We extended our stay on Hoy so we could have a guided tour of a Martello tower – I’ve seen the outside of several and fancied having a nose inside. Glen, our guide, is clearly as passionate about the history of the barracks and tower as he is knowledgeable. We arrived early, so he started early, and when he learned we didn’t have to rush off, he carried on long past the regulation time period. One of the things which made it so fascinating was that Glen met and interviewed the person who lived in the barracks after it became a croft, and who was responsible for saving it – as well as providing amazing insights into what it was like there during war time. I’d share it with you, but I need to get the next novel written.

After seeing inside and learning about the barracks, we headed for the tower. There was only Gary and I on the tour, so I got to open up! (The slowest storming of a tower in history, Glen reckoned.) The key doesn’t just open the door, it’s also a defensive weapon. The shaft was hollow and could have been used like a tiny cannon.

There are three levels. We entered on the floor where the soldiers would have lived. The wall is seven foot thick there! There were fireplaces, but no chimneys (in this particular design). From the middle floor there is a spiral staircase down to where food and munitions were stored, and there’s also a cistern which collected drinking water from the roof. Another spiral staircase leads up to the top, and provides great views.