By Bernie Bell

Orkney Archaeology Society haven’t produced a calendar this year, so we went for ‘Brochs of the North’ – the calendar of the Caithness Broch Project  https://www.thebrochproject.co.uk/   instead.

It arrived today, and we are very pleased with it. A broch-a-month for 2021 – no’ bad.

Pics include some of the brochs we’ve already visited, and also, Dun Dornaigil, in Sutherland, which we had intended to visit on the way to Skye for a holiday, last April.  The Virus put the kyebosh on our holiday, but the broch has been there for a long time, and will, hopefully still be there when we finally go to Skye for our holiday – next spring?

Meanwhile we can look at the picture, and wonder about that huge, triangular lintel above the entrance.

It might seem a bit early to order a calendar, but I saw it was for sale  https://www.thebrochproject.co.uk/brochshop, and I went for it!  If you’re planning to give one, or more, as Christmas presents – it’s not a bad idea to order early.

The 12 brochs for the 12 months of the year got me thinking, somewhat fancifully, of the 12 hours of the day, with a broch for each hour.  I pictured a clock face, with 12 brochs, marking the hours.  This could probably be contrived on a computer, but I don’t know how!

Maybe someone would like to have a go – just for fun!

And my favourite broch?  It has to be…….The Cairns , South Ronaldsay, Orkney –

We’ve watched it emerging from the earth.  Imagine……