PET - The Ancient Islands of Orkney

Read the text about the Orkney Islands to decide if each sentence is correct or incorrect. Off the north coasts of Scotland, there are seventy islands which form the Orkney Islands. Some are no more than tiny rocks with just sheep and sea birds on them; only sixteen have human populations. Apart from Rousay and Hoy, the islands are low-lying and good for farming. Although tourism is now the main industry, farming is still as important to island life as it was thousands of years ago. People have farmed here for more than 4,500 years and you can still see parts of a villagefrom that time on the biggest island, which is called the Mainland. The strange stone box beds that are left show us that the habitants used to sleep sitting up rether than lying down!


THINGS TO DO

The Orkney Islands are great for walking and one of the best places in the British Isles for water sports. There are seven lochs, or lakes, to fish in and excellent sea fishing. The capital of the islands is the beautiful old town of Kirkwall, where there are shops offering special varieties of cheese and fish. The fishing port of Stromness has a museum, three bookshops and an Arts Centre, which has a good collection of late twentieth-century art. In the harbour there are plenty of fishing boats to see, although the boats no longer catch whales as they once did. Every year there is an Arts Festival in June, which has music, drama, dance, poetry and exhibitions of paintings.

It is best to spend most of your time in the Orkney Islands on the Mainland, as there is so much to see and do. However, you can also visit one or two of the other islands such as the island of Hoy, which is particularly famous for its high cliffs. Taxis are available to drive you round Hoy, but you will need to walk up to the top of the cliffs. When tourists reach the cliff edge, particularly in bad weather, they find the safest way to see the view is by lying down on their stomachs!


HOW TO GET THERE

BA Express flies to Kirkwall daily (except Sundays) from Glasgow and Edinburgh, and there are connecting services with London Heathrow. There is a ferry every day from Scrabster and weekly ferries from Aberdeen.


WHERE TO STAY

There are many excellent hotels and inns to choose from. Most do very good fish dishes in their restaurants. The Stromness hotel also offers seven nights from L199 during the Arts Festival and the price includes a meal before or after the concerts.

1. Some of the islands are home to animals rather than people.

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2. Farming on the Orkney Islands has increased in importance over the years.

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3. There are some ruins on one of the islands.

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4. There is an Arts Centre in the capital of the Orkney Islands.

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5. If you go to the Arts Centre, you can see some examples of modern art.

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6. The fishing industry has changed what it catches.

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7. To get the most from an Orkney holiday, it is necessary to go to several islands.

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8. A taxi can take you to all the tourist places on Hoy.

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9. You can fly direct from London Heathrow to Kirkwall.

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10. One hotel includes tickets for the Arts Festival in its price.

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