Stromness, my lovely home

The very long and narrow main street of Stromness is made from flag stones, with a thin strip of cobbles in the middle of the road. This in days gone by provided better traction for horses pulling loads along the sometimes steep streets.

I love the higgle-dipiggle-diness of the streets, though you really do have to take care, as the flagstones are irregular and all too willing to trip up the unsuspecting fool. Stromness, you can tell, never had an ounce of planning put into it when it was established

The number of closes and alleys which squeeze their way between houses testify to it's spontaneity in its origins.

My friend Debbie and I used to love playing in and around all the myriad closes of the South End of the town when we were little. It's a magical place - and now I feel very homesick indeed!