The Orkney Islands (Scotland, UK)

Visiting the Orkney Islands is like stepping back in time — either thousands of years to the Neolithic period or just hundreds of years to the age of the Vikings.

Though small, the island boasts four UNESCO World Heritage sites. Skara Brae is a stone village where people lived around 5,000 years ago in the Neolithic period. The 10 houses are a fascinating glimpse into the lives of Britain’s ancestors.

The iconic Ring of Brodgar is a Neolithic stone circle, possibly built at the same time as Stonehenge. Out of the original 60 stones, only 27 still stand. Why was it built? For religious reasons? To help read the nighttime sky? No one knows. The second World Heritage site is nearby: the Neolithic Barnhouse settlement.

Another stone circle — perhaps the oldest in Britain — is the Standing Stones of Stenness, about 1.2 km away from Brodgar.

The fourth World Heritage site is Maeshowe, a chambered tomb covered by stones. Grass and earth have covered the tomb, but it still stands more than 7 meters high. The tomb is seen as a masterpiece of Neolithic engineering. In the eighth and ninth centuries, Vikings scribbled graffiti onto the tomb.

The Orkneys have a strong link to the early Vikings, who settled in the islands in the late eighth century. Many Orkney Islanders have Viking blood and are proud of their heritage.

One of the most important Viking sites is St. Magnus Cathedral, built over the course of 300 years from 1137. The Viking saint was killed in a round church nearby. That church is the start of a walking trail that takes in many Viking spots. (T)

fascinating
（形）魅力的な、興味をそそる
◆fascinating figure（興味深い人物）
◆The audience listened closely to the professor’s fascinating lecture.
（先生の魅力的な講義に、聴衆は真剣に耳を傾けていた）

glimpse
（動）ちらっと見る
（名）ちらっと見ること、一見
◆glimpse the past（過去を垣間見る）
◆This preserved house offers a glimpse into the life of a 19th-century family.
（この保存住宅では19世紀の家族の生活を垣間見ることができる）

settlement
（名）落ち着くこと、安定すること、移住、支払い
◆settlement date（決済日）
◆The final settlement date for our new house is on March 31st.
（新居の最終決済日は3月31日だ）

tomb
（名）墓所、墓地、墓標
◆ancient tomb（古墳）
◆This tomb is rumored to be the resting place of an ancient king.
（この墓は、古代の王が眠っていると噂されている）

scribble
（動）落書きする、いたずら書きをする
（名）殴り書きすること
◆scribble down（走り書きする）
◆I could barely read the notes that I scribbled down during the seminar.
（セミナー中に走り書きしたメモは、読むのがやっとだった）

saint
（名）聖人、死者
◆soldier-saint（聖戦士）
◆This church is dedicated to a local saint.
（この教会は、地元の聖人に捧げられている）

trail
（動）追跡する、引きずって歩く
（名）トレイル、跡、痕跡
◆trail in a park（公園の小道）
◆This hiking trail is not suitable for beginner hikers.
（このハイキングコースは初心者には不向きだ）