Author Topic: The Old Man of Hoy  (Read 7499 times)

WhitstableDave

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #15 on: 12:29:07, 11/09/19 »
It was wonderful, Dave. Orkney, and in particular, Hoy, has a lot to offer the walker. I'll be happy to give advice on routes, accommodation, ferries etc if you do decide to visit.

PS - it is 'the Orkney Islands' or just 'Orkney' but never, ever  'the Orkneys'. Sorry to be such a pedant.

I'm more than happy to stand corrected! (I like pedantry.)

Actually, we've been to Orkney a couple of times on cruises, but that was long before we took up walking, and it would be great to explore properly. More recently we've had walking holidays on the Inner and Outer Hebrides, but we've not been been to the Shetlands yet...  ;)
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Patrick1

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #16 on: 12:42:31, 11/09/19 »
Orkney, and in particular, Hoy, has a lot to offer the walker. I'll be happy to give advice on routes, accommodation, ferries etc


Actually, Richard, if you have walked more extensively on Hoy you might be able to help me judge whether an idea I had when we were up there would be feasible. Looking at the map I thought it looked potentially possible to follow the coast southeast from Rackwick right down until you met up with the road again at the bottom of the island, coming back either by walking along the road or by bus. There's no path marked, but it looked as if it might well be a feasible route. Any comments on what the terrain is actually like? Adding that on to your walk to Rackwick could make a nice couple of day loop.

Dovegirl

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #17 on: 13:03:17, 11/09/19 »
Inspiring TR and photos Richard    :)   


Hope your move gets sorted soon. I guess you will miss your walks in Orkney but you'll have lots of new walks to look forward to    :)

richardh1905

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #18 on: 14:11:40, 11/09/19 »
Actually, Richard, if you have walked more extensively on Hoy you might be able to help me judge whether an idea I had when we were up there would be feasible. Looking at the map I thought it looked potentially possible to follow the coast southeast from Rackwick right down until you met up with the road again at the bottom of the island, coming back either by walking along the road or by bus. There's no path marked, but it looked as if it might well be a feasible route. Any comments on what the terrain is actually like? Adding that on to your walk to Rackwick could make a nice couple of day loop.


I've not walked along the cliffs south of Rackwick, but I have read about people doing it. One walk I fantasized about was parking at Stromness, catching a bus to Houton and then a ferry from there to Lyness on Hoy. Head south west along the minor road from Lyness, then cut across to Torness lighthouse in the SW corner of Hoy. From there head north along the cliffs into the wild tract of moorland, camping overnight, before descending to Rackwick (tricky), and finishing off with the walk that I did on Sunday in reverse, finishing at Moaness in time to catch the evening ferry back to Stromness. The terrain will be rough and largely trackless; all the better for it, in my opinion!
« Last Edit: 18:39:29, 11/09/19 by richardh1905 »
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richardh1905

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #19 on: 14:24:21, 11/09/19 »
Looks great. Exactly that walk was on my todo list when we were over there earlier in the summer, but it never quite got to the top of the list. We'll have to go back! We did have a great time following the route up the west coast of the Orkney mainland from Stromness to Birsay over a couple of days - a splendid walk.


The west coast of Orkney Mainland is a great walk - it is worth continuing on as far as Costa Head in the north (or starting there), some dramatic coastal scenery and fine views approaching the Brough of Birsay from the east.




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richardh1905

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #20 on: 14:25:07, 11/09/19 »
... but we've not been been to the Shetlands yet...  ;)


Shetlands - don't get me started!


 ;)
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richardh1905

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #21 on: 14:27:13, 11/09/19 »
Inspiring TR and photos Richard    :)   


Hope your move gets sorted soon. I guess you will miss your walks in Orkney but you'll have lots of new walks to look forward to    :)


Thanks, Dovegirl  :)


Indeed - we will have lots of new walks to look forward to, as well as some old favourites.
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sparnel

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #22 on: 18:37:53, 11/09/19 »
My daughter has just booked a trip to Orkney for next month. Boy am I jealous!
(She was the bird reserve warden on Papay for a couple of years).
Thanks again for the photos...............

sunnydale

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #23 on: 07:18:05, 12/09/19 »
Cracking photos Richard O0
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richardh1905

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #24 on: 11:07:32, 12/09/19 »
Thanks Sunnydale - it was a cracking day out.
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barewirewalker

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #25 on: 11:42:14, 12/09/19 »
Interesting TR Richard, great photos. Being of the generation that remembers Joe Brown and Don Whillans' televised climb of the Old Man of Hoy. It is particularly interesting to see it actually presented in this more realistic position.

I met both those climbers in the course of my own climbing, so that program was particularly memorable for me. Read your TR with great interest.


 
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richardh1905

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #26 on: 16:33:08, 12/09/19 »
Thanks, bww - glad that you found it interesting.
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pdstsp

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #27 on: 17:34:46, 12/09/19 »
Lovely pictures Richard - and nice to see the Old Man from a different angle - we walked to it from Rastwick a couple of years ago as we had taken the car over to Lyness.  My dad was stationed in Orkney for the early months of WW2 and we combined a half day walk to the Old Man with a bit of history.


We too had wonderful weather, and, it being April, it was quiet, and so beautiful.  Interesting rock tomb, the dwarfie stane, just off the road back to Moaness, from where we spotted sea eagles.  Fantastic day out in the most wonderful scenery.  I hope your move goes well (in the end) but I bet you'll miss Orkney too.

richardh1905

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #28 on: 18:58:22, 12/09/19 »
Thanks pdstsp - we didn't have the time to take in the Dwarfie Stane on our farewell walk - I would have liked to, as it is a special place. We saw the sea eagles about 3 years ago.

..and you are right - I will miss Orkney, but there is so much on offer where I am moving to. No point in hankering after the past - better to look forward to the future.
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pdstsp

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Re: The Old Man of Hoy
« Reply #29 on: 20:04:13, 12/09/19 »
Quite agree.  And it was three years ago we saw them!  Moving to the Lakes you'll be able to join the how many Wainwrights thread  ;D ;D .  I am now running for cover......

 

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