Smirrus (HY291215), fowl in wintertime. account of them having con- North of Dounby. Replicas of gold disks from one of the Knowes o’Trotty The Hinatuin Stone on the Stoneyhill Road overlooks the lochs Iron Age There are a remarkable number of most- St Michael’s Kirk graveyard sits on top of a broch ly inland broch sites within a small area in Harray. These include Upperbrough in Harray Churchyard (HY314179), the Knowe o’Burrian, Netherbrough (HY308168), Russland or Marykirk (HY295177), the Knowe o’Bosquoy (HY309186), the Knowe o’Gullow, Netherbrough 312 313 ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 20:23 Page 314 WEST MAINLAND - HARRAY HARRAY - ORKNEY’S LANDLOCKED PARISH good example of an Orkney longhouse which has been adapted to meet changing needs. On display are horse- drawn implements, barn machinery, traditional straw and heather crafts, as well as livestock. There are also furnishings, utensils, tools and other artefacts in the house. The workings of this Click Mill are complete Milling by quernstone The way of life on Orkney very typical of uncultivated farms had not changed very Corrigall Farm Museum dates from the 19th century low-lying land in Orkney. much for centuries until the The heath and bog areas Christian sites The Parish enough for two rows of agricultural revolutions of have a vigorous growth of Kirk, St Michael’s, sits on a stalls and there are separate the 19th and 20th centuries. bryophytes, with substantial prominent hill from which doors for house and byre. The house and byre are par- mounds of sphagnum moss, virtually all of Harray can be The adjoining building is allel, long, low buildings, while the rough grassland seen. There are many inter- again both byre and with echoes to a more dis- parts harbour a good popula- esting graves, including that dwelling, perhaps for the tant past. The major 19th th tion of Orkney Voles. of the 20 century novelist, farm servants. The few win- century changes were higher Eric Linklater, many of which dows are small and there are and better roofs, chimneys Hen Harriers and Short- are set into the large broch no neuk beds. A further in the gable as well as bigger eared Owls are often seen mound of Upperbrough with- example is Bimbister windows. This all required a here hunting for Voles, while in the kirkyard. (HY329163), which can be better standard of masonry Harray from Muckle Eskadale Curlews, Lapwing, Snipe seen from the main A896 than may have previously Stoneyhill Road. On the Another good viewpoint is and Oystercatcher all breed. Old Farm Buildings Harray road to Dounby been used. edge of the loch at Quoyer from the Chair o’the Lyde has several very old farm The Reserve is best accessed there is a picnic site with a (ON Hlid, Slope from the layby at the junc- buildings which are still Corrigall Farm Museum The Click Mill (HY325228) pleasant vista over to the HY358187) on the Lyde tion of the A965 and A986 standing. These include (Orkney Museums Service - is a “Norse-type” vertical- Ring of Brodgar. The Road. This view was said (HY338137). Winksetter (HY341164) which signposted off the A986) is a axis watermill. Called Hinatuin Standing Stone, by one old retired Harray sea th may be 15 century , and is restored Orkney farmhouse “click” mills due to the noise near the top of Staney Hill, captain to be “the best he th Viewpoints There is a fine possibly one of the oldest of the late 19 century. The made while in operation, may well be related to the had seen anywhere on his view over the Lochs and the Norse-type farmsteads left. dwelling, which dates from these mills have been known Ring of Brodgar and the travels". In the foreground th West Mainland from the Here the byre end is wide the mid-18 century, is a from Norse times and are Winter Solstice. lies a wide expanse of Corrigall Farm Museum byre essentially mechanised The Click Mill, Burn of Hillside heather moorland, with the quern stones. This example rich agricultural land in the was built in the 19th century, middle distance and the but is very similar to much lochs and Hoy hills in the earlier mills, such as that at background. The Lyde Road The Bu in Orphir. It is said offers good opportunities to to be able to mill 250kg of see Hen Harriers, Red- corn in an hour. throated Divers and other moorland species. Nature Reserve Harray Road End is a Scottish Walks There are several Wildlife Trust Nature good Hill Walks in Harray. reserve. This small area is Syradale (HY350158), 314 315 ogb 3 collated.qxp 26/10/2005 20:23 Page 316 WEST MAINLAND - HARRAY HARRAY - ORKNEY’S LANDLOCKED PARISH HARRAY ATTRACTIONS ARCHAEOLOGY Hinatuin Stone Knowes o’Trotty Knowe o’Smirrus Knowe o’Burrian Russland Broch Knowe o’Bosquoy Knowe o’Gullow Netherbrough Burrian Broch OLD FARMING Corrigall Farm Museum The Grimeston Road has lovely views over the lochs to the Hoy Hills Winksetter Bimbister rooms are en suite. STB 3 Click Mill Crowns Commended. VIEWPOINTS & WALKS Nearby, on the shores of Stoneyhill Road Aerial view of the Loch of Harray from the northwest Harray Loch, the Merkister Grimeston Road Hotel, a Fisherman’s Haven, Lochside Viewpoint reached by following the track Burn o’Rush (HY310227) Right of Way, goes from has the excellent Skerries Russland Drovers’ Road from the Refuge Corner is up a peat road off the Russland (HY313178) past Chair o’the Lyde Restaurant, and also has an (HY337155) past Wasdale B9057. An old woman the now derelict Harray enticing bar menu. The NATURE & WILDLIFE Loch (good for ducks and called Kitty Huntlin is said Mill and the Merkister Merkister has won the Harray Road End Reserve waders), is a very pretty valley to have had an illicit still in Hotel. A signposted track Syradale Glenmorangie Scottish with waterfalls and many wild this area and to have hidden leads off to the left about Burn o’Rush Game Fishing Hotel of the Muckle Eskadale flowers. The Devil’s Well, a her son from the Press Gang 100m after the hotel, passing Year Award twice and is Loch of Wasdale lovely cup-shaped pool on the here. Rumour has it that she the Dounby sewage works Egon Ronay and Vegetarian CRAFTS & SERVICES Burn of Syradale is reputed to may still be found engaged on the way. These use reed Travel Guide recommended. Fursbreck Pottery cure toothache. By putting a in her craft on a misty sum- beds to process the effluent Boats are available for hire Dounby pin previously placed between mer's night and that her from the village, thus pro- A fine catch at the hotel. Tel (01856) the sore teeth into the pool and poteen is real "fire water". tecting Harray Loch, which 771366; Fax (01856) then walking away back- is an SSSI, from pollution. 771515. wards, toothache can be cured, The Russland to Swartland The route crosses the B9057 SKERRIES RESTAURANT or so it is said.