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The other major landmark in the Breckness area, where also Skara Brae is located, is The Skaill House. This elegant seventeenth century house was the home of the proprietor of the terrain that includes the ancient village.The ticket to Skara Brae also allows a visit to the house.You may say that it is not interesting, if compared with the neolithic village, and this is possibly true, but I found the house quite interesting instead, with so many ancient pictures and furnitures.
This picture shows the biggest house in the area. The real difference between this and the others is that there is some sort of a wardrobe in the middle of the living room.The guide said that in there all the belongings of the family were stored and between summer and winter inhabitants switched place from upstairs and downstairs...Also large cups are visible, that were used for food and water storage and for food preparation as well
Here is a picture showing another house.I wanted to add this one because it more clearly shows the height of the inner walls and the size of the bedroom. The roof, that had the shape of a small dome, should have been very low, so that people could stand only in the middle of the room, or the inhabitants should have been dwarves...This hut has two entrances, I can only imagine how lovely should have been the wind flowing through the hut
the picture shows how an ancient fishermen's house today appears.I found it very very interesting.on the right side there is a sign indicating the entrance of the hut, that is composed by a single area where, in the middle, there are clear signs of a fireplace.The four areas surrounding the "living room/kitchen" are the "bedrooms", separated by low walls.
---continuing---...that the village itself has remained covered by sand for thousands years and only been discovered late in nineteenth century by the land owner after that a big storms had struck the coastline.It is amazing how the village, excluding the roofs, exactly appears as historians and archaeologists say it should have appeared back in the stone age.
---continuing---...of the oldest village in the whole Britain.It is a small fishermen hut built about six thousand years ago.The most important site of this kind is undoubtedly Skara Brae, founded about 3100 AC, because of its exceptionally good state of conservation.More than thanks to the abilities of the ancient builders, that is dued to the fact that...---continues---
Despite of the remote location and the terrible weather, the Orkney Island are among the places in Europe that show the oldest signs of human colonization.The Archpelago is composed by seventy islands, sixteen of which inhabited (even by just a few people), and on one of these, the northest one excluding North Ronaldsay, called Papa Westray, on a site called Knap fo Howar, there are remnances...---continues---
---continuing---...and preferred to have a short walk around. Not for lazyness, or not only for that reason. We had to go through the whole island that day, and becoming a mud statue early in the morning should not have been a wise decision.Great sceneries like this one where available at a wide shorter distance as well.
The long narrow road lead us to a small parking. All that was there were a couple of ruined buildings and a plaque telling something about the geological history of the place.There was the chance to make a short trip to another view point (you can see it in the distance to watch the Yesnaby Castle)We dropped that chance...---continues---
We woke up very early that morning.The schedule was actually very hard, we were planning to visit the whole Mainland and possibly part of South Ronaldsay. This last part of the tour has been aborted for lack of time and energies...The tour has lead us north along the coast line, first stop, some more magnificent Cliffs close to the Yesnaby village.
Smithfield Hotel Mainland Island
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Reviews and photos of Orkney attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Orkney sightseeing.
Q: I'm just beginning to plan a trip to Scotland and have decided on visiting Orkney. We will be there end of May beginning of June...
A: If you have a car then it will be extremely easy to travel around the islands...Mainland is linked by the Churchill barriers to Lamb Holm, Burray and South Ronaldsey....
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