An amateur film produced by James Madden of a group of boys from Gateshead visiting the Orkney Islands in August 1974. Traveling by ferry from Scabster they arrive in Stromness and explore the area finding the wreck of a ship on a beach. They visit many of the island's more famous attractions such as Skara Brae, The Ring of Brodger as well as the island's capital Kirkwall. Staying at the youth hostel at Kirbister they end their trip with a visit to the Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm...

An amateur film produced by James Madden of a group of boys from Gateshead visiting the Orkney Islands in August 1974. Traveling by ferry from Scabster they arrive in Stromness and explore the area finding the wreck of a ship on a beach. They visit many of the island's more famous attractions such as Skara Brae, The Ring of Brodger as well as the island's capital Kirkwall. Staying at the youth hostel at Kirbister they end their trip with a visit to the Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm before returning to the Scottish mainland on a ferry from St Margaret's Hope. Credit: Pathfinder Films proudly present Title: Orcadian Adventure Title: A Few peaceful days on the friendly Orkney Islands August 1974 On-board the passenger ferry MV St Ola II in port at Scabster boys watch gulls feeding in the water below and a lorry being winched onto the ship. More passengers make their way up the gangway onto the ship as a car is winched aboard. The ship departs Scabster, a small fishing boat travels alongside, and the boys explore the boat or look out across the sea from the deck, several congregating at the stern. A toddler sleeps in his pushchair beside his mother. The boys look out as the ferry passes the island of Hoy and the rock formation known as The Old Man of Hoy. The ferry approaches and docks at Stromness, a small crowd waiting on the quayside. Title: Early morning in Stromness As the sun rises in the cloudy sky the boys go exploring in the town, then walking on to the Ordnance Survey triangulation station, trig-point for short, at Brinkies Brae. The boys explore the area before returning to Stromness passing a woman scrubbing her front step and looking out from the harbour. They walk along a beach and find the wreck of a ship which they proceed to explore. They continue along the beach resting on the shoreline looking out to sea before walking along the rugged coastline looking down out on the cliffs and sea below. Title: Skara Brae Visitors make their way across a field to the remains of the Neolithic settlement at Skara Brae. The boys wonder about the site with a guide. From a moving vehicle, the visitors pass a henge or stone circle. Title: The Ring of Brodgar Again, the boys explore the Neolithic site posing beside the large stones, in the distance a burial mound, possibly Maeshowe. Title: Kirkwall The boys look out on a ship in port at Kirkwall before walking around the outside of St Magnus Cathedral and the nearby ruin of the Bishop’s and Carl’s Palace on Watergate. They walk out of town sitting on a stone wall looking back. Title: Wideford Hill Standing atop a windy Wideford Hill the boys look out across the coast before heading inside the chambered cairn beneath their feet. One boy climbs down through an opening, another crawls on hands and knees through another entrance. Title: The Youth Hostel at Kirbister A boy and man hang washing on a line, nearby boys play football in a yard. A boy sitting on a wall reads a map, lying against a wall a number of rucksacks. At dusk, a number of the boys go swimming in the sea while others watch seated on large boulders. Title: Churchill Barrier The boys get off a bus and walk along a tarmac causeway to the Italian Chapel. Inside a nissan hut detailed paintings adorn the walls. Title: We sail home from St Margaret’s Hope The boat casts off from the harbour at St Margaret’s Hope passing a number of moored fishing vessels. Some of the boys sit on deck looking out at the sea or chat. Someone passes round some sweets, and the film ends with three boys as they chat together at the stern. Title: Haste Ye Back! End credit: The end. A James Madden Production