Frommer's Scotland 8th Edition - To Parent Directory

404CHAPTER 12 . THE ORKNEY & SHETLAND ISLANDSin the transitional and very early Gothic styles. It’s still in regular use as a church.You can visit from April to September, Monday through Saturday from 9am to6pm and Sunday from 2 to 6pm; and October to March, Monday through Saturdayfrom 9am to 1pm and 2 to 5pm.Across from the cathedral are the ruins of a 12th-century Bishop’s Palace,Broad Street (& 01856/871-918), with a round tower from the 16th century.King Haakon came here to die in 1263, following the Battle of Largs and hisattempt to invade Scotland. The palace was originally constructed for Williamthe Old, a bishop who died in 1168. An easy scenic walk will take you to theimpressive ruins of Earl Patrick’s Palace , on Watergate (& 01856/871-918).Built in 1607, it has been called the most mature and accomplished piece ofRenaissance architecture left in Scotland. Earl Patrick Stewart was the son of theillegitimate brother of Mary Queen of Scots, and the palace figured in Sir WalterScott’s The Pirate. Both the Bishop’s Palace and Earl Patrick’s Palace are openApril through September, daily from 9:30am to 6:30pm. Admission coveringboth palaces is £2 ($3.20) for adults, £1.50 ($2.40) for seniors and students, and75p ($1.20) for children 5 to 16.Nearby is the 1574 Tankerness House (also known as the Orkney Museum),on Broad Street (& 01856/873-191), an example of a merchant laird’s mansion,with crow-stepped gables, a courtyard, and gardens. The museum depictslife in the Orkneys over the past 5,000 years. Exhibits range from the bones ofthe earliest prehistoric inhabitants and Neolithic pottery to Pictish stone symbolsand domestic utensils. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 10:30amto 12:30pm and 1:30 to 5pm (10:30am–5pm May–Sept). Admission is free.Orkney Wireless Museum, Kiln Corner, Junction Road (& 01856/871-400), is a museum of wartime communications used at Scapa Flow, which wasa major naval anchorage in both world wars. Today, this sea area, enclosed byMainland and several other islands, has developed as a pipeline landfall andtanker terminal for North Sea oil. You can also see a large collection of earlydomestic radios. It’s open from April to September, Monday through Saturdayfrom 10am to 4:30pm and Sunday from 2:30 to 4:30pm. Admission is £2($3.20) for adults and £1 ($1.60) for children.In the environs are the Grain Earth Houses at Hatson, near Kirkwall. Thisis an Iron Age souterrain (underground cellar), with stairs leading down to thechamber. Another Iron Age souterrain, Rennibister Earth House, is about 7km(4 1 ⁄2 miles) northwest of Kirkwall. This excavation also has an undergroundchamber with supporting roof pillars.SHOPPINGThe Longship, 7–9 Broad St. (& 01856/873-251), is the retail outlet of OlaGorie for Orkney jewelry in Kirkwall. This family business has a wide range ofhigh-quality pieces, including some inspired by stone carvings found at archaeologicaldigs and others by the rich flora and fauna of the islands. A collectionbased on Charles Rennie Mackintosh designs has proved popular. The Longshipalso offers a variety of gifts, including fashion and furnishing accessories byOrkney-based Tait & Style.Ortak Jewelry, 10 Albert St. (& 01856/873-536), is the main shop of thefamous jewelry studio that produces a wide range of silver and gold pieces featuringCeltic, traditional Orcadian, Victorian, and Art Nouveau designs. The shopalso sells items like pottery, barometers, and crystal made by other local artists.The Ortak Factory Shop, Hatson Industrial Estate (& 01856/872-224), is