Orkney Images: Autumn & Winter

Since 1773 Via Croft has been in this ancient landscape of Sandwick,sitting in the middle of the UNESCO world Heritage Site ‘The Heart Of Neolithic Orkney’between the Ring of Brodgar and Skara Brae,The Stone Age Village, in the West part of the Mainland Island,just 2 miles from the North West Atlantic Coastline of Orkney. The old working croft settlement lies silently in the 3.5 acres where The Orkney Folklore and Storytelling Centre is based, between the Stones Of Via,a Dolmen of 7 big stones, and a large Bronze Age Barrow mound just outside the door of the Folk Art Studio.
This is an Island Peoples’ Story Pathway of the Folk who lived in the Toonship of Sandwick, at the Via Croft.
Ordinary Orkney Island People,who woke up each day as the light was rising in the East and by the time the sun was wearing down to the West they worked the land and fished the sea in all seasons……Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter ……Handing over a great and ancient kist of wisdom and treasure to future generations in these North Atlantic Islands……
A Thousand Thanks To Them All

‘A time when the Orkneyman had a small croft, between the hill and the sea.’ George Mackay Brown

An Autumn Story Pathway to Via Croft
‘The Earth Had Declared Herself their Friend‘ GMB
‘The Windows at Shore Empty Sockets’ GMB

Crofters hoped to have their Corn cut by Michaelmas….September was the Harvest Month GMB
‘Till They Lead Through A Sagging Lintel The Last Old One’ GMB
‘The Moss Is a Tumble Of Stones That One Black Stone Is The Stone Where The Hearth Fire was Rooted’ GMB
‘A Time ……..When He Was By No Means Wealthy(and never could be) But He liked His Work On The Land’ GMB

HEWING IN THE GROIN OF THE EARTH….A STONE FOR A THRESHOLD….A STONE FOR A HEARTH. George Mackay Brown

A Winter Sunrise Over Via

WINTER

JANUARY… WHEN YOU WAIT FOR THE WORST OF THE WINTER AND SNOW OUT OF THE NORTH EAST.. George Mackay Brown

Hoy ‘The Dark Island’ Sitting In A Dark Winter At The North West Entrance To The Orkney Islands
March Was Known As ‘The Lang Reid’ The Long Period of Dark Weather…….The Rigours of Winter Were Real Ones.
‘As I came Home From Sandwick A Star Was In The Sky‘ GMB
A Winter Sky over Via Croft and Land
The Stones Of Via – An Ancient Cromlech
‘There Is A Time For Snow And A Time For Sun……There is A Time for Darkness And A Time For Light….There Is A Time for The Hearth And A Time For The Wind In The Hill..’ GMB
A Frozen Loch Clumly At The Via Croft
‘The Sheep Drift through All Winter Sheep And Snow Blanch Fleetingly The Black Stone‘ GMB
A Winter Story Pathway to Via Croft
Winter Reflections at Via Croft
‘Sunset Drives A Butcher’s Blade Through The Day’s Throat’ GMB
A Winter Solstice At Via Croft…….Held In A Cluster Of Cold Shadows

YOU KIND OF EXIST BETWEEN AN IRON EARTH AND A LEADEN SKY. George Mackay Brown

‘The Fire Beat Like A Heart In Each House From The First Cornerstone……….The Poor And The Good Fires Are All Quenched‘ GMB

Orkney, Edwin Muir the poet said, is a land where the lives of living people turn into legend.What he meant probably was that in a small community,enclosed by sea and sky and fields,it is possible to see a man’s life as a whole.It has a clear outline.It becomes elemental and larger than life…….George Mackay Brown.