Marwick Head.

Start. Marwick Head car park.

Route. Marwick Head car park - Tunga - Sand Geo - Tunga - Marwick Bay - Marwick Head - Mid Comloquoy - Kitchener's Memorial car park - Marwick Bay - Marwick Head car park.

Notes. After a short stroll down the coast to explore Sand Geo home to some fishermen’s huts over a hundred years old, this walk then lead us over some of the most spectacular sea cliffs on Orkney, adorned with a memorial to Lord Kitchener. We look down on sea bird haunted cliffs from dizzy heights and marveled at stunning views up and down the rocky west coast.

From the small car park at Marwick Bay the rusting boiler of the steam ship Monomoy lays on the foreshore, wrecked in 1896. A path leads south above low cliffs, this we followed to Sand Geo, here a number of fisherman’s huts adorn the head of the inlet, built by local fishermen when the Monomoy came ashore in their usual landing place, it is said the winch (noust) used to haul the boats ashore came from the wrecked ship.

After a quick look round we re-traced our steps to Marwick Bay, continuing north over a path behind a buttressed dry stone dyke (wall), built this way to resist the winter storms. After passing a lane end the climbing started, steep gifting us with rewarding views down the coast, soon the tower of the Kitchener Memorial tilted into view. Erected in 1926 by the people of Orkney to commemorate a much loved master of war and the crew of the HMS Hampshire who lost their lives when the ship hit a mine in 1916.

Our route continued over Marwick Head to a kissing gate, this we passed through before descending a green trod between fields, the path ejected us into the Kitchener Memorial car park, we swung right onto tarmac. With a narrow grey ribbon under foot we descended back to Marwick Bay, walked again behind the buttressed dyke to emerge at the car park.

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home.

Marwick Bay with dappled light on the slopes of Marwick Head.

The rusting boiler of the Monomoy lays opposite the car park at Marwick Bay.

Viewing Marwick Head and the Kitchener Memorial.

The ebbing tide.

Stunning views passed the cliffs of Outshore Point to the grey cliffs of Hoy, with the Old Man of Hoy just visible.

Fisherman's Huts at Sand Geo, although farming has always been the mainstay of life on Orkney, coastal communities also relied on the sea.

This noust was used for hauling boats ashore during the winter mouths.

Sand Geo.

Braking waves over the skerries at Tanga.

Looking to the grey brooding sea cliffs of Hoy with the Old Man clearly visible.

Dizzy views along the sea cliffs at Marwick Head.

Facing the Atlantic Ocean, the Marwick Head sandstone cliffs are home to thousands of nesting seabirds, not so many today but it's probably the wrong time of year.

Airy views to the Brough of Birsay, visited the other day.

In 1926, the people of Orkney erected the Kitchener Memorial at Marwick Head, overlooking the site of the tragedy. It was long thought that about 650 men, including Kitchener, died when HMS Hampshire was lost. But recent research has revealed that the final death toll was 737.

The rolling farmland of Orkney.

Marwick Bay as seen from near the Kitchener Memorial.

Marwick Bay, when the tide ebbs it leaves a lagoon, a Choin. In winter a great spot to see wading birds including Turnstones, Purple Sandpipers and Ringed Plovers all gather on the shore at the Choin to roost and feed.

The Kitchener Memorial seen from the shore at Marwick Bay.

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