Wow. Now, this is not something you see every day!
Skara Brae is a Neolithic ear village, dating from 3200BC to 2200BC.
The site was discovered in 1850 after a winter storm battered Orkney. The storm revealed the outline of a number of stone buildings and the local laird, William Watt of Skaill, began to excavate the site. Very little had been revealed until 1925 when another storm damaged some of the previously excavated structures.
Today, at Skara Brae visitors can walk among eight dwellings, linked together by a series of low, covered passages. Because of the protection offered by the sand that covered the settlement for 4,000 years, the buildings, and their contents, are incredibly well-preserved. Not only are the walls of the structures still standing, and alleyways roofed with their original stone slabs, but the interior fittings of each house give an unparalleled glimpse of life as it was in Neolithic Orkney.
This incredible site is accessible and beautifully situated right on the water.
If you make your way to Orkney, a visit to Skara Brae is well worth the effort.
More info on Skara Brae can be found here.
