I must go down to the sea again

Relatives in Orkney were being visited by cousins from London. When the Orcadian children heard that their cousins lived miles from the sea, they asked where they went on Sunday afternoons. We go to 'the shore' and one of the advantages of island life is the choice available.
 You can have lots of sand at Waulkmill Bay, Orphir

or at the Sands of Wright in South Ronaldsay, where they hold the Boys' Ploughing Match in August. 

I've been told that Orkney sand has a higher lime content than the rest of the country, because of the high proportion of shell in it. This is very useful because it can be spread on the soil to make it more workable.

You can go to a stony shore, to look for patterned stones

or a rocky shore, to scramble on, like this one at Marwick on the west side of the Mainland. The famous rock stack, the Old Man of Hoy, is just about visible in the distance.

Alternatively, you can take a walk along the cliffs and admire the spectacular scenery.