Orkney Image Library

Brings back lots of memories of family picnics on a Sunday as a bairn.
George Mackay Brown's "A Time To Keep" was also made into a story for T.V. with locals taking part in this house and round about. My part ended up on the cutting floor!
Claire Nielson and Maurice Roeves were two of the main actors. Billy and Margaret Budge's baby had a part also.

This house in Rackwick is called Burnmouth, not Burnhouse. The property is owned by the Hoy Trust and is made available for anyone to use free of charge as a camp site.

Not strictly related, but does anyone have any knowledge of the path folk would have taken from Brims (or anywhere in Walls come to that) to Rackwick in days before there was a road? Looking at the map, a route up past Heldale water would seem to make sense with shallower ascent that going up from Melsetter.

Before WW2 people used to walk over the hills from Rackwick to the shop in Brims. They also used another route to the North Ness. The Craig Gate was a short cut into Rackwick via. the cliffs at the South End, but Wilson Nicholson told me that you needed to be accompanied by a local before attempting it,as it was rather hazardous. Very few people will know of it nowadays.

Jane, there might be some clues to the route in John Bremner's excellent book, 'Hoy, the dark enchanted Isle'.

My mum Lillie Sutherland and her brother Ned used to walk from Milbay up to Rackwick to stay with relations , when they were young. Can't remember the track they would have gone, I think it would have been about the 1920's. A long walk for them.

I've checked John Bremner's book but the only detail is that the path starts from the summit of Runsigill near Rackwick. I've also been checking old maps on the National Library of Scotland website with no success so far.