Orkney, Scotland. Day 26, 24th July.

 

I had a plane to catch to Shetland that afternoon but I still had a few hours to spare so I decided to go to Stromness and see whether I could find a cafe.

 

Stromness is the second largest town in Orkney with about 3,000 people.

 

It is the terminal for the vehicular ferry from Scrabster on the Scottish mainland and there is also a ferry from here to the island of Hoy.

 

Stromness is essentially a Napoleonic War boom town.  During that period the Channel became dangerous for shipping so many ships went all the way round past the north of Scotland instead.  Stromness was developed as a convenient stopping place along the way.  Consequently, though there would have been a small port here before then, most of the houses are from that period.

 

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