Playing hookie - going to Rackwick for a walk on the beach

It's been a little busy in the Learner Gardener household just lately.  The rhubarb is growing faster than I can pick it and I need to get some more beds dug for some of the seeds I've been buying.  I'd like to get a herb bed established this year.  We've also had one or two days of nice weather.  Which in this household means a trip out to see some of the local views.  We always play hookie when the weather is good.  Just over a week ago we went across to Hoy and, after visiting the museum at Lyness (well worth a trip I must say) we spent a lovely afternoon at Rackwick.  We had two guests with us and had a lovely time on the beach.  Here are some of the photo's of our trip.

 The ferry from Houton to Lyness - blustery and chilly but a nice sunny day

 Looking across at Hoy from the ferry

Rackwick - it's difficult to show the scale of this beautiful bay from this photograph

However, 'J' took her trainers and socks off and walked down the beach - what look like pebbles are actually multi-coloured boulders - stunning

Closer to the cliffs

The other side of the bay

The Bothy at Rackwick

These images don't really show just how beautiful the place and the day was.  We had the beach to ourselves until two surfers joined us.  Who, by the way were incredibly hardy given the temperature at the time!  We watched the birds nesting on the cliffs.  Watched Bonxies (the Orcadian name for the Great Skua) flying over the beach and inland over the moorland. A little bird (and I still don't know what it was) followed us on our walk down past the small river to the beach, chit chatting at us all the way.

Days like this are something special.  The garden just had to wait for another day.