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1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Monday 3 September 2012

Orkney: Rackwick Bay on Hoy

Rackwick Bay with cottages and the imposing cliffs (above and below)


  
Map of the bay and its dwellings 

 Some of the scattered cottages

We spent Friday on the island of Hoy to the west/south west of the 'mainland' of Orkney. The northern part of the island is quite wild, hilly with little habitation, while the south is much flatter and more fertile and where the majority of the population live. The island has a population of 400.

We saw most of the island and thought that the isolated bay of Rackwick on the west coast was the most beautiful spot. The Old Man of Hoy (a sea stack) is relatively close – three miles north – to Rackwick but unfortunately we didn't have time to walk there as the return journey takes around three hours. Rackwick is certainly a peaceful place if you want to get away from the rush of modern day life.   

 
 Looking southwards to the 'continent' of Scotland

Stony beach and cliff

 Grass covered dwellings

Burnmouth Cottage
 Burnmouth Cottage close to the seashore 

Sign on cottage wall

 Inside Burnmouth Cottage (above and below)



 Sketch map pinned to one of the cottage walls


Other side of Burnmouth Cottage
 Cottage with stone roof

Stone cottage with cliffs in background

 Metal lump and landscape

Thatched cottage

Footpath sign to Hoy – no road access

Towards the Old Man of Hoy (above and below)

'Garbo' hut on way to Rackwick  (above and below) 
 No problem with noisy neighbours!

3 comments:

Jan-Tore Egge said...

Are you expected to answer the telephone with "Ahoy-hoy"?

Graham said...

Brings back memories. Spent a day on Hoy in March over 20 years ago. Took the foot ferry from Stromness and walked over the sleet covered top to above the Old Man of Hoy. Then down to Rackwick Bay and back to the ferry with a diversion to the extraordinary Dwarfie Stane.

Jim's Loire said...

Thanks Graham. Good effort JT. We'll call you! Jim