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Orkney Islands  The Orkney group of islands, separated from the Scottish mainland by the turbulent waters of the Pentlands Firth, total some 70, of which about one-third are still occupied, though many more were inhabited over the centuries as the ruins of deserted dwell­ings indicate.

The land is fertile and has thus offered the islanders a two-pronged economic advantage, with the sea providing an excellent source of income and employment, in contrast with, the Shetland Island and the Outer Hebrides, those who work on the land tend more to be farmers than crofters. Indeed, Orkney's many green, lush fields often stretch to the very edge of precipitous cliffs or encroach on to sandy beaches. That these islands have attracted people for thousands of years is evidenced by the fact that there are said to be three sites of historical interest to every square mile. Neolithic relics and ruins are more nu­merous and better preserved here than anywhere in the British Isles.

The prevailing historical ambience of the Orkney islands is Norse, reflecting the coloniza­tion from the 8th century onwards by Vikings and farmers from Scandinavia. The islands came under Scottish rule only in 1468, when they were pledged to the Scottish Crown in a marriage settlement. Not that this made any difference to the cultural heritage and integrity of the island­ers.

One aspect of Orkney independence is shown by the fact that, whereas elsewhere in Britain the seashore belongs to the Crown, in Orkney the coastal land is owned by the islanders as far as the low-tide mark, a relic of the old Norse udal mode of land tenure that dates from before the feudal system. Freshwater fishing is also free, thanks to the udal tradition and residual Norse law that still obtains in these islands.

The culture extends into the every day language, which is English heavily larded with words and phrases - often of Norse origin - that require the visitor to have the ears well tuned, which can take a day or two. But this is no real disadvantage to anyone who desires to visit a part of the British Isles which is 'different' in so many ways.

 The concern of the Orkney people is to maintain their community as a cohesive whole and keep the comprehensive network of sea lanes and air routes open which ensures that no island community is remote from the hub of things in Kirkwall, the capital.