Tucked off the northeast corner of Scotland, above the Highlands, the Orkney Islands offer dramatic yet simultaneously serene landscapes and seascapes, against a backdrop of constantly changing skies. The climate,

The bus ride to Kirkwall, Orkney's capital, takes one past lush level green plains and glittering light blue coastlines, with a countryside, rather than rugged, feel. One unusual feature of the landscape that strikes visitors here is the absence of trees. The constant relentless

Kirkwall, whose name comes from the Old Norse word 'Kirkjuvagar' for 'church-bay', is a bustling market town that is easy enough to get around on foot. Broad Street, the main street, is dominated by the 862-year-old St Magnus Cathedral in all its red-and-yellow-sandstone grandeur. The Cathedral was commissioned by Earl Rognvald Kolsson, the founder of the town, in memory of his uncle. A stone's throw away, across the street, lies the free Tankerness House Museum - it gives a vivid introduction to life in Orkney over the last 5000 years.

With its inspiring environment of beautiful shores, bird reserves, marine life and a plethora of prehistoric sites, it is not surprising that Orkney is a haven for talented people skilled with the hand and eye. Many crafts

My next stop is Stromness, a major seaport, which like Kirkwall is on the largest Orkney island known as Mainland. While Kirkwall is a shopping

Bagpipe strains amidst a carnival atmosphere of festivity greeted me when I reached the Burgh (meaning 'town') of Stromness. The origins of the festival, simply called 'Stromness Shopping Week', derived from July 1948 when the shopkeepers of Stromness held a festival to celebrate the end of post-war austerity. Since then, it has grown every year with pipe bands, sports contests, fancy dress beer races, children's parties, craft exhibitions, flower shows, pet shows and even an intriguingly titled event, 'Ladies Lifeboat Guild Teas' (your guess

For me, however, the attraction of Stromness lies in losing myself in the narrow meandering streets, with all the quaint nooks and corners, and in discovering the easy short cuts amongst the steep ups-and-downs.

One can also explore places of interest like the Stromness Museum, whose displays of Orkney maritime and natural history include the German fleet in Scapa Flow, and the Pier Arts Centre, a modern art gallery. The latter was once the home of the recruiting agent for Hudson's Bay Company whose ships used

Dating back to 3200 BC, which makes it older than the Stonehenge and the Egyptian Pyramids, the Stone Age village of ten one-roomed houses is remarkably well-preserved, having been buried under sand dunes till a severe storm in 1850 ripped the grass

The ancient village is situated by the idyllic Bay of Skaill, a beautiful sandy beach with sheltering dunes. The evolution of the village is linked to its nearness to the bay, according to the Skara Brae Visitor Centre. The Visitor Centre also has a replica house

Walking between the stones, some over 16 feet tall, one feels a sense of power and wonders about the ancient ceremonies performed here in the prehistoric age. The sheer number of stones and their well-cut shapes evidence what must have been a huge feat of social and physical engineering. Even the forces of nature are attracted to these skyward stones - one was struck by lightning on 5 June 1980.

Spectacular cliff scenery abounds in the northern part of the island which also has some excellent walks, and this is where my half-hour ferry ride from Stromness lands. Moaness Pier was chilly and desolate as I arrived in gloomy rainy weather, and it was quite an experience walking against the winds. Once into the valley, thankfully, the winds were blocked and the rains died down. The hike became pleasant, with heather and wild flowers lining the path that sometimes turned into

It is no wonder that the crofting township of Rackwick is considered one of the most beautiful places in Orkney. I did a double take on my approach, when the right-angled cliffs

Taking a different route along the road back to the pier, one passes another 5000-year-old monument - the only rock-cut tomb in Britain known as 'Dwarfie Stone'. According to the great Scottish writer, Sir Walter Scott, this was the residence of the 'Trolld', a legendary Norse dwarf. Interestingly, I ran into a young female archaeologist here who was simply fascinated by the tomb, naturally.

Italian prisoners of war were among those who worked on the Churchill Barriers, as they are known. Far away from home, the POWs sought religious consolation using two Nissen huts, scrap metal and considerable

I was told that many Scots have never been to the Orkney Islands, and likewise, many Orcadians have never set foot on mainland Scotland. Physically only six miles apart,

© Ong Hwee Yen 1999