North Ronaldsay - 11/09/04

Today dawned foggy, you can't see a thing. The clashing habits continue, god, women! After breakfast, we go out for a walk across the island. The fog slowly lifts as we proceed north past fields to the airfield. We resume the road for a little while, then head north. The murk lifts very, very slowly as we return south, branching left at the war memorial. Stop off for lunch at one of the island's two pubs. Get into a right old discussion with the landlady of the Burrian. The landlord has a jewelry workshop round the back, which I'm shown round. Have to go through some very untidy bedreooms. As a said before, the landlady is right into a subject (which I cannot remember - I'm writing this a year later). Her house is full of paper, and she's quite frustrated that she can't seem to get the other islanders on board with it. But when you start to call them 'stupid' for not going along with an idea, that is not going to be a guarantee for success. Carry on down the road leading south. The local school stands on a hill overlooking the main road. A bull is roaring in a field nearby. Reach the shoreline at Howar, and we carry on outside the NR sheepwall. A large colony of seals, with one large bull guarding his harem. The sheep dabble amongst the seals, eating the seaweed. Spend quite some time there, then slowly head east. It's tricky walking in this rocky terrain, and you've got to watch your footing. The sun comes out by 4 pm, as we're heading round the corner to Bride Ness. Here we work our way inland again, and head up the road towards Hollandstoun. As I've said at the time of my first visit here, on 8 September, I'm not impressed with the general state of the place. Return to NRBO before 5 pm. Have some fun with cats, dogs and other wildlife. After supper, we have a drink in the lounge bar at the observatory. Night has fallen on return at 10 pm. The other thing is that the main door into the dormitory is very low, so I manage to bang my head on the lintel at regular intervals. Oh, and I'm out and about now for a whole month.

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