Island 26 - South Ronaldsay, Orkney

South Ronaldsay is the most southerly of the islands linked by the Churchill Barriers to Mainland Orkney.  It is also the largest and is located south of Burray.  The main settlement is St Margaret's Hope., which is the 3rd largest town on Orkney.  Pentland Ferries' car ferry, the Pentalina,  docks here from Gill's Bay near John O'Groats on the Mainland.

Windwick Bay on the east coast

Sands of Wright 

A boy's ploughing contest is held here each August.

I recommend a visit to the excellent Hoxa Tapestries Gallery http://www.hoxatapestrygallery.co.uk/

Admission is free and the tapestries are meaningful and gorgeous, although you will need to be rich to buy one of the large ones.

There is a cafe at Hoxa on the western side of the island.  When I visited on a weekday in June 2015 it was very busy and I think that most of the customers were locals.  I had a cheese and tomato toastie, which was delicious.  The service was friendly and quick and the prices very reasonable. 

Also worth visiting is the Tomb of the Eagles in the far south of the island.  This chambered tomb was discovered by local farmer Mr Ronald Simison of Liddle Farm. Dating from approx. 3000 BC the name comes from the many talons and claws of sea-eagles found among the burials. Analysis of the bones found during excavation indicate that up to 340 people were buried here.

St Margaret's Hope with the Pentalina in the background

St Margaret's Hope

 Marengo Community Garden in St Margaret's Hope - my favourite place on the island

 Marengo Community Garden, St Margaret's Hope

 Hoxa Battery at Hoxa Head

 Sands of Wright

 Stensigar Standing stone looking towards Ward Hill

 Remains of a windmill at Kirkhouse Point

 Kirkhouse Point

 Pool of Cletts

 Sorquoy Standing Stone

 The Kirk at Kirkhouse Point

 Memorial for HMS Narborough and HMS Opal at Windwick Bay

 John O'Groats Passenger Ferry at Burwick

 Old Kirk at Burwick

I wasn't expecting to find Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on the way to Hoxa!