HUNDREDS if not thousands of people lined the streets of Stromness tonight to see a torchlit parade by two visiting Shetland Jarl squads, who marched through the town before burning a replica Viking longship at the Point of Ness.
The event involving both Scalloway and Cullivoe Jarl squads was part of Stromness Shopping Week which is celebrating its 60th anniversary.
Ferry starts 10,000 mile voyage home to Orkney PENTLAND Ferries new catamaran ferry, 'Pentalina', which was launched at FBMA's Cebu yard in the Philippines in April is starting the 10,000 mile voyage home to Orkney on Friday.
The 70 metre, multi-million pound vessel will operate on the St. Margaret's Hope in Orkney to the Gills Bay in Caithness route, replacing the 1978 built ro-ro ferry 'Claymore'.
The ceremony will take place on Wednesday July 30 at 2pm at the recycling centre.
New Honorary Sheriffs for Orkney FOUR new honorary sheriffs were appointed in a special ceremony at Kirkwall Sheriff Court today.
Dr Tim Wright, Captain Bob Sclater, Mrs Barbara Foulkes and Mrs Norma Campbell were officially sworn in by Sheriff Principal Sir Stephen Young.
Open day at the Ring of Brodgar HISTORIC Scotland are holding an open day at the Ring of Brodgar this Sunday between 11am and 4pm.
As well as the local rangers being on hand to answer any questions the excavation team who have been working on the site will also be there to give details on their most recent dig.
The rangers are also holding tours at the ring at 11am 1pm and 4pm Monday to Friday.
New communications cable due to reach Orkney BT is laying a new fibre optic submarine cable between Orkney and the Scottish mainland to help bring its 21st Century Network to the Northern Isles.
The 70 km cable runs between the Bay of Skaill in Sandwick under the Pentland Firth to Dunnet Bay, around five miles east of Thurso, and is due ashore at the Bay of Skaill today, Thursday.
Old Man of Hoy base jump on video CLIMBERS who made history by being the first people ever to base jump of the Old Man of Hoy earlier this year have posted a video on Internet site You Tube, as a tribute to one of the climbers who later died in a separate base jumping incident.
Gus Brown, Tim Emmett and Roger Holmes made their daring leap off the 450ft Orkney landmark in May.
Strong men to battle it out this Sunday SOME of the most powerful athletes in the Northern Isles will battle it out this weekend in a bid to claim the title of Orkney and Shetland's Strongest Man.
Although injuries have seen Sunday's field drop to just four competitors, the event - being staged on the pier at Kirkwall harbour - still promises to be a hotly contested one.
Nurses could replace isles GPs THE boss of the UK's largest nurses union spoke out this week in support of getting rid of island doctors and replacing them with senior nursing posts.
Dr Peter Carter, General Secretary and Chief Executive of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) was visiting Orkney on Tuesday to meet with local RCN members and nursing staff.
