Orkney - The Cliffs of Hoy

The sandstone pillar that forms the Old Man of Hoy. For most of us the island of Hoy is the Old Man of Hoy This, the second page of the series on Orkney has, sadly, not seen the photographer set foot on the island which lies just to the south of 'Mainland'. However, Hoy is such a constant feature of life on the Orkneys that it seems justified in having these pictures which record some of its impact on the landscape. And the greatest impact... ...is surely the natural pillar called the Old Man of Hoy - seen above. Every few hours the ferry from the Scottish mainland to Stromness offers photographers these opportunities. The Old Man stands as a symbol for the spectacular cliffs which edge Hoy's western coast, and it is these, and the island's outline that are shown below. Foreground shore with hills in distance and lighthouse across the water. Above, the hills of Hoy, and left in the foreground the Hoy High lighthouse - which is actually on the islet of Graemsay. This and the next photo... Foreground of the edge of the sea, low land in the distance. ...do adjoin - although the very different lenses stop it appearing so. Hoy's hills on the left look across to the town of Stromness, on Orkney's Mainland, dimly visible to the right above Evening light with low clouds reflected in the sea, land silhouetted. Hoy Sound is the water which separates Hoy from the Mainland, again the 'Hoy High' lighthouse can be seen, and, as a blip, on the next headland above, is the 'Hoy Low' lighthouse Islets and arms of land interlocking in the sea. The other stretch of water separating Hoy is Scapa Flow; a haven compared to the ravages of Hoy's west seaboard water between fields in foreground, hills in the distance. From the Mainland, because of their height, the Hoy hills are a constant presence Low hump of island with cliffs along the near seaboard. Continuation of previous photo with higher hills beyond sea. The sweep of the island of Hoy as seen from the coast of 'Mainland' from near Clestrain The main hills of Hoy across the sea. To Hoy itself (above) one of the first views of it on leaving... Semi-circle of hills cupping land above the sea. ...Stromness is this beautiful bowl on its north-west corner Cliffs with forty-five degree slope down to sea, sun  and shaddow on the cliffs surface. The 'Kame of Hoy' points north west into the Atlantic; here catching the early morning sun Cliffs rising from the sea at an angle. Moving on from the last photo, the cliffs... Massive bastion standing out from cliff face above sea. ...rise to form this great buttress... Bastion at an angle with top of cliffs in cloud. ...known as 'St. John's Head' and here...
(A northern angle)
Shot of cliffs with clouds at top. ...seen in more traditional weather
(A southern angle)
Passing the cliffs which are seen rising impressively ahead. The imposing edifice of the Hoy cliffs. They tower over the passing ferry to the height of 1,128 feet (335 m) - the highest vertical sea cliffs in the U.K. View of St Johns Bastion from further out to sea with whisps of cloud around the cliff tops. And here at a more respectful distance, now... Looking along the length of the cliffs with the Old Man of Hoy at the end of the range. ...leading the eye towards the Old Man, just to their south A closer view of the bastion and the Old Man of Hoy. And so to the Old Man. A 450 feet high (137 m.) stack of... The Old Man of Hoy from nearby. ...Old Red Sandstone that was formed, by erosion... The north side of the Old Man. ...some 200 years ago, and is unlikely to see... The south-west side of the Old Man. ...another 200 years, due to that same erosion Silhouette of hills on island in evening across the sea. A farewell to Hoy from the south in the evening light - the Old Man, just visible at the left of the island Trailers... Atlantic waves breaking below cliffs. The next page of this section has photographs from the island of Westray. Man sitting holding cup looking cold. The next page of the Mosaic Section is headed 'Self Stories'.
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Saturday 5th November 2022 Murphy on duty ...guide to this site


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