We left the blog a week ago. I had a short but very productive visit to London, and to various site visits - and then back up again last Friday with our friends Wilfred and Will, and Austin, who were staying at Westness for a few days. We met at Heathrow and flew up together on the Loganair direct flight to Kirkwall - which stops down in Dundee for a half-an-hour refuel as the plane is so little it can't make it all the way in one go! Travel plans went smoothly and we met with Charlie's and my friend Brandon in Kirkwall - he was coming to stay for the night too!
We went for a walk when we got home - down to the ruined chapel of St Marys, and to the Midhowe Broch and Cairn - and that was the last of the grey skies for the week.
Seals hanging out on the beach.
Evening veg pick, quite chaotic with so many helpers.
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Scapa Langoustine for supper that night.
The next day we woke to blue skies and flat calm waters.
Long walks...
A beautiful day to see the Ian Hamilton Finlay stone overlooking the Westray Firth.
Flat calm waters, an astonishing shade of blue.
Looking over to Eglisay, and the ruined church of St. Magnus.
Westness.
More swims...
Followed by more cocktails...
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A complete triumph - and then to Cleat - a remarkable collection of 17th, 18th and 19th century buildings for which a full restoration programme is now being worked out. Watch this space - I will post more.
The grand first floor drawing room has amazing 19th century children's graffiti on the walls, as if Alfred Wallis or Ben Nicholson had been to stay in the 20s.
A haunting place - and all kudos to those brave enough to chart a new future for this magical house.
Then to West Manse, which itself had been through a huge restoration about 20 years ago - a magical spot.
I love the veg garden made out of old fish boxes.
And the greenhouse made out of the sides of an old bus.
Filled with pears, figs and grapes!
Looking back to Rousay.
The house is for sale if you google 'houses for sale Westray' it will come up quite easily.
Home to Rousay at the end of a brilliant day.
Mist early the next morning.
Breakfast...
But the sun burned through the early morning mist soon enough.
Crystal waters for our swims.
Afternoon walk to the Muckle Water in the centre of Rousay - a very different landscape...
And up to the high ground above us.
Charlie looking over to Mainland Orkney.
Looking down to the island of Eynhallow which sits between us and Mainland.
Home for dinner.
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A wonderful whistlestop tour around the beautiful cathedral...
Then to the Stones of Stenness, one of the ancient places of Orkney, older than Stonehenge.
Looking back over to Hoy.
And then to beautiful Stromness.
A visit to the Pier Arts Centre, always high on the list places to take visitors.
Best butcher!
And home that afternoon.
Drinks with friends at Hullion and home to sunset over Westness.
More fog the next day.
But always clearing....
The boys were back to the airport, flying down to Edinburgh.... Ferry over;
A visit to St. Margaret's Hope for lunch,
Little did this person think that their laundry would catch my eye, but it did!
And then to the famous Italian Chapel, built by Italian prisoners of war during World War Two.
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Afternoon walk.
The next couple of days were filled with a bit of tidying up, catching up on some long-overdue work, swimming and walking.
My office window makes it hard for me to concentrate!
Amazing light some days.
Harvest is safely in - early this year.
Beautiful patterns in the landscape over on Evie.
Charlie's amazing lilies.
Friday night!
Yesterday we went for a good long walk...
Down to the beautiful Tafts (or Tofts) house, around the island from us.
You can read its history here, on the excellent Rousay Remembered website.
Then down to the sea, sparkling blue.
Ancient sand beds in the rocks - millions of years old.
And a beach of extremely satisfying pebbles and stones.
Another day of fair blue skies - the sea was flat calm yesterday morning, but soon a wind was up.
The sea was an intense Prussian blue. Not a cloud in the sky.
We've noticed that all the trees that a few weeks ago were salt blasted by Storm Floris, just before we went to Sweden, have now got masses of new growth. Like spring, as we head into Autumn. Fascinating.
Charlie's veg garden continues with its abundance. We're eating entirely from the garden these days.
Laundy line taking advantage of of sunshine and breeze.
Lunch on the terrace under a cloudless blue sky.
In the afternoon, the sea was a shimmering silver.
And a gentle sunset. We're really noticing the earlier evenings as we tip gently from summer to autumn. Soon, Orkney will lose the light earlier than the south, and our summer of the latest evenings and the earliest mornings will fade again. When we first moved here a lot of people asked if we'd be able to cope with the dark winters. Last winter wasn't a problem at all, in fact - the old house is so ancient feeling and so cozy that there was nothing nicer than long evenings at home and not getting up too early in the mornings. But there's a real change in the air.
It really feels like the end of summer now, and today I'm back down to London for what always felt like the start of a new term. New notebooks! What a wonderful summer it's been, but this last week has been incredibly special. Our neighbours have warned us that we may not see a summer quite like it again for years, but we're very grateful for this introduction to life on Rousay.
I said at the beginning of the blog that I'd reveal the present Wilfred and Will had found Charlie. Proving that the best presents of all don't need to cost very much - this was £1 in a car boot sale. And it's perfect.
Have a wonderful start to the autumn. May it bring peace.
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33 comments
A wonderful post, as always. I do not know which I covet more, the greenhouse windows or the concluding object in the post.
I loved seeing so many gentlemen in kilts at dinner. I may have to lobby my sons to see if they will consider that tradition. (McCormick is one of our septs/clans BTW.)
Thank you for the joy this post brings to me, and I’m sure many others.
Lovely and gorgeous as always!! Please please please may we have some of the beautiful panorama pictures printed in large scale and sold via the Pentreath & Hall shop? 😍😍😍 the amber light ones are spectacular!! Have a wonderful week both.
I’ll start with the best – the rosette is darling!!! How perfect – describes Nancy to a tee! And in plaid no less. ;) I am enchanted by the rocks on your shores. I am a dedicated rockhound….I drag rocks back from everywhere I go. I loved the expression of TSA when they had to xray our baggage with a large (massive) round stone from Spidall in Ireland. I know they were wondering, wth? The scenery in Orkney is stunning. Charlie’s garden is fabulous. I would love to know what went into his….potato? salad with fava? beans? Thank you for sharing. Love the adventures. Oh! And that house for sale….I hope someone with deep pockets will rescue it and restore. Lovely bones, but will need a lot of interior work. The sailboat was so sweet, as if waiting for a new owner.
Thank you so much for your wonderful blogs, they are just joyful and the photos are achingly beautiful. Charlie’s garden is amazing,
Thank You, so uplifting in every way! Your photographs are exciting and enjoyable, love the garden and the interiors of the house are inspiring. What a project, looking forward to many more editions and the changes to come. Very Best Wishes to you both.
Any chance you could share the source of your hollow stemmed champagne glasses please?
What joy and peace your photos evoke – I wish I could beam myself straight into that landscape.
All you work is amazing. Could you please tell me what were the clearances of 1845 in Rousay
I always am swept away by the beauty of this ancient, unspoiled land and your fortress home that withstands all of nature and holds warmth and light within. Swooning over the photos and writing. And over Miss Nancy and the special ribbon…what a gift…Mr. Chips (long-haired dapple) wants one for Christmas…
Okay Ben, you’ve twisted my arm enough….when do you want me to come and stay?:)
So enjoyed your wonderful blog, glorious photos too, lots of happy memories for me as I spent a good deal of my childhood in Orkney, my father was a Westray man so half the year was spent on Westray and then back to London where my mother was based.
Loved seeing the pics of Brough, my best friend Margaret lived there and I spent a lot of time up there. this was back in the 1950’s
always went to the West Manse to visit, such a lovely house with amazing views.
I have never been to your beautiful island but will most certainly do so next time I am up.
Thank you once again for sharing.
So enjoying your Westness story Ben and Charlie – truly beautiful when the world is such a mess! Ben we met in LA earlier – I was the one who grew up in Christchurch NZ! You are inspiring so many of us with these amazing posts – thank you so very much. ❤️
The melancholy of amber afternoon light is heartbreaking. I can’t take myself away from this visit. Thank you.
I’d want every one of those beach pebbles in bowls in my house. But I guess I’ll leave them there for now.
The dog show ribbon…perfection.
Your photos (meals, jaunts, pastoral picnics, kilts) seem to be from another era but I am so happy to see those days still celebrated in the present (even if I can’t be there!). Nice to be able to share in some happy idyllic times especially when the news is so alarming. What would we do without the combined aesthetics of your and Charlie’s complementary talents? Thank you.
Your blog is wonderful – so enjoy the photos of that glorious bit of Scotland – keep
Posting!
Thank you Ben for taking us on another glorious excursion! I loved the photo of Nancy asleep, looking like a harem pet on her sumptuous blankets and cushions. I was surprised by the weathered stones surrounding the door to Kirkwall church, how did they wear that much while the pillars and wooden door remained intact? The photos of the cathedral interior were astounding—I kept thinking of Piranesi’s prisons, how inappropriate! The grace and beauty of the Italian Chapel was the icing on the cake. And always at the end, the return home to lovely Westness. Your friends are truly blessed. Enjoy the last of summer!
I can’t tell you how much I look forward to your posts! They are wonderful — such beautiful photos! So glad you’re enjoying Rousay. A million thanks for sharing it with us!
Just when I think it can’t look any more idyllic – and then it does. Such exquisite photographs. So happy for the life you have have created for yourselves. Transports one from awful news and world affairs. Thank you. Blessings.
Ben thank you for the fabulous calming delightful pictures. I showed the splendid rosette to our mini wire haired dachshund. He barked with delight!!! At least I think that’s what he was saying.
Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous, so beautiful in every way
This post was such a comfort to me. I recently lost a beloved friend to liver cancer. We both love summer so much and it was something about the light in your photos that made me think of eternity, in a good way. Yes, enjoy that back to school feeling Ben, helped along with new notebooks!
Wonderful post!
Looking forward to meeting you at Kips Bay, NY. We are doing the “sanctuary of thoughts” next to your space at the townhouse. I was a late comer to the party.
Best,
Jim
Another lovely post. Thank you!!!
What a glorious adventure you have given to all your readers. Many thanks!
Wonderful pictures! So glad someone else likes photos of stones on a beach…
Lovely. Enjoyed this story of friends, casual meals and walks, all heightened by the beautiful landscapes… you have “captured” something special.
Ben, your photos t carry me away. Thank you.
There are so many things to love about your new home and the country of my ancestors. Thank you
Thank you for posting Ben, I just love your photos and Charlie’s garden – really beautiful.
Wonderful! It gives me joy to read this and see the photographs Thank you.
I just love love love reading your blogs. They make me so happy and the photos are just beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing.
Glorious in every way. Thank you for sharing.