The week before Christmas 2021, we visited Orkney. It was a last minute decision, but to a place I’ve wanted to go for many years; I have always wanted to see the majestic Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stennes, amongst many other ancient and magical sites that I’ve read about for so long. It certainly didn’t disappoint and we picked the perfect week – not too cold, no rain to speak of and very few other visitors. I imagine that during the Summer months it gets pretty crowded, but for us it was ideal. I knew I would get some photographs from which I would be able to make some good prints, but what I didn’t account for was a visit to The Vintage Paper Company in Stromness, where I bought some superb, 1957 Whatman paper. It was thrilling to chat to the owner, a person so passionate about paper, and to look at some of what they have there – sheets of paper from 1785 and even from the 1600s!

This print of The Ring of Brodgar is on the 1957 paper which is such a joy to use and takes the ink so well. It’s a two block print and it’s come out pretty much as I anticipated, hopefully capturing some of the atmosphere we experienced. We were there for the Winter Solstice and found ourselves alone.