Orkney has many delights and some like the Ring of Brodgar are well known – others less so.

Olav’s Wood, South Ronaldsay is one of those magical places which is the inspiring result of Helen and Stephen Manson of Cellardyke and Olav Dennison  and continuing hard work over decades by them and many others.

To get to it you take the single track road towards Windwick Bay and just after the wee bridge there is a small parking area at the gateway to the wood. It is suitable for perhaps 3 cars.

There’s some new planting adding to the variety of trees and shrubs to be found within the wood.

Some of the trees are labelled which helps those of us who are not so good at identification.

There are different windy paths to take, a few seats dotted about and as the burn skirts the woodland lots of decking and bridges to take you over the soggier parts.

Then you come to Helen’s Wood and another type of environment to explore.

To read more about Olav’s Wood please visit:

Bernie Bell’s Stories :Strays

Olav’s Wood, Orkney, Scotland

Reporter: Fiona Grahame