Day 6 of the road trip and a great day of ancient history and beautiful walking. I visited Skara Brae (the best preserved Neolithic village in Europe, built in 5100BC) which was fascinating and I’ll post another time.

Then I moved on to Marwick Head where I walked up to the Kitchener Monument. It’s a lovely walk, starting in the bay with the waves crashing onto the beach then moving up the cliffs and a little away from the sea where it becomes completely silent. Then you come over the ridge towards the monument itself and are faced with a wheeling, shrieking, carnival of seabirds circling and diving in and out of the cliff face. It is spectacular.

I have never been particularly interested in birds (not the feathered kind anyway) but I could sit and watch these guys for hours, skimming within inches of the waves one minute and then within inches of the cliff face the next – wonderful.

great! fotoluzik · 2007-06-06: 14:18

Great shot,amazing landscape!!! Nachogarcia · 2007-06-06: 14:36

cool! Fasterbit · 2007-06-06: 15:51

I can almost smell the sea. Beautiful colors-the view is breathtaking. waiting for tomorrow's post:) burbulz · 2007-06-06: 16:21

looks like a fairytale land.. love the flowers at the cliff's edge.. seriously beautiful place and capture...! ????? · 2007-06-06: 18:11

amazing how square the cliffs are great photo slowpete · 2007-06-07: 03:57

see my photto's ....looks like the other site of the cliffs Normandie ;-)) jonke · 2007-06-07: 06:30

Fabulous view! jet28 · 2007-06-07: 09:32

That's beautiful! After this, your profile-photo should start looking much happier? :) jorgen · 2007-06-07: 13:51

That's a fair point Jorgen - I'll do something about it... davids · 2007-06-07: 14:46

Spectacular coastal scenery...stunning cliffs... I think I am not the only one to envy you! longimanus · 2007-06-07: 15:29

Great shot. I love the diversity of color in the foreground mattdross · 2007-06-11: 11:04