A bit of catching up is needed I think. Mind you, the signal is as patchy as hell around the island so I've only limited opportunities of sending stuff now.

Firstly - the ferry to Stornoway went very smoothly. I was practically first on after the lorry driver and the van driver, and got parked behind 5 Navy bomb disposal vans, which was, er, reassuring.

The ship was plush with deep leather seats, bars and a restaurant - but I ignored all that and set myself a spot on dock with a bunch of other diehard photographers, prepared to freeze my butt off in the name of pretty views.

I wasn't disappointed. We glutted ourselves on pretty shots of the North coast disappearing away from us with the sun behind, banks of rain shifting over it, and the land gently steaming in the heat of the sun between showers.

No sooner had the mainland got out of view than it was Orkney's turn, with the Old Man of Hoy soon looming into view to pose for a few shots.

By this time, my fingers were almost too numb to operate the camera. Luckily we were approaching Stornoway to dock and my heart sank as I saw my intended campsite on the Point of Ness at the edge of town, and saw that it was absolutely brim full, no room to swing a Orkney sheep.

After we docked, I still had to got and have a close look, and sadly it was just as full as it had looked from the ferry plus had a crowded touristy atmosphere I didn't like - visitors were jostling for space in the toilets and washrooms, the club house was full of shouty Italians.

So I had to go to plan B. I got back in the car and drove over to Kirkwall (which at least wasn't too far away - Orkney is smaller than I thought) and pitched in a scabby, souless place next to a Leisure centre an irritating distance from town. The tent was finally up by 9:30 and I had eaten by 10 but I was feeling sulky that my Orkney experience had started in a place such as this. I resolved to decamp immediately the next morning and go somewhere else, and where else, then went to sleep.