New evidence from the past two years’ work on Orkney has revealed breathtaking perspectives on the nature and importance of the finds at the Ness of Brodgar… (1000 words, a
Category: photography
Seeking SpiritSeeking Spirit
“You could find something spiritual in doing the dishes,” said my friend, as if this was unusual. “He’s right. And although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it,” said Stuart, “ you
The City and the Stars (9 – End) : The most peaceful place in the worldThe City and the Stars (9 – End) : The most peaceful place in the world
The conclusion of the Silent Eye’s extended workshop to Orkney. A visit to the neighbouring island of Rousay. A sad disappointment and a wonderful surprise. (1300 words, a twelve-minute read)
The City and the Stars (8) : LongshipsThe City and the Stars (8) : Longships
The traditional picture of the Vikings – looting, marauding, raping invaders – may not be entirely true of their time on Orkney, though they did rule this gentle archipelago with
The City and the Stars (7) : The Standing Stones of StennessThe City and the Stars (7) : The Standing Stones of Stenness
The Standing Stones of Stenness are reduced in importance compared with their former status. But 5,000 years ago, they were the stone circle for the Ness of Brodgar spiritual city.
The City and the Stars (6) : the twice-chosenThe City and the Stars (6) : the twice-chosen
To build something so sophisticated, so designed, as the Maeshowe Chambered ‘tomb’, would have required enormous dedication from the people of Orkney. Seen alongside the emerging splendour of the Ness
The City and the Stars (5) – Structure 10: pyramidThe City and the Stars (5) – Structure 10: pyramid
The more the Orkney archeologists uncover, the more it is certain that the settlement on the Ness of Brodgar was the hub of a dynamically influential and spiritual society, 5000
The City and the Stars (4) – The Ring of BrodgarThe City and the Stars (4) – The Ring of Brodgar
You turn to take in the landscape… This magnificent place, where the natural features are as spectacular as the Neolithic discoveries, lies between two lochs surrounded by a natural amphitheatre.
The City and the Stars (3) – The City on the NessThe City and the Stars (3) – The City on the Ness
A ten-minute journey from Stromness, on Orkney, lies an ‘isthmus’ which recent excavations have shown to contain one of the richest archeological concentrations in the world… It is nothing less
The City and the Stars (2) – Skara Brae’s Ancient HousesThe City and the Stars (2) – Skara Brae’s Ancient Houses
Skara Brae’s modern story began in 1850 when a violent sea-storm tore off the layers of grass, sand and soil that had covered what appeared to be two ancient and
The City and the Stars (1) – Skara BraeThe City and the Stars (1) – Skara Brae
With the Pictish Trail weekend a long car journey and a boat ride behind us, we had awakened in Stromness to the early morning of an overcast Orkney day –
Three facesThree faces
For November, it was a surprisingly pleasant morning. In need of somewhere to go to stretch our lockdown-cramped legs, we wandered to a neighbouring village to explore its history. Whilst
Two journeys, one destination (9) – Dunrobin CastleTwo journeys, one destination (9) – Dunrobin Castle
The beautiful vision of the ‘fairytale’ Dunrobin Castle, seen here from across the bay during our visit to Portmahomack, had tantalised us with the reported splendour of its architecture and
Two journeys, one destination (8) – the thousand year fingersTwo journeys, one destination (8) – the thousand year fingers
Despite the world of the Picts being so far away in time, there was one man who reached back and ‘touched’ their minds with a language they shared… Art. (1300
Two journeys, one destination (7) – Rosemarkie, The Black IsleTwo journeys, one destination (7) – Rosemarkie, The Black Isle
Our final visit of the Saturday was to Rosemarkie, a beautiful village on the Black Isle, whose seafront looks south across the vastness of the Moray Firth. Rosemarkie was also
Two journeys, one destination (6) – a Pictish horizonTwo journeys, one destination (6) – a Pictish horizon
With the wonderful Portmahomack behind us, it was time to meet the three Pictish stones that marked the horizon line of the Tarbat Peninsula. These would originally have been visible
Two journeys, one destination (5) – blood and stoneTwo journeys, one destination (5) – blood and stone
Writing without the other hand to steady him was hard, but the other was clamped on his thigh, holding back the flow of blood. The words on the vellum were
Two journeys, one destination (4) – two sides of the hillTwo journeys, one destination (4) – two sides of the hill
On the second day of the Silent Eye’s ‘Pictish Trail’ weekend, we are beginning in what is, for me, one of the most beautiful places in the world. Portmahomack is
Two journeys, one destination (3) – the mysterious PictsTwo journeys, one destination (3) – the mysterious Picts
‘The Romans were frightened of them…” I remember reading that the week before our Scottish workshop and being astonished. I knew the Picts had created some of the most mysterious
Two journeys, one destination (2) – InvernessTwo journeys, one destination (2) – Inverness
It begins in Inverness, that beautiful confluence of water, road and mountain. Like any journey through northern Scotland, it will be dominated by water… The year 2020 will be etched
NormalityNormality
“Normality is a paved road: it is comfortable to walk on, but no flowers grow on it.” Vincent Van Gogh There are certain things we learn in order to live
Dr Joy’s GardenDr Joy’s Garden
Real dedication, like an enduring friendship, is a quiet thing… I was standing, in the early morning light, with Tess, our Collie, in hand, entering a compact garden which overlooks
The Joyous PhotographThe Joyous Photograph
From a photographic perspective, we live in a wonderful age. Even the most humble of today’s mobile phones boasts a decent camera. Used within their limitations, we can achieve an
The Flickering PresentThe Flickering Present
I’ve taken a lot of photographs during the past ten years, but none of them like the one above. Taken at Castlerigg Stone Circle, near Keswick, in December 2018, it
Horseman in the MistHorseman in the Mist
The lovely town of Cassel, near Lille in Northern France, is shrouded in mist – the same mist that had accompanied our first ever visit to the World War One