Scotland Cycle Routes

Scotland Cycle Routes > Scotland
Sitting ten miles above Caithness, Orcadians, as they call themselves, don't really think to be part of Scotland. Over 68 islands, only about 19 are inhabited; some with as few as five people. One island even has their own postage due to the lack of Royal Mail. "Orc" is old Gaelic for a pig/boar and the mane means "Island of the Orcs" although when the Norwegian Vikings were invading due to them being overpopulated, were confused and thought orc was "orckn" which means "common seal". Orkney is the English version of Old Gaelic and Old Norse combined. Orkney was inhabited from as early as 3100 BC according to the standing stones. The Mainland, the largest island is heavily populated. The North Isles and South Isles are both filled with extremely small islands. The average temperature is 8 degrees Celsius. During the summers the sun will stay in the sky for 24 hours while the winters are long and dark; the sun only being up for five hours on the shortest day.