Sanday - 15/09/04

Am due to return to Kirkwall this evening, but still have all day foran extensive walk. Set off at 10 o'clock in a bitingly cold wind,blowing in straight from the Arctic. Walk up the road, parallel tothe shore and come out at Newbiggings on the B9068 to Burness. Crossover into a farm access road and traverse a field. The track gets evermore difficult to follow, as it leads through nettles and brambles.Manage to regain the road along the airfield and head west, past theschool to the junction with the road to Kettletoft, the location of theold ferry terminal. Turn north for about 150 yards, then head westagain alon gthe B9070 past Bea Loch. have a look round the buildings byWaterhall Jetty. Walk back along the road past Ayers Rock at 11.30, andnow I unsuccessfully try to make my way back to Westbrough. I'm surethe local cattle appreciated my attentions, but I had to double back tothe B9068. Head WSW along the banks of Lamaness Firth, and circle thebanks of it through the new houses at Colligarth. A track veers offinto some dunes at Colli Ness, which is where I stay for my lunch. Thisis disturbed at regular intervals by the local cattleherd, whichstampedes off when I get fed up with them and shout at the dumbcreatures. At 2.30, I head into Lady village and pop into theconvenience stores for some bits. I then head further east into a sideroad that passes through a cluster of houses. Typically disorganised -goats, pigs, cats all over the road. I once more head into the shoresof Otterswick for a cuppa, then head back for Ayers Rock. This goesback along the airfield and through a shortcut by the school atBroughtown. Have to wait for a wee while for the minibus to turn up at4.40. It goes into Kettletoft first, then heads down the island's mainroad to the ferrypier at Loth. At Warsetter, cows have jumped over thefence into the road. Nice landscape of dunes around here - someone isbuilding a house. Arrive at Loth in good time for the ferry. Thisleaves at 6.10 pm, taking me back to KW in 2 hours. It's an uneventfuljourney. On arrival there, dusk is falling. The YH still has a placefor me, after I've been and done my shopping at Safeways.