Monday 3 June 2013 – Stromness and Skara Brae

A fine day with less wind than yesterday.  We biked to the famous Skara Brae Neolithic village, which was very interesting and well presented.  Looking for something else at that end of the island, we carried on North towards Birsay.  On the way we stopped at Barony Mill, which is a 19th century water mill, so I suppose quite modern and high tech of its type.  The miller gave us a long and interesting entertainment, rather than tour.  We left with some bere flour and biscuits.  Bere is an ancestor of barley and is probably what the people at Skara Brae would have cultivated 5000 years ago. However it is still grown and is possibly useful in having less gluten than modern day grain and gives a sort of nutty taste.

Tea and scone (not to the usual standard), then a quick look at the Earl’s Palace, then the long bike back to Stromness.

I think we may go somewhere by bus tomorrow – I need a rest from the bike.

Skara Brae house

Skara Brae house, complete with furniture

Skara Brae, workshop

Drying barley

Earl’s Palace