Today I woke up earlier than I wanted, faffed around not doing much then went out to see Kirkwall.

It was nice. I went along the seafront, looked at the boats, met three cormorants sitting on the slipway and then got rained on. I’ve had these boots for about eighteen months and never ever have they leaked in the rain before. They had sloshing puddles inside!

I came back to the hostel to dry out and have some food and stayed in all afternoon, getting up occasionally to look out at the view. By about 5, the sky was clear and blue although already starting to turn pink. I put on my slightly damp boots and went out again.

I stood by the lakey thing over the road, took photos of the pink sky reflected in it and then went back along the seafront into town. The cormorants were gone and the tide had dropped about eight feet.

I wandered the town, looked at St Magnus’s and got lost, finally reemerging on the wrong side of Lidl, which is on my route into town and therefore a major landmark for me.

I had some toast and cheese and now I’m having hazelnut flavour hot chocolate and I suppose I should go to bed sometime. My boots are now drying on the towel rail which seems to be heated permanently.