If you come to Orkney aboard the Pentalina Ferry you will arrive in St Margaret’s Hope. Situated in South Ronaldsay,  the largest of the linked isles, it is just over 15 miles from Kirkwall, Orkney’s capital.

The Hope ( The Hup) is a delightful village with a lot going on so it would be a pity if visitors and locals alike just passed through it instead of taking the time to have a dander about.

In the summer parking might be an issue as there is not much within the village and one area at the Front has signage saying that part of it is for the customers of 2 businesses. It’s a bit tricky because there are no markings to denote where these parking spaces begin and end although one area is defined by being set back from the rest.

There is a lot to do in the village: places to eat, drink, post your ‘wish you were here’ cards, craft shops and a small smithy museum.

I must admit that some ‘set ups’ are not particularly attractive.

There’s a lot of new housing extending the size of the village which is a very healthy sign that the place is growing. Sometimes you might even feel like you were in a hot clime.

And if you stroll around the older streets you can really get a feel of what it once must have been like when it was bustling with the herring fleets.

There are many interesting features to make out.

And buildings which echo the once prosperity of the town.

Reporter: Fiona Grahame