Orkney Islands Travel Tips, Lore and News
Orkneyology.com is your online Orkney travel guide - with stories!
Let Orcadian storyteller Tom Muir and his American wife, Rhonda, help you find your best experience of Orkney.
Orkney Updates is like a helpful broonie. Find our latest articles, Orkney Islands travel tips, Orkney lore and news. Orkneyology.com is your online Orkney travel guide with stories!
We'd love to help you get carried away in Orkney.
Shonaleigh Cumbers ~ Garment for the Moon, Jewish Wonder Tales
Shonaleigh Cumbers is a storyteller of rare giftedness and is possibly the last surviving Drut’syla, female tradition-bearer of traditional Jewish story cycles.
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Moving to Orkney - the update!
Alison and Alastair of Where Can I Live, a website filled with moving-abroad tips, asked me for an update on life in Orkney as a US expat. You can read it here: https://wherecani.live/blog/view/moving-to-the-uk-and-the-orkney-islands/
A Seaside Winter Orkney Walk ~ A Slow and Relaxing Nature Walk in Orphir, Orkney Islands, Scotland
Relax to a slow, meditative winter nature walk starting at the Viking era Round Kirk, Orphir, Orkney Islands, Scotland. For once, it wasn't a blustery day! Very unusual for January in Orkney. My tiny camera's audio isn't the best, but you'll see beautiful coastal Orkney nature scenes. Enjoy a rest now, a virtual pilgrimage, or think about planning your own Orkney Islands walks. Get a cup of something delectable and steamy, relax for half an hour and sink into calming Orkney natural beauty.
Ola Gorie blog - Bryce Wilson's Orcadian Odyssey
A lovely tribute to Bryce Wilson and his new book from our friends at Ola Gorie Jewellery.
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An Orkney Walk: a Slow Wander at Yesnaby
Relax to a slow, meditative winter nature walk at the cliffs of Yesnaby. I got rained out by a persistent, cold drizzle - hardly surprising for Orkney in winter. I did get to the Broch of Borwick for a wee explore, though. Enjoy this virtual wander. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAhgdHiRjvs
Contemplate a Quiet Winter Walk in Stromness, Orkney
Enjoy a restful walking pilgrimage - a slow, meditative winter nature walk around the back side of Stromness in Scotland's Orkney Islands, January, 2023. It was a bit of a windy day, so you'll hear lots of authentic Orkney wind! Get a cup of tea and enjoy a few calming minutes of quiet Orkney natural beauty. The poem I was reading at the end is by Robert Frost, a wonderful American poet of proud Orcadian descent.
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Contemplative Orkney: Slow and Mindful Nature Scenes
My new playlist for slow Orkney walks for visual pilgrims, and those who need a few minutes a peace and natural Orkney beauty.
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A mindful walk video - around Stromness Harbour, winter Orkney nature scenes
A meditative winter walk with mindful, panoramic views as seen around the harbour in Stromness, Orkney Islands, Scotland in late December, 2022. Get a cup of tea and enjoy a few minutes of quiet beauty in Orkney's West Mainland. Watch for the curious seal at the end!
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A winter solstice walk in Orkney - a slow walk video behind Cuween Hill Tomb
This is a walk I (Rhonda) took on a weirdly windless midwinter's day, 2022 through the peaty bogs behind Cuween Hill Tomb, ending at the tomb. The glimpse of poetry at the very end is probably my favorite poem, written by an American poet, Robert Frost, who was partly of Orcadian descent, and proud of it.
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First title for Orkneyology Press!
Tom and Rhonda are delighted to announce our first book with Orkneyology Press, Bryce Wilson's wonderful memoir, An Orcadian Odyssey. Huzzah!!!
For those in Orkney, the book launch is your best bet to get a book in your hands before Christmas. Online orders from our shop will become available from December 18th onward here: shop.orkneyology.com/collections/orkneyology-press-books You won't see the option to buy on this page until the 18th - it's invisible until then.
Be forewarned that the book will almost certainly not arrive before Christmas, even if you order it on the 18th. But we hope you'll buy it anyway - it's a great winter read!
Bryce Wilson to Publish 'An Orcadian Odyssey' with Orkneyology Press
Bryce Wilson gives fascinating insights into the development of Orkney's museums & the Pier Arts Centre, and tells stories of life in 1950s Orkney and foreward.
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Orkney Storytelling Festival 2022 Events Now Online
Four recorded events from our 2022 Orkney Storytelling Festival are now available to purchase online for a short time only! (Private links to the events you buy will be sent in an email within 24 hours.) Buy your tickets here: https://pretix.eu/ostfestival/ost2022
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Tom Muir Orkney Storyteller - Festival Event
Orkney Storytelling Festival 2022 is about to begin! One event lovers of Orkney's lore won't want to miss is at Stromness Town Hall, 2:00 Sunday. Tom Muir will connect his Westray and Sanday family stories with Orkney folk tales and customs. Live stories are accompanied by a short film of Tom telling stories in the Orkney landscape. Full festival schedule and ticket info: https://orkneystorytellingfestival.co.uk/main/sunday-30th-october/
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Orkney Storytelling festival 2022 Lady Burroughs of Rousay
Anticipating the Orkney Storytelling Festival's afternoon event in Rousay, Saturday 29th October, enjoy this trailer for the short film to be shown as part of Dr Nela Scholma-Mason's presentation on Rousay's Lady Burroughs. Full Orkney Storytelling festival 2022 schedule and ticket purchases are here:https://orkneystorytellingfestival.co.uk/.../programme-2022/
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Orkney Storytelling Festival 2022 Events Locations
When choosing our festival locations, we at the Orcadian Story Trust always try to spread out the fun, to ensure that as many folk as possible can join at least one of our events. This can be a challenge for visitors to Orkney, so I've created a map of this year's storytelling event locations to help you plan. We hope to see you in Orkney in October!
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Orkney Storytelling Festival 2022
It's getting closer! See our Orkney Storytelling page for the latest updates about the 2022 Orkney Storytelling Festival.
A Shetland Selkie Folk Tale
Enjoy this Shetland selkie tale, retold by Orkney's Tom Muir on behalf of his great friend, the late Shetland traditional storyteller Lawrence Tulloch.https://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/shetland-blog/a-shetland-folk-tale-the-goita-skerry/
Scapa Flow Museum Opens at Last!
Find out about the Orkney Islands' new naval history museum at Lyness, the Scapa Flow Museum.
Scapa Flow Museum Opening part 2
Read more about the opening of the wonderful new Orkney Islands museum In Lyness, Orkney.
Mermaid image (Rhonda's pages) and storyteller image (Tom's pages), and all other illustrations except where noted are here by the courtesy of our dear friend - Stromness author, artist and historian, Bryce Wilson MBE, who owns all copyrights. Thanks, Bryce!
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~ Next issue:
Spring 2023