Days 34 to 37

To Thurso and John o’Groats, and to Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands
June 15 to 18

We are in Kirkwall, the main city of the Orkney Islands, spending our second day here. We are here for three nights before we take an overnight ferry to the Shetland Islands.

From Betty Hill, we’ve had easy days cycling to Thurso and on to John o’Groats. As always, mixed weather, some hills, but also some tail winds. We’ve met lots of cyclists. In John o’Groats we stayed in a great guest house with a good view, friendly hosts, and a group of cyclists celebrating the finish of their End to End ride.

On Wednesday a 45 minute ride on a small ferry brought us to the Orkney Islands and a wet, windy, hilly ride to Kirkwall. Cattle, mist, big views, and an amazing little church built by Italian prisoners during the second world war.

Today, Thursday, we took the local bus to Stromness to do some sight seeing. No cycling.

Tomorrow we’ll get back on the bikes to see more of the local sights and history. It is an interesting place, once part of Norway, settled for thousands of years.

Photos to John o’Groats:

Grass by the road

Cycle tourist who is making a collection of photos of his bike in the bars he visits

Hotel in Thurso

Hill ahead

Inge sitting on a fence to shoot a photo

Arrival at John o’Groats

Our hosts, Mike and Mary, at John o’Groats Guest House

Photos in the Orkney Islands:

Passenger ferry to Orkney

Wet day on the road to Kirkwall

Curious cattle coming to see Inge, Orkney

Curious cattle posing for a group photo

Italian Church, Orkney

Interior, Italian Church

Kirkwall, Orkney

Stromness, Orkney

Stromness, Orkney