From Flottay to Sanday: War and Peace in the North Grand Tours of the Scottish Islands

The islands of the north seem to capture the essence of peace

and tranquillity.

But first impressions can be deceptive.

The Orkney Islands, famed for their natural beauty and wide vistas,

have provided a dramatic backdrop

to some of the most violent episodes of Scottish history.

'I'm continuing my epic island-hopping odyssey,

'trying to unravel the secrets

'of some of Scotland's most fascinating places...'

Oh!

'..and meeting the people who live here.'

But I'm used to travelling first class, Donald.

-This is... This is first class!

-I think this is steerage.

'It's impossible to be precise about the total number of islands

'that are scattered around Scotland's untameable coast.

'But not counting the numerous rocks and skerries, it's well over 250.'

And at the end of the jetty,

a little vehicle driven by a collie dog to take us ashore.

BARKING

'For this grand tour,

'I'm travelling to some of the less well-known Orkney Islands,

'discovering a history of war and peace in the north.'

This journey takes me to a peaceful group of islands

where the marks of war, from the Viking age

to the 20th century, are etched into the landscape.

I'm beginning by crossing the great natural harbour of Scapa Flow

to the island of Flotta,

before heading around the main island of Orkney to Stronsay.

From there, I travel north to the stunning beaches of Sanday.

It's 7am and I arrive at the starting point of my grand tour.

I'm travelling to the tiny island of Flotta,

a short ferry trip of just eight miles.

For many of my fellow passengers, this is a regular journey.

I'm taking this fast launch,

crammed full of commuters who daily cross Scapa Flow to get to work.

Together, they make up more than the population of Flotta itself.

And as we approach the island, I can see the reason why they come.

The huge gas flare which burns day and night

has become a modern Orcadian landmark

and is part of a massive oil terminal.

Covering 395 acres,

it dominates the island and some 300 people work there.

But I'm heading around the coast to learn about a time

when Flotta saw an influx of even greater numbers of people.

What brought them here was the deep water of Scapa Flow.

Sheltered on all sides, the Vikings were amongst the first to make use

of what is one of the world's great natural harbours.

And that's also the reason these intriguing buildings

can be found along this coastline.

I've arranged rendezvous with local man Kinlay Francis

to hear how this small island became home

to the British Grand Fleet

and played a crucial part in two world wars.

So, here we are, Paul, at Stanger Head.

Stanger Head was pivotal in the First World War,

particularly because it held the entrances

for the southern approaches to Scapa Flow.

And Scapa Flow was a very important base, wasn't it, in the Navy?

It was, extremely important, that's correct.

How many personnel were stationed here, then?

-About 20,000 or so.

-Really?

Looking after defences and perhaps the fleets.

-That's amazing.

-Yes, it is.

Because the population of Orkney's only about 20,000...

-That's right, exactly.

-You're doubling the population.

-Double your population, I know.

-I just can't get over the thought

that you've got 20,000 men stationed at a huge military base

-but there's no infrastructure here.

-Exactly.

Moving personnel and equipment and machinery and ammunitions

into a base to readily defend it, particularly World War I,

would've been very difficult.

The fleet was defended with gun emplacements,

concrete bunkers, minefields and submarine nets.

Unfortunately, not quite so much thought was given to home comforts

for the troops stationed here.

The steps here lead up to what would've been

-the old accommodation camp here.

-Uh-huh.

-With men billeted in huts on either side of this path.

-That's correct.

Would've been a busy little track back in those days, I imagine.

Yeah, a very busy location.

It was quite difficult coming to the north of Scotland here

to be in cold weather, freezing and nothing to do.

And to keep their morale up, they did as much as they could

to keep them entertained with different sports and activities.

In 1917, a boxing match took place here on Flotta

and 10,000 troops surrounded this boxing arena.

-It's like a rock concert...

-That's right, exactly.

-..numbers, isn't it?

-Exactly.

A cinema was also built and theatre performances took place.

There was even a royal visit to boost morale

when King George V visited the island in 1915.

By all accounts,

the locals did much to make their guests feel welcome,

from cooking hearty meals to darning their socks

and many homesick squaddies testified to the kindness

of the Flotta folk.

These defences proved effective on two occasions

during the First World War,

when German U-boats were detected and sunk

while attempting to enter the harbour.

25 years later, during World War II,

preparations had to be made for attack

from both the sea and the air.

Crucial to these defences was this building that faces out to sea.

-It's a bit of a warren in here, isn't it?

-It is.

Looks like a rabbit warren, full of defences.

-So what's this, then?

-What we are currently standing in is

a coast defence battery gun placement.

Would've been a gun in here?

-A gun would've been mounted on this position below us.

-Yeah.

And it was called a twin 6-pounder,

an armoured position with two guns that would fire,

bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.

Range of those was about 5,000 yards,

right across the southern approaches to Scapa Flow.

5,000... That's about three miles, isn't it?

Yeah, just under 2.93 miles to be exact.

So any boat going in or leaving Scapa Flow

-would have to pass these guns.

-Yes.

The gun itself would move around on the position here below us.

So the gun would've been able to swivel around here.

This track here that's heading around, looks like a railway line,

it's for a munitions trolley to follow the gun.

So, a fast rate of fire against quick-moving targets.

To back us up,

you've got the other gun batteries at the other side.

Wouldn't do you any good to get caught in the crossfire, would it?

Definitely not, you'd be in serious trouble.

This whole headland is just scattered

with the remains of war, isn't it?

Everywhere you look, it shows you how much of a busy base

it would've been here in the First and Second World Wars.

It's hard to imagine though, isn't it?

It's very quiet today but, yes, thousands of personnel here.

After the war,

Flotta and its community returned to the more peaceful pastime

of crofting.

The main settlement here on Flotta is called Whome, spelt W-H-O-M-E.

At least that's how I think it's pronounced.

"Whom," "Home," "Hume,"

I don't know but I'll soon find out because I'm about to meet a man

for whom Whome has been a home from Whome for generations.

Ironically, given how much oil comes through this island every day,

this is Flotta's only petrol station.

It's also where you'll find the only shop,

which is a bit like a Wild West trading post,

selling all manner of useful stuff.

It's run by David Sinclair,

who has lived through lots of changes on this island.

Were you born here, David?

I was indeed.

81 years ago.

So you are a Flottarian through and through.

Absolutely.

David's collection of photographs documents how the discovery

of North Sea oil in the 1970s transformed Flotta.

It was deemed to be the perfect site for a terminal

where the crude oil could be piped to shore.

During the construction of the terminal,

-we had 1,000 men actually living on the island.

-Oh, right.

-Those were your boom years.

-That was the boom years.

Brought a lot of money into the island.

Workers camps were built to deal with Flotta's increased population.

And according to David, it was a lively place.

-We took the Post Office to the camp.

-Uh-huh.

Because men were paid on Thursday.

They had four different bars.

Thursday night was cabaret night.

So we used to get some class acts here then,

Boxcar Willie,

Kenny Ball & His Jazzmen.

They're on a celebrity circuit,

they must've been looking forward to coming to Flotta.

I'm sure they were.

Big names may no longer play Flotta

but for a visitor stocking up on supplies,

there's no better place to come than David's shop.

David, you have got a veritable Aladdin's Cave of a shop here.

It's an emporium, it's not a shop.

It's an emporium, I do beg your pardon.

Can I just purchase these four candles?

Thank you very much indeed.

A pleasure doing business with you, sir.

Thanks very much, David.

I'm leaving Flotta and heading back across Scapa Flow

and north to my next destination, Stronsay.

I've been drawn here by tales of huge beasts,

witches and the north's most notorious pirate,

Patrick Fea.

He used Stronsay for raids on passing ships.

By all accounts, Patrick Fea the pirate

was a warlike and bellicose man

who liked nothing better than a good fight.

In fact, he seems to have found an excuse to punch just about everyone

on this otherwise peaceful island

and he was so disliked that eventually,

he and his entire family were chased out of Stronsay.

Around 350 people live here

and while Stronsay may be just seven miles long,

its coastline offers much to explore.

With hidden bays and rocky reefs, in fact, it's the perfect place

for me to try the very modern pastime of geocaching.

Now, geocaching is a sort of 21st-century treasure hunt,

using a map and GPS data.

The object of the exercise is to try and find caches

that have been hidden in the landscape.

Now, I've been told that on Stronsay there are 13 of these caches.

I've got a map and a GPS so let the hunt begin.

65368...

27151.

A geocache is a modern treasure trove,

usually a plastic container full of goodies left by other hunters.

And millions of them are hidden all over the world.

My geocache should be to the north of here.

'I just need to find one

'and it's somewhere along this coast.'

Ah, now, this looks promising.

This could be...

We're in luck!

What have we got? What have we got?

An empty hole.

How disappointing.

'Fortunately, geocaches are often placed close to sites

'of special significance.

'And in this case, it's near the Well of Kildinguie,

'a natural spring of holy water, somewhere along the shore.'

It's got to be around here somewhere.

"A metre square stone on the foreshore."

Well, there are plenty of metre square stones

but none that have any inscriptions on them, as far as I can see.

Difficult business...

..this geocaching.

Ah! I've found it.

Look.

"JL."

The geocache should be very close to here,

and according to this little device, it's up the bank.

'Now, spoiler alert,

'I'm trying not to reveal my exact location

'but if you are planning to do a bit of Stronsay geocaching,

'you might want to look away now.'

..27151.

Aha!

I think I found it.

My very first geocache in a little Tupperware box.

Covered in bird poo. Urgh! Excrement.

What have we got inside? Some real treasures here.

We've got a plastic duck and...

a torch.

Well, I think I'm going to have to write something illuminating

in the wee booklet.

"I came to Stronsay on a beautiful day

"and found the geocache with complete ease."

OK, that's not completely true.

In fact, my efforts have left me a bit leg weary.

'Now, what are the chances of getting a taxi around here?'

Taxi!

'Well, well.'

-You're a taxi?

-I am indeed.

-Excellent.

'My saviour is the island's only cabbie,

'the appropriately named Don Peace.'

Now, I've heard that Stronsay folk have got a nickname,

in fact, a lot of the islands around here have got nicknames.

What's the Stronsay nickname?

Limpets.

-So you're called limpets?

-We're limpets, yeah, yeah.

-Do you know why you're called limpets?

-No, I really don't know.

No-one really knows where the name comes from,

some say it's because limpets

were once part of the staple diet of the islanders.

Others say it reflects the tenacity of Stronsay folk.

Are you a proud limpet?

Oh, heck yeah.

Oh, yes.

-It's a beautiful island, you must enjoy living here.

-Oh, yes.

I'm very happy here.

But I'm guessing that as a taxi driver,

you must know the island like the back of your hand, Don.

Oh, yes, yes.

There's another place I need to visit

and that's called the Mermaid's Chair.

-The Mermaid's Chair.

-Do know that one?

-Not really.

Were mermaids a big thing on Stronsay, in years gone by?

-I've not met one yet.

-You've not met one?

-No, no.

-Well, I live in hope.

-Yes.

'Don and I managed to figure out roughly where he needs to drop me.'

Thanks very much, Don. I'll let you know if I see a mermaid.

Cheers.

So I set off on my path into the dark and mysterious world

of Orkney myth.

Like all islands,

the sea plays a big part in the folklore of Stronsay

and stories abound of alluring humanlike sea creatures.

One common Orcadian legend is that of the selkie.

These seductive creatures look like seals

and shed their skin to reveal a human form.

They can be male or female

and many tales tell of amorous relationships with islanders.

But it never ends well.

The selkie pulls back on its sealskin

and returns home to the ocean depths.

But I'm not looking for a selkie,

I am on the trail of an altogether more malevolent creature,

a storm witch.

This rock formation is the Mermaid's Chair

where legend has it mermaids would sit,

combing their hair and gazing out to sea.

But this chair was also the perch from which a local woman

would cast her evil spells.

Her name was Scota Bess.

She was a local witch, accused of raising up sea fogs

and phantom ships and luring sailors to their doom.

But she got a dreadful comeuppance because a group of islanders

banded together and beat her to death with clubs,

dipped in holy water.

Scota Bess's death was an act of violence that's hard to imagine

on this peaceful island.

But she may have had the last laugh.

It's said that repeated attempts to bury her body were foiled because

every time her exhumed cadaver was discovered the following morning.

But not all of this island's folklore can be dismissed

as mere superstition.

-Hi, John.

-Yes, hello!

-Nice to meet you.

I've come to the cliffs of Rothiesholm to meet John Stevenson,

to hear about a mysterious creature of gigantic proportions

that was washed up here and remains an enigma to this day.

It became known as the Stronsay Beast.

So, John, this is where the Stronsay Beast was found, was it?

-That's right. Yeah, yeah.

-When was that?

September 1808.

-Head was on that rock there.

-Uh-huh.

See where that white bird is there?

-On this reef?

-Yeah, on that reef, it goes up that way.

So it had been washed ashore onto the rocks,

so it was actually on the rock itself.

Yeah, it was up on the rock.

Its...

belly was up on the rock and its head was down and its tail

just on that rock.

Who found it?

-John Peace.

-John Peace?

Aye, he was actually a fisherman.

A crofter fisherman.

He noticed the birds circling, the white mass and things like that.

He went up, he thought it was a whale.

-So he rode in here...

-So, he...

-..to have a look.

Yeah, he rode in along here and when he came to it,

he said it was no whale.

THEY LAUGH

What did it look like?

Well, it was just a great long thing, he said, with a neck 15 feet.

Long, a head like a serpent,

and a long tail, the same,

a kind of thin tail, like a lizard's tail.

-So it was really long, then.

-Oh, long, yeah.

-55 feet long altogether.

-55 feet long?

Yeah. Well, that's enormous.

Yes, it is enormous.

So I imagine it must have caused something of a sensation

amongst the folk here on Stronsay.

Oh, yes, a lot of folk were excited about it, I think.

Would people have come to the clifftop here...

-Oh, I think...

-..and looked down at the beast?

-Yes.

I'm just really intrigued about the size of this beast

because 55 feet is some length, I've got a tape measure here.

'Based on the eyewitness accounts,

'the Natural History Society declared it to be a new species

'and called it Halsydrus Pontoppidani

or Water Snake of the Sea.'

And this is going to be 30 feet.

'But some experts claimed it was nothing more

'than a decomposing basking shark.'

Good grief.

'Maybe.

'But the largest basking shark ever caught was a mere 40 feet.'

This is a huge beast, look at that, that's 55 feet!

Yeah, that's what it is.

-That's enormous.

-Yeah, that's...

-There's no way that was a shark.

-No.

But we may not have heard the last of the Stronsay Beast.

Incredibly, some fragments of the creature's vertebrae still exist

and with modern DNA testing,

the mystery may well be solved once and for all.

What do you think? I mean, you're a fisherman,

you've been out in the sea, you've seen a lot of strange fish.

Oh, I think there are some sea serpent.

Do you think there are such things as sea serpents?

Oh, I think there may be, aye. There may be, aye.

Well, the sea is a deep and mysterious place.

Yeah, it is, it is.

Putting tales of gruesome sea monsters behind me,

I'm heading to my final destination of this grand tour,

the island of Sanday is just a half hour ferry crossing

to the north.

About 500 people live on Sanday, which the Vikings named

because Sanday is, well, a very sandy island.

Long before the Vikings arrived here,

an even earlier culture lived on this island.

Very little is known about these Neolithic people

who left scant evidence of their existence.

But here on the shore at Quoyness,

is a chambered cairn

believed to be built an incredible 5,000 years ago.

Made of loose stone, it's put together without the use of mortar,

in fact, the only thing holding it up is gravity.

Let's see how gravity is doing from the inside.

They must've been very small people in those days

to get into such a small...

cramped space.

And it's horribly muddy in here as well.

Urgh.

It's definitely not for the claustrophobic in here.

Here we are.

Inside the tomb.

Wow, this is certainly a much bigger space in here

than I imagined from outside.

It stretches up to the ceiling

four or five metres above the ground.

And the stonework is absolutely exquisite.

Every single piece has been very carefully placed

to create this space for the dead.

And down here we've got these stone door lintels

that leads into side chambers

and it was in here, back in the 19th century

when the place was excavated for the first time,

that they discovered the bones of several adults and children.

So this is really a place to be respected.

Quoyness cairn is a striking monument to a now forgotten people.

Further down the road, in the village of Lady,

I'm paying a visit to a couple who have gone to some length

to ensure that the traditional Sanday way of life

is remembered by future generations.

-Ah.

-Come in, come in to our hoose.

-Hey.

-Jim.

-Hello.

-Hi. Nice to meet you.

-Come in.

-Rona.

-Welcome.

-It's nice to meet you.

-Welcome.

A lovely wee house you've got here.

This is Jim and Rona Towrie's labour of love.

Together, with a band of volunteers,

they spent many months painstakingly restoring this once abandoned croft.

It was just an old ruined house, it belonged to the island,

-we just asked if we could use it as a croft museum.

-Mm-hm.

We did the whole thing in the winter with voluntary labour.

It looks fantastic.

And the transformation has been nothing short of astounding.

-Now, this is a but and ben?

-Yeah.

-What does that actually mean?

This is but end, this is kitchen or living room.

The part where they'd have the cooking and washing.

And this is a box bed, yeah, a little box bed in each room.

-There were often 13 children in a family.

-13 children?

-Yeah.

In a two room house?

If they were a big family, they might have had a shelf...

-made it almost like...

-Like a bunk bed.

-Like a bunk bed.

So you could stack all the kids up.

You've got the fire on over here, I see.

A couple of pairs of socks hanging up to dry,

Auntie's bloomers drying.

-But this is where you cooked as well?

-Yes. Mm-hm.

All their cooking would've been done in that little stove, no oven.

So, how would you have made bread in those days?

They didn't have bread, they had bannocks.

-On the girdle?

-On the girdle, yes.

-Right.

-Like a scone.

-Uh-huh.

-They would've had fish...

-Uh-huh.

-..fresh fish or crabs.

-Uh-huh.

-Maybe even an odd lobster.

-Mm-hm.

Swordfish all winter.

They were very self-sufficient, really.

-Their own coo for milk and butter and cheese...

-Uh-huh.

-Eggs.

And they were growing their own vegetables

so they would have quite a healthy living.

Come away ben.

So come away ben, through the hoose...

to the best room in the house.

I suppose this is where you'd have all your fine possessions

-on display.

-Yeah.

-Including this very fine organ, I have to say.

-Yes.

So that was your entertainment of a winter's evening.

Yes, there would've been sing-alongs to that.

And they would've been sitting round the fire here on a winter's night,

the women would've been knitting or spinning.

Jim and Rona have managed to give a real sense

of what life must've been like for crofting folk here.

Much of that is down to their own island childhood,

spent in homes just like this.

So this is really quite a familiar surroundings?

-Yes.

-Oh, yes, very much so.

Well, it's very like the house I was brought up in.

And then we asked people if they had things that they could give

to make it look 100 years old.

I thought it was a mangle but it's actually a washing machine.

No, it's a washing machine.

-It was for their tweed clothes...

-Right.

..that there were a lot of in those days.

Was that the thought behind it,

-to show people what it was like back then?

-Yes.

And the young people, the future generations see what life was like.

That's the most important thing, to keep our traditions alive.

It's time to move on to my final destination,

the Holms of Ire,

two islands with an angry sounding name and a fearsome reputation.

Over the centuries, the rocks have wrought havoc on passing shipping

but there's a more peaceful side to this place that I've come to find.

This ruin is all that's left of the tiny chapel

dedicated to St Columba

who was known as the dove of the Celtic Church.

And actually it dates from a time

before the Vikings invaded Orkney at the point of a sword.

So I think this is an appropriate place for me to end

my grand tour in the north.

My next grand tour is the last in the series

and takes me to some of the remotest islands in Europe.