Old Photograph Ward Hill Hoy Orkney Islands Scotland

Old photograph of Ward Hill on Hoy, an island of the Orkney Islands, Scotland. The hill forms a curved ridge, reminiscent of a ' J ' in shape. The lower slopes are covered in heather and grass, though the top of the ridge is covered in small stones with bare sandy soil. The highest summit is towards the northern end, and is crowned by a trig point. The ridge is well separated from the other hills of Hoy, and both the other Marilyns on the island have high topographic prominence. Ward Hill is separated from Cuilags by the Glens of Kinnaird, and from Knap of Trowieglen by the glen carrying the road between Moaness and Rackwick, in which lies the Dwarfie Stane. Ward Hill may be climbed from a variety of starting points. The northern side, directly above Hoy Village is steep and craggy, and thus presents the least appealing ascent route. The existence of Anastrepta orcadensis, also known as Orkney Notchwort, a liverwort found in the United States, Canada, and widely in Europe, was first discovered on Ward Hill by William Jackson Hooker in 1808. Hoy is the second largest in the archipelago after the Mainland. It is connected by a causeway called The Ayre to South Walls. In Norse mythology, Hoy is the location of the never ending battle between Hedin and Högni. Orkney Ferries serve the island with two routes, one of which links Lyness on Hoy and Longhope on Walls with the island of Flotta and Houton on the Orkney Mainland. The other route links Moaness in Hoy to the island of Graemsay and Stromness on Orkney Mainland.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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