Today we visited yet another Neolithic tomb! Now don’t get the idea that we are getting “tombed out” – there really are some different types, styles, entry methods into the burial chambers, guided tour and presentations. Maeshowe remains one of the best preserved architectural monuments of prehistory and is of the type of tomb known as (wait for it) ‘Maeshowe’-type, which are only found on Orkney. The two that we visited yesterday were both of the ‘Orkney-Cromarty’ type, or ‘Stalled Cairns’ which are found more widely across Scotland. The former have a long entrance passage into a central rectangular chamber from which other cells have been built into the walls; the latter usually have a shorter passage leading to a rectangular chamber sub-divided by flagstones, giving the impression of animal stalls (hence the name).

Because if the alignment of the entrance passage, the light of the setting sun shines into Maeshowe on the midwinter solstice (21st December) which is filmed in time-elapsed photography and available to watch in pretty much real time at the Maeshowe Winter Solstice website, which also shows the last good sunset from the previous winter (they film it for a couple of months every year). No photos from inside, I’m afraid – it’s not allowed; but a few from outside:

After this we needed lunch and went (for more reasons than just lunch) to the Orkney Brewery Visitor Centre, which really surprised us with the quality of food in the restaurant as well as the quantity of samples provided after the short guided tour of the brewery. This is well worth visiting just for a meal; friendly, clean, efficient, wonderful beer (other drinks are available) and excellent food.