Skara Brae/Row Head

Published on Thursday 6 April 2006 01:39

A WALK to the best-preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe and up to a headland with fine views of the rugged coastline along the islands.

Distance/Time:

1.75 miles. Allow 1 to two hours.

Where to park:

At the Historic Scotland car park next to the Skara Brae visitor centre. Entry: Adults 6.50, children 2.50 and concessions 5.

Refreshments:

Cafe at the Skara Brae visitor centre. Other than that, the closest place is the Standing Stones Hotel at Stenness, near the stones and Maes Howe on the A965.

Other things to do while in the area: Visit the Ring of Brodgar, Maes Howe and the standing Stones of Stenness.

The walk:

Go through the visitor centre and follow the path past a recreated Neolithic house and along a time trail (past stone slabs with great moments of history written on them, stretching back 5,000 years to when Skara Brae was built). From the village, only revealed in 1850 after a severe storm scraped away the dunes which had been covering it, the view of the Bay of Skaill and its wonderful beach opens out. You can go down to the beach by tracking back 50 yards and dropping through the dunes. Go past the Skara Brae site [after exploring it] and through a gate at the far end. Follow the grass path by a fence as it goes right, around the end of the bay and past a ruined croft house. (If you wish, you can walk across the beach, especially when the tide is out, to reach this point.) Continue by the grass path, looking out for the Kitchener Memorial on the hill across the bay. This commemorates the death in 1916 of Field Marshall Earl Kitchener, then Minister of War, who drowned on his way to secret talks with Russia when HMS Hampshire was sunk by a German mine off the coast.

Head for the end of the fence; some rocks next to the last post make an easier way to step up the few feet to the cliff edge. From here, the path is indistinct at best but basically follows the cliff-edge. Take care as the edge is crumbly and the drop gets higher the further you go. As you gain height, there is more grass and you reach Yettna Geo, a massive chasm in the cliff face - a good place to watch sea birds, especially in spring. From here, it is only a short way to the cairn at Row Head. The views extend south to the island of Hoy and the famous sea stack, the Old Man of Hoy, and north up the mainland coast. You can go further along the coast to reach a ruined broch and then follow the roads back, although this is strenuous walking. You could retrace your steps to admire the Bay of Skaill and see Skara Brae in the context of its environment as you go down.

Map reference:

OS map Landranger 6, ref 189236.