The Old Man of Hoy
The Orkney Stitchers had the monumental task of stitching one of the most iconic landmarks of the Orkney Isles - the Old Man of Hoy. The impressive rock face is surrounded by Orkney stories of legends, wildlife and local characters skilfully stitched by the group.
This is their story.
The Orkney Isles are impressive. In every mile of the landscape there is something to delight the excited adventurer. With a rich history shaped by continental shifts and incomers like the Vikings, it was difficult to narrow down what we wanted to stitch on to our panel.
The central image is of the Old Man of Hoy which no visitor to the Orkney Isles will soon forget. The Old Man is close to Rackwick Bay on the West Coast of Hoy and can be spotted on the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness.
There are other 'old men' around the Highlands and Islands but this old man is made of red sandstone making it striking to look at and is one of the tallest in the UK. It is only a few hundred years old, caused by erosion to the cliff face, and it might soon be swallowed up by the sea. By 1992, a 40-metre (130 ft) crack had appeared in the top of the south face, leaving a large overhanging section that will eventually collapse. Our stitching is a homage to it's imperious beauty, standing guard on the route to Orkney.
At some angles, people say you can see faces in the rock. We have stitched the faces of a man and a woman into the rock, gazing out at the old man surrounded by the strong winds and waves coming off the Pentland Firth.
The Orkney PanelImage provided by Kirstie Campbell
The Old Man of Hoy was first climbed in 1966 by mountaineers Chris Bonington, Rusty Baillie and Tom Patey. Since then, the stack has been climbed many times and often televised. There are seven routes up the stack and a log book in a Tupperware container is buried in a cairn on the summit, as an ascensionists' record.
One of the most daring feats was completed on 10 July 2017 when Alexander Schulz walked across a highline to and from the summit, at 137 m (449 ft) above the sea. This was truly a spectacle to watch with hearts in mouths, a feat that only the most daring would attempt.
Although the Old Man of Hoy is the central figure of the panel, it is surrounded by 32 intricately stitched journey stones which each hold a story special to one of the stitchers or the Orkney Isles. The aurora borealis casts a green shadow on a house, puffins and whales dive in the skies and seas of the stones, and local landmarks are immortalised with their unique stories.
WITH THANKS TO THE ORKNEY STITCHERS SEWING GROUP
This panel was stitched by Eilidh, Lynn, Rosalind and Hazel who gave their time, skill and energy to completing a fantastic artwork for their area.
If you would like to see the panel up close and admire the detail of their work, please look out for the panel at an exhibition near you soon. To find out more, follow Inverness Castle Experience on Facebook for all the latest updates on the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands and the new visitor experience in Inverness, open 2025.
