We spent sunny August 27, 2025, in Kirkwall, capital of the Orkney Islands
The traditional business of the Orkneys is fishing, although more and more tourists are visiting.
The Orkneys are just off the northeast coast of Scotland. From Dunnet, Scotland, where my Calder ancestors come from, you can see the Orkneys on a clear day. Several of my Calder ancestors married women from the Orkneys.
The Orkneys are in a strategic location, with access to the Atlantic without having to travel close to the European coast. During World War II, the British moved many of their ships to the Orkneys. The Kirkwall Hotel became the British Army headquarters for this northern outpost. The Orkneys were also where the Hudson Bay Company was formed. The Hudson Bay Company sent explorers to America and later ran a prosperous fur trading business there.
Our guide, Sarah, led us on a walking tour around Kirkwall.
We walked through the narrow, stone streets of the old town, and appreciated all the flowers still in bloom in late August.
St. Magus Cathedral is the main sight in the city.
On New Year's Day each year, the islanders play the "Ba" game, with a ball thrown out from this cross, in front of St. Magnus cathedral. Huge teams try to bat the ball one direction or another into the bay.
The cathedral is magnificent inside, with soaring walls, stained glass windows, and many statues and other artifacts.
We next visited the ruins of the palaces of the bishops of St. Magnus Cathedral and of the earls who ruled the Orkneys. For many centuries, the earls were Norse, but eventually the British acquired the Orkneys as a dowry for a Norwegian princess. The Stuart earls were even more rapacious than the Norsemen.
We stopped by the Orkney Museum after our walking tour. We saw balls from the annual Ba tournament, as well as artifacts from the early Norse and British inhabitants of the islands.
By chance, the Orkney Museum was presenting an exhibition of art by native son, Jim Baikie, who is probably one of my relatives. Many Baikies from northern Scotland and the Orkneys show up on my family tree chart. Jim Baikie was a prominent comic book artist.
We walked back to the ship past enticing art galleries. The puffin is a popular design motif throughout countries of the North.
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