Second leg of St Magnus Way launches today

The second section of the St Magnus Way launches today, Saturday, as part of the Orkney Folk Festival.

It begins at the St Magnus Kirk, Birsay, with a concert at 10am, followed by the walk starting at 11.15am.

The concert will feature  songs from David McNeish, Sarah Jane Gibbon and Ragnhild Hemsing, and James Watson on Hardanger fiddle.

But don’t worry if you can’t manage it all — you don’t have to attend the concert to take part in the walk, and there are four-mile and ten-mile walking options available.

“We were surprised and delighted by the response to the opening of the first section of the St Magnus Way in April,” said David McNeish, chairman of Orkney Pilgrimage, the group behind the creation of the pilgrimage route.

“With over 100 tickets sold for the concert, we’re expecting another great day of walking and reflecting on the rich heritage and landscape that surrounds us.

“The walking itself is much easier than the Evie to Birsay section, with plenty to see and some new perspectives from tracks many people don’t know about.”

The full route passes the only Mans Stone still standing at Strathyre, as well as the Mans Well, Barony Mill and the lochs of Boardhouse, Hundland and Sabiston before approaching Dounby from Beaquoy.

About two thirds is on road, with the other third on grassy, right-of-way tracks, and the walk finishes with refreshments at Milestone Community Church.

“It is a pilgrimage walk, so we will be stopping en route at various points of interest and aim to be at Milestone by 4pm,” Mr McNeish said.

The shorter walk takes in the Mill and the Well, as well as the links, before returning via the Community Centre and graveyard, passing the Birsay Bay Tearoom and Palace Stores.

Parking is available at the Milestone Kirk, and people are asked to lift share out to Birsay, a 15 minute drive.

Those attending the concert should be at Milestone by 9.30am, and those not attending the concert should be there by 10.45am.

Once in Birsay, if there is no parking left at the Palace and shore, people are asked to drop passengers off and park at the new Community Hall — volunteers will shuttle folk back down to the Palace.

More information on the route and the resources that accompany it can be found at www.stmagnusway.com