How I Came to Live in Orkney & A Visit to North Lincolnshire by Isla

Hello, how are you?  I hope you don’t mind but this time I am writing, not from Orkney, but from North Lincolnshire, England nearly 600 miles away.  I know many of you have asked why I moved to Orkney.  This month I hope to share with you a bit about my past and my move to Orkney.

As I mentioned in my first post to you, I moved to Orkney three years ago.  However, before making the move north, I lived here in the county of North Lincolnshire for many years and before that in South Yorkshire (the county to the West next door). My move came after making the extremely difficult decision to separate from the person I had shared all of my adult life with (and remains to this day the closest of friends). It was an incredibly difficult time as I grieved for my old life while making plans for the future. Having been to Orkney I was captivated by it and I bought my house and moved north. Leaving my beloved rescue dog Fizz, my best friends, family and everything I knew was the hardest thing to do. My mental health suffered as a result of all the changes in my life but I felt that moving away and following this notion to move to Orkney was what I needed to do.

My amazing rescue dog Fizz would spend the spring and summers with me in Orkney enjoying the beaches and walks down the marina in Kirkwall and she would spent the dark winters with her Dad cosy by the fire in North Lincolnshire.  Sadly Fizz passed away last December after being with us for just over twelve years. Both myself and her Dad miss her enormously.

So this brings us to the present, and my long over due trip south to see family and friends. Last Wednesday night I caught the overnight ferry from Kirkwall to Aberdeen and drove down in Tam the Van to North Lincolnshire. It has been a busy but wonderful week so far. I spent the weekend a few miles South of the city of Lincoln catching up with my Auntie and then my brother and family whom I have not seen for two years. It was a fantastic few days and wonderful to spend time with my nephew and nieces again. I can’t believe how much they have grown and changed. We enjoyed walks to a nearby bridge and played Pooh Sticks and generally just chilled out and enjoyed each others company. I did my first driveway camp at my brothers too! 

Despite the iffy weather (I had been hoping for, and packed for, warm sunny weather!) I have explored new walks and revisited old ones along with spending time with my parents and my closest friends. I head back to Orkney in a couple of days and while I hate goodbyes this time it won’t be for so long. 

Take care

Isla

x