Stronsay - 16/09/04

It's a chilly morning, which I spend going down to the visitor centreat Tormiston Mill. This relates to the burial mound at Maeshowe. Itwould have been posssible to actually go into the burial chamber, but Ihave to be back in Kirkwall on time to pick up my rucksack, do theshopping and jump on the ferry to Stronsay. The tours to maeshowe setoff at fixed times, and I can't make it for the bus. So, I just potterabout the mill, then head back on the bus to Kirkwall. After theshopping, I pick up my pack and head for the ferry. This leaves at 4pm, and makes for Eday first. A fishfarm is tied up near the pierthere. After all the cars and vehicles have gone off and on, we headeast for Stronsay. The ferry has to make some manoeuvres to negotiatesafely into the berth. There is a colony of monks on Papa Stronsay, andseveral of them travel on the ferry. They are easily identified, cladin black robes and cowls. After docking at Whitehouse Village, themonks carry on by boarding a separate vessel for Papa Stronsay. Thisisland lies across the bay. Currently, several new cells are underconstruction there, one for each monk. I head off the pier, and when Iturn right, I'm at the hostel. The door is closed, so I report to thechipshop nextdoors. I'm ushered into the hostel, which is cold, bare tothe Nth degree and not comfortable. By the grace of God I am allowed toswitch on the heating. The kitchen is the barest of bare, although oneof the cupboards is chockablock with ingredients for baking. After Iheat up my stuff, I have to drag in a chair from the dorm to sit downat the table. Christ! After supper, I settle down in the dorm, which isnot very spacious. Later in the evening, I flee the cold and gloom forthe hotelbar across the road. By that time it's started to rain. Have anice chat with various locals who say they're short of a GP. Wrongprofession. Spend a very pleasant two hours there, and am sorry to haveto leave at closing time. On return across the road, I manage to get ahot shower, then turn in for the night.

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