Taing of Trumland
Coastal Feature, Headland, Point in Orkney
Scotland
Taing of Trumland
Taing of Trumland is a prominent coastal feature located in Orkney, an archipelago situated off the northeastern coast of Scotland. It is specifically found on the island of Rousay, which is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes. Taing of Trumland is classified as a headland, also referred to as a point, and is notable for its picturesque cliffs and rugged terrain.
The headland is characterized by its towering cliffs that overlook the North Atlantic Ocean, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding seascape. The cliffs are composed of layers of sedimentary rocks, showcasing the geological history of the area. The exposed rocks reveal evidence of ancient sea levels and the changing landscape over time.
Taing of Trumland is a favored spot among nature enthusiasts and photographers due to its outstanding beauty and unique flora and fauna. The headland is home to a diverse range of seabirds, including puffins, razorbills, and guillemots, making it a haven for birdwatchers.
Visitors to Taing of Trumland can explore the area by following the coastal footpath that winds along the cliff edge. The path provides access to various viewpoints, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the dramatic coastal scenery. It is advisable to take caution while walking along the cliffs, as they can be steep and exposed.
Overall, Taing of Trumland is a captivating coastal feature in Orkney that showcases the region's natural beauty and provides an ideal vantage point to observe the magnificent marine environment.
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Taing of Trumland Images
Images are sourced within 2km of 59.126808/-3.0010756 or Grid Reference HY4227. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.
Wyre: the post office
The only retail outlet on the island is the post office, which is housed within an outbuilding of the postmistress's premises. As well as being one of the nation's smallest offices, it is reckoned to be the one with the smallest customer base, the island having a population of around 29.
The post office is open 9-11 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings. Post is collected daily Monday to Saturday at 8:25am as it has to be down at the pier before 9 to catch the first ferry, which also brings the incoming mail.
There has been a post office on the island since 6 July 1885, when it was called Veira; the name Wyre was adopted on 1 October 1933.
Wyre: the pier
The ferry berthing point is directly opposite the one for Rousay, which we see in the background. The ferries from Tingwall, on the Orkney mainland, serve Rousay and Wyre and also Egilsay, to the north.
Wyre: Cubbie Rooâs Castle
The earliest documented stone-built castle in Scotland, Cubbie Roo's Castle was built around 1145 by a Norwegian named Kolbein Hrúga. It is thought to have consisted of a square tower in the centre of this large mound, with various banks and ditches which are clearly in evidence today.
The castle is actually named after an Orkney giant, Cobbie Row or Cubbie Roo, who abounds in folklore hereabouts - for example, some standing and horizontal stones were said to have been thrown by Cubbie Roo. It is easy to see the similarity between the names Kolbein Hrúga and Cobbie Row (or Cubbie Roo) - it is thought, but by no means with universal agreement, that the name of the real-life Kolbein Hrúga somehow morphed into that of a folklore giant over the 500 years following Kolbein's lifetime. (Hrúga is Norse for 'heap', so he was probably a big man.) For those interested, the following article is a piece disputing the link between the names Kolbein Hrúga and Cubbie Roo, despite the lexical similarity: Link
Wyre: arriving at Cubbie Rooâs Castle
The visitor to the castle arrives from the southeast and is presented with this information board, although there is another, more modern and more in-depth, board nearby too. It is inscribed with the alternate spelling, Cobbie Row.
The earliest documented stone-built castle in Scotland, HY4426 : Wyre: Cubbie Roo’s Castle was built around 1145 by a Norwegian named Kolbein Hrúga. It is thought to have consisted of a square tower in the centre of this large mound, with various banks and ditches which are clearly in evidence today.
The castle is actually named after an Orkney giant, Cobbie Row or Cubbie Roo, who abounds in folklore hereabouts - for example, some standing and horizontal stones were said to have been thrown by Cubbie Roo. It is easy to see the similarity between the names Kolbein Hrúga and Cobbie Row (or Cubbie Roo) - it is thought, but by no means with universal agreement, that the name of the real-life Kolbein Hrúga somehow morphed into that of a folklore giant over the 500 years following Kolbein's lifetime. (Hrúga is Norse for 'heap', so he was probably a big man.) For those interested, the following article is a piece disputing the link between the names Kolbein Hrúga and Cubbie Roo, despite the lexical similarity: Link
Rousay is in the background.
Rousay is in the background.
Wyre: looking into Cubbie Rooâs Castle
The earliest documented stone-built castle in Scotland, HY4426 : Wyre: Cubbie Roo’s Castle was built around 1145 by a Norwegian named Kolbein Hrúga. It is thought to have consisted of a square tower in the centre of this large mound, with various banks and ditches which are clearly in evidence today.
The foot of the tower contained a water tank which we see below us. The castle entrance would have been on the first floor, probably accessed by a wooden staircase.
The castle is actually named after an Orkney giant, Cobbie Row or Cubbie Roo, who abounds in folklore hereabouts - for example, some standing and horizontal stones were said to have been thrown by Cubbie Roo. It is easy to see the similarity between the names Kolbein Hrúga and Cobbie Row (or Cubbie Roo) - it is thought, but by no means with universal agreement, that the name of the real-life Kolbein Hrúga somehow morphed into that of a folklore giant over the 500 years following Kolbein's lifetime. (Hrúga is Norse for 'heap', so he was probably a big man.) For those interested, the following article is a piece disputing the link between the names Kolbein Hrúga and Cubbie Roo, despite the lexical similarity: Link
Rousay is in the background.
Rousay is in the background.
Wyre: Cubbie Rooâs Castle and part of its ditch
The earliest documented stone-built castle in Scotland, HY4426 : Wyre: Cubbie Roo’s Castle was built around 1145 by a Norwegian named Kolbein Hrúga. It is thought to have consisted of a square tower in the centre of this large mound, with various banks and ditches which are clearly in evidence today.
The castle is actually named after an Orkney giant, Cobbie Row or Cubbie Roo, who abounds in folklore hereabouts - for example, some standing and horizontal stones were said to have been thrown by Cubbie Roo. It is easy to see the similarity between the names Kolbein Hrúga and Cobbie Row (or Cubbie Roo) - it is thought, but by no means with universal agreement, that the name of the real-life Kolbein Hrúga somehow morphed into that of a folklore giant over the 500 years following Kolbein's lifetime. (Hrúga is Norse for 'heap', so he was probably a big man.) For those interested, the following article is a piece disputing the link between the names Kolbein Hrúga and Cubbie Roo, despite the lexical similarity: Link
In the background, left of the castle we see the island of Egilasy, to the right Eday, and a tip of Rousay just sneaks into the left-hand edge of the picture.
In the background, left of the castle we see the island of Egilasy, to the right Eday, and a tip of Rousay just sneaks into the left-hand edge of the picture.
Wyre: information board at Cubbie Rooâs Castle
The information board in front of us is more detailed than the older one which the visitor first sees (HY4426 : Wyre: arriving at Cubbie Roo’s Castle), and gives a good artist's impression of what the castle may have looked like. Its title gives the alternative spelling, Cobbie Row.
The earliest documented stone-built castle in Scotland, HY4426 : Wyre: Cubbie Roo’s Castle was built around 1145 by a Norwegian named Kolbein Hrúga. It is thought to have consisted of a square tower in the centre of this large mound, with various banks and ditches which are clearly in evidence today.
The castle is actually named after an Orkney giant, Cobbie Row or Cubbie Roo, who abounds in folklore hereabouts - for example, some standing and horizontal stones were said to have been thrown by Cubbie Roo. It is easy to see the similarity between the names Kolbein Hrúga and Cobbie Row (or Cubbie Roo) - it is thought, but by no means with universal agreement, that the name of the real-life Kolbein Hrúga somehow morphed into that of a folklore giant over the 500 years following Kolbein's lifetime. (Hrúga is Norse for 'heap', so he was probably a big man.) For those interested, the following article is a piece disputing the link between the names Kolbein Hrúga and Cubbie Roo, despite the lexical similarity: Link
Rousay is in the background.
Rousay is in the background.
Wyre: St. Maryâs chapel
A 12th-century chapel close to HY4426 : Wyre: Cubbie Roo’s Castle, with surrounding burial ground. We are standing in the modern-day burial ground, which is of a similar size to the enclosed churchyard.
Wyre: stile between St. Maryâs chapel and Cubbie Rooâs Castle
I am not sure whether this quite fits the definition of 'stile' but it is the crossing point of the churchyard wall on the route from HY4426 : Wyre: St. Mary’s chapel to HY4426 : Wyre: Cubbie Roo’s Castle.
Wyre: St. Maryâs chapel from Cubbie Rooâs Castle
Looking back at HY4426 : Wyre: St. Mary’s chapel from HY4426 : Wyre: Cubbie Roo’s Castle.
In the distance, the face of Rothiesholm Head on Stronsay is recognisable - there are plenty of closer islands but the line of sight happens to go between them.
Rousay: ferry marshalling area
The nearest four cars in the picture (plus there's a fifth vacant lane) are waiting for the arrival of the ferry, whose slipway is directly behind them. The drivers will need to reverse on. The car park extends either side of the marshalling area, so any motorists behind us wishing to move off will have to do so carefully if it coincides with the ferry's arrival.
Rousay: telephone box at Brinian
The K8 design of phone box came in in the late 1960s and became a prominent sight up to the late 80s. However, they have diminished to such an extent that there are thought to be only around a dozen still in use today. Orkney has two of them, one being this one in the main village on Rousay, close to the pier.
Rousay: postbox № KW17 121, Brinian
This postbox is of a modern design, constructed of pressed steel and designed to be more robust, rustproof and theft-proof than the traditional cast iron box that it will have replaced in the last couple of years.
This particular style of box is becoming quite commonplace in these remote, exposed parts.
Rousay: rope art on the pier railing
Thin rope has been colourfully wrapped around part of the pier railing; I am not sure whether the upward pointing bit is part of the metalwork; if it is, I can't imagine why it is shaped like that.
Meanwhile, we await the ferry back to Tingwall on the Orkney mainland. It will be here in a few minutes: we can see it docked at Wyre opposite (it has come from Egilsay).
Rousay: Taversöe Tuick chambered cairn
One of several visitable chambered cairns along the south coast of Rousay, this one is unusual in being a 'double-decker', so to speak. This was a burial chamber some 5,000 years ago, and the two chambers were accessed separately - the upper one from the visible entrance here and the lower one from the opposite side.
Today's visitor can access both chambers from the pictured entrance, as one of the floor slabs has been taken out and a ladder provided.
See HY4227 : Rousay: inside Taversöe Tuick chambered cairn and HY4227 : Rousay: the lower chamber at Taversöe Tuick for interior views.
The island of Wyre is almost wholly spread out in the background.
Rousay: inside Taversöe Tuick chambered cairn
Inside the upper chamber of HY4227 : Rousay: Taversöe Tuick chambered cairn, showing the modern access to the lower chamber - originally it had a separate entrance on the opposite side.
Rousay: the lower chamber at Taversöe Tuick
Another interior view of HY4227 : Rousay: Taversöe Tuick chambered cairn after HY4227 : Rousay: inside Taversöe Tuick chambered cairn - this time we are in the lower chamber.
War Memorial on Rousay
The memorial was unveiled on Sunday July 3rd 1921. Many people came to this event as fallen soldiers from both World Wars were honoured and remembered this day. The Orkney Herald, Wednesday July 6th 1921, reported on the event and the following site contains further information about the Memorial and the fallen soldiers.
Link
Taing of Trumland is located at Grid Ref: HY4227 (Lat: 59.126808, Lng: -3.0010756)
Unitary Authority: Orkney Islands
Police Authority: Highlands and Islands
What 3 Words
///indirect.ports.wand. Near Brinian, Orkney Islands
Nearby Locations
Related Wikis
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Taversöe Tuick (or Taversoe Tuick) is a Neolithic burial cairn on Rousay, Orkney, Scotland, thought to date from between 4000 and 2500 BCE. The monument...
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Nearby Amenities
Located within 500m of 59.126808,-3.0010756Trumland Nature Reserve Walk start (3.3 km return) follow white topped waymarkers - OIC Orkney Walks
Tourism: attraction
Lat/Long: 59.1309757/-3.0021873
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