Posts Tagged ‘orkney’
Archaeologists identify 250-year-old shipwreck in Orkney
Archaeologists have identified a 250-year-old shipwreck, which was discovered on the island of Sanday in Orkney. Evidence points to the wreck being the Earl of Chatham, a former Royal Navy vessel called HMS Hind which was renamed once it became a whaling ship. A sixth rate 24-gun frigate, HMS Hind saw many years of active…
Read MoreScotland Through A Lens: Orcadian Magic with Kendra Towns
Canadian photographer Kendra Towns showcases the ever-changing beauty of the islands she now calls home in this month’s Scotland Through A Lens. How long have you been taking pictures, and how did you fall in love with photography? I’ve been taking photos since I was a child. My dad is also a photographer, so…
Read MoreTreasures gifted to Orcadian naval officer Captain James Moodie returned to Orkney after 300 years
Centuries-old weapons owned by Orcadian naval officer Captain James Moodie have been gifted to the people of Orkney by his family. Three stunning Ottoman weapons – a scimitar (sword/sabre) and scabbard, a mace, and a dagger and sheath – all date from the 1600s and were a diplomatic gift to Captain Moodie, of Melsetter in…
Read MoreA dram with Gordon Motion, Highland Park: ‘Highland Park 56 started back in 1968, it’s our oldest and rarest whisky’
Since its beginnings as a ‘side-hustle’ of church beadle and whisky smuggler Magnus ‘Mansie’ Eunson, Highland Park has been an iconic part of the global whisky market for more than two centuries. Now it’s releasing its oldest and rarest single malt – Highland Park 56. We caught up with the man behind the still, Gordon…
Read MoreLife With The Orkney Island Games: ‘Organising a huge event on a Scottish island presents logistical challenges’
We catch up with Kirsty Talbot, director of the Orkney Island Games, to find out about her life on Orkney, how life compares to Glasgow, and the experience from working at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games she’ll be taking into this year’s event. Moving from Glasgow to Orkney has been incredible for us, we…
Read MoreWATCH: Album buried underground for more than a year by Scottish composer Erland Cooper tops the charts
Erland Cooper, described as the ‘Banksy of classical music’, went to particularly unusual lengths to produce his classical album, Carve The Runes Then Be Content With Silence. After making the record three years ago, he deleted all the digital copies and buried a tape underground in Orkney, where he grew up, and invited his fans…
Read MoreNess of Brodgar, an artist’s legacy: Jeanne Bouza Rose creates stunning visual record of Orkney’s neolithic site
Twenty years ago one of Europe’s greatest prehistoric sites was uncovered in Orkney. Since then, every summer, archaeologists have dug at the Ness of Brodgar, revealing 5,000-year-old wonders, including incredible remains of ceramics and elegant pottery. But next month the neolithic site will be covered for the final time. Experts and volunteers will down their…
Read MoreIsland paradise? Lighthouse buildings on uninhabited island of Copinsay go on the market
Can you imagine living on the stunning uninhabited island of Copinsay? Well you could have your next home there for just £80,000. The lighthouse keeper buildings on Copinsay, in the Orkney islands, are up for sale offering a ‘renovation opportunity of a lifetime’. It requires renovation works, but this property presents the perfect opportunity for…
Read MoreEdinburgh International Film Festival: Saoirse Ronan to be on the red carpet as The Outrun is premiered
Hollywood star Saoirse Ronan will open this year’s Edinburgh International Film Festival with the UK premiere of a new film based on Orcadian writer Amy Liptrot’s memoir The Outrun. The Brooklyn actress has already been praised for her performance in the film following previous premieres at the Sundance film festivals. The book describes Amy’s return…
Read MoreDeerness Distillery: Family create new Orkney whisky using locally grown grains
On a peninsula in the east end of mainland Orkney lies Deerness Distillery. Set up in 2016 by husband-and-wife team Stuart and Adelle Brown, it is known for its multi-award winning Sea Glass Gin. But now the family firm is venturing out to create a new island whisky, made using Scottish barley and speciality locally…
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