The brough of Birsay is a small island, reached by a tidal causeway. There’s the remains of Pictish and Norse settlements, a lighthouse, lots of wild flowers, seabirds including puffins, a replica Pictish stone and the opportunity to get very wet if you’re daft enough not to check the tide times before you go!

Unfortunately I only saw the puffins at a distance. I didn’t get stranded though – the photo of me with the causeway partially submerged was just taken for dramatic effect. We stayed the night where you can see the van in the photo above, and watched the sea as we drank … wine! (Don’t worry, we’d had tea and cake before we crossed the causeway.)