The Ness Effect

It's been a bit hectic here of late - ever since the TV programme on the excavations at the Ness of Brodgar (aka 'Orkney's Neolithic Cathedral/stone age temple')  went out on New Year's Day we've been snowed under with enquiries and bookings. VisitOrkney has reported a doubling of hits to their website, and for the first week or so after the programme we had a fivefold increase on our own website - and a lot of these hits have turned into bookings which is very fine.


The programme itself was pretty good - quite a few of the dig team (names withheld to protect the guilty!)  gathered to watch it together,   and decided (since it was New Year's Day) to turn it into a drinking game - every time  Neil Oliver mentioned the phrase 'stone age temple' would be the cue for a drink - this plan had to be abandoned quite quickly in the interests of staying sober enough to watch the whole thing through!


The reconstructions were quite fun - if you missed the show they're worth looking at - see  Will MacNeil design


The excavation at the Ness of Brodgar this year is running from 16th July until the 24th August - I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of visitors.


Our new tour vehicle (top of the range Ford Tourneo, air con, alloys etc etc) has also come home - earlier than expected but better that than too late - and is now sitting in the showroom window in the Ford dealership in town - I don't want to register it until the 1st March when the new registration date starts so I can get a 12 plate on it.  The dealership is happy since it makes a nice striking display and they're getting a lot of interest in it.

I've also got home some rubber matting which I'm going to get fitted over the existing carpets - Ford class the Tourneo as an 'executive vehicle' which means you get carpets whether you want them or not. They do look very nice at first, but that only lasts until the first tour - after that the muddy/sandy boot prints rather spoil the effect.


Orkney Archaeology Tours - for your perfect Orkney holiday

Neil Oliver at Ness of Brodgar

Just had a email from the secretary of the Orkney Archaeology Society to say that finally the programme that Neil Oliver made about the Ness of Brodgar is due to be screened on New Year's day, BBC2 at 9pm. The blurb from the Beeb is as follows:

"A History of Ancient Britain Special: Orkney's Stone Age Temple


Neil Oliver reports on a newly discovered 5,000-year-old temple on Orkney. Built 500 years before Stonehenge, the undisturbed archaeology and artifacts found there, including wall decorations, pigments and paint pots, are helping to increase knowledge and understanding of the Neolithic people. Special effects are used to re-create the structure in 3D, allowing Neil to walk inside and explore it."

We were all a bit disappointed when it wasn't shown as part of the original 'History of Britain' series - they did the Ring of Brodgar then skipped straight to the Stones of Stenness without mentioning the Ness of Brodgar which is of course slap bang in the middle!

Especially as poor Nick (Card - the director at the Ness) had been dragged out at all hours filming - I think it was two years ago now, I know we had a film crew hanging around when I was on site - I think it was them. Certainly Neil Oliver's presence was causing a lot of interest amongst visitors. I seem to remember he & his crew even got invited to the end of site party but I don't think they went.

Should be a good programme & better late than never!

Orkney Archaeology Tours website