The wind was howling and the rain blowing this morning – so saving the dancing in the rain for a more pleasantly wet day! I put off my wild 1/2 hour to go and experience 5000 years of human history on Orkney at the museum in Kirkwall – phew. What amazed me about that, is how acquisitive we are as a species. Even the Neolithic people had ornaments and jewellery (though perhaps imbued with more powers and mystery than we can imagine). But by the time we get to the Victorians there are cases and cabinets stuffed full of things. If I think about a modern home (and how quickly things are changed and disposed of), I shudder rather.

Anyway back to the wild experience. As with most days on Orkney the weather changed and the sun came out giving us lovely views over Scapa Flow from the RSPB reserve at Hobbister. Strangely we saw fewer birds there than we have anywhere else on Orkney so far! But the light, the air, the shapes and colours were wonderful.  So it was marvellous just to sit and take stock.

I have been looking at the plants on Orkney and the spring (yes still very much spring here) flowers are very pretty. But I think my favourite plant so far is the cotton grass. No picking allowed of course but I did have a stroke of one. Oh so soft and tactile.

The views of the hills of Hoy from Hobbister with the dramatic skies of Scapa Flow were also fantastic. As the light was so clear and bright it was an evening to spend watching the view rather than the telly (no Spring Watch either which helped!).

Then what better way to round off the day than with a late walk up the hill to see a gorgeous sunset (10.15pm) and listen to the sound of a cuckoo – which I was quite surprised about.