purplecat | The Dwarfie Stane (Reply)

Cliffs rising above a flatish area of land. A boardwalk goes to a stone rising out of the earth - a small entrance can be seen

Having made good time walking to the Old Man of Hoy, B. and I thought there was time to visit the Dwarfie Stane before catching the ferry back to the mainland. The Dwarfie Stane was a short walk across some bog from the main (albeit single track) road. The stane is yet another neolithic burial chamber, but this one is unique in the UK in being carved out of a single sandstone rock.

Graffiti on a rock. Persian and latin lettering can be made out plus the date 1850.

Graffiti on a rock. Persian and latin lettering can be made out plus the date 1850.

In 1850 William Mounsey camped at the stone and graffiti'd the tomb by spelling his name backwards in Latin and then adding "I have sat two nights and so learnt patience" in Persian below because, I suppose, one might as well be snobbish if one is going to vandalise an ancient monument.

Inside the state looking out. B is in the square entrance, hands on the ground.

Inside the state looking out. B is in the square entrance, hands on the ground.

It was actually pretty cool inside. Very different from the other tombs with their built look.

B. seated inside the stone. His head just touches the roof