Monday was the last day of the school holidays so our family and some friends went to Eynhallow (Holy Island), one of Orkney's many pilgrimage sites. The island is now uninhabited but has the ruins of a 12th Century monastery.
Unlike the pilgrims of old, we took a high powered speed boat and cruised across at a BUTT KICKIN' 30 KNOTTS.!! Eat your heart out, St Colomba! Actually, the seas around Eynhallow are rough and dangerous, and only high powered boats can access it safely. Fiona and Les (who brought their family along also) knew the boat owners so we got a good deal.
The weather was perfect. Some of us walked to the monastery thru the long grass.
The monastery was rebuilt in the 16th century but some of the original stonework from the 12th century is still in place, like this porch in the front. I had a hard job squeezing through that doorway - and I am SKINNY!
We went around to see the famous cave but didn't have time to go in.
It was a fantastic day and the kids had a great time playing on the beach.
We got to pray a while. I was thinking of Isaiah 42 that i had read the previous day . . .
"Sing to Yahweh a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is therein, the islands and their inhabitants. "
Lots more pictures - go take a look at my Eynhallow album.
I love your pics of Eynhallow. I live in Atlanta, Georgia and am writing a children's book. I want to include some info on the island and loved the pics. Thanks.
Posted by: margo | June 14, 2006 at 07:49 PM