Eday to Kirkwall - 22/09/04

If you take certain measures, this place grows on you. Spent the nighton the floor of the common room as I was not prepared to be frozen outof the dorm again. Finally decided to leave on the midday ferry. Setoff for the terminal at 10 a.m., on foot. Past the airport, then alongLondon Bay. A track leads down to either end of this sandy beach.Regained the main road, and headed south. After about half an hour,someone gave me a lift to the ferry. The terminal at Eday is not themost attractive location on the island. It's surrounded by wreckedcars, fishfarming junk &c. The bay itself is quite pretty though.As I've still got loads of time, I walk down the backroad into theSouthend district and flop down in a meadow for a cuppa. Then I retracemy steps and wait for the ferry to turn up. At noon, it pullsalongside. Cars, passengers and cargo come off in that order, thenoutbound boards. We sail at 1220 and the view is now familiar as wecross to Sanday. Can see the demure outline of the Eday Youth Hostel,until we turn into Loth Bay to discharge Sanday passengers. I fall intoa lengthy conversation with an older man from Eday, who is on his wayto Devon to visit relatives. Main topic is life on Eday, which is anunderpopulated island - 200 souls. There are quite a few ruined houseswhich could be done up again. Eday is one of only a few Orkney isles tohave a substantial area of moorland. On arrival at Kirkwall, I head forthe Youth Hostel where I will be based from now on. I send a message toEday Community telling them of shortcomings in the hostel accommodationon the island. A similar message to the SYHA redirects me to theaforementioned body. Otherwise, not a lot happens along the Old ScapaRoad.