retiredmartin

Ah, yes, the Northern Isles. I spent 30 years looking at that tiny section of the Beer Guide,

contemplating overnight ferries from Aberdeen or Loganair flights from Edinburgh, those evocative pub names in Kirkwall calling me. But if I did those pubs in 2011, would I just need to go back a decade later ? See also : Scilly, Sark, Swineshead.

So I never got there, not until that penultimate day of Guide ticking, when the full enormity of the travel dawned on us.

At least I picked a year that the Guide didn’t have any Shetland entries, which seems a bit sad, and I need to visit some time, but Orkney turned out to be a wonderful place to end any journey.

Great coast, dramatic features, and this Yesnaby pic by Mrs RM is one of my favourites;

Let’s pick five from the ten we did on that trip.

Stromness – Ferry Hotel

Not as solid and stately as this one,

the Ferry was cosy in that way the best remote coastal pubs are (the Star in St Just, perhaps ?).

The welcome was warm, the Scapa Special unexpectedly at our introduction to Orkney.

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In fact, all the pubs that night were good, as Kirkwall gave me five GBG pubs within 0.3 miles.

Now that’s a pub crawl.

That night in September 2022 with the end in sight and the Queen’s death putting the risk of pub closure in our minds was not the calmest, but the pubs were wonderful.

Kirkwall – Skippers Bar (Kirkwall Hotel)

Lovely atmosphere, mixed crowd, pool table and snooker photos, an apology for keeping me waiting a couple of minutes, fantastic beer (Scapa Special, as always).

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The Skippers had the best beer, but the one next door was the classic.

Kirkwall – St Ola

This was joyous, despite/because of the drunk bloke in charge of the jukebox torturing us with Garth Brooks.

Another perfect pint of Swannay, a sense of community and continuity,

and when we popped later for supper (booking essential in Kirkwall), a classy haggis burger.

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Kirkwall – The Royal Cask

I probably should have picked the Auld Motor Hoose as a third Kirkwall choice, but a man in search of his 4,501st real ale pub must have one glass of whisky while in Scotland,

and the single malt in the Orkney Hotel was just what was needed before that early night before the trip to Rousay.

I’d love to tell you the locals all drink cask and single malts, but…

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Rousay – The Taversoe

Which brings me to what was the most northern pub in the book (it’s the Lerwick Brewery now), and a place worth visiting in its own right (though the ferry over was a bit scary).

I mean, how evocative is this map extract;

A simple pub to finish,

with good beer, great food and a view to match anything in Maidenhead.

I’m getting all misty-eyed thinking about it now.

Let’s see what Bill thinks should be Pub 6.