Stockan and Gardens Original Thin Oatcakes.

Tesco had sold out of Nairns Oatcakes, my preferred choice, so instead I purchased a 10g pack of Stockan & Gardens Original thin Orkney Oatcakes. They're minimalistically packed in just a layer of plastic film, much like florists film which is folded round the biscuits and sealed at the rear. The front features a the manufacturers name within a circular tartan band, a blue banner across the centre bears the legend "Orkney Oatcakes" and between the two is sandwiched a line drawing of The Old Man of Hoy, a 137m high red sandstone stack protruding from the sea off the island of Hoy and clearly visible from miles around. The oatcakes in question are ...  Read the complete review

If you set off from Essex and drive north for about 2 solid days you will eventually reach the top of the north coast of Scotland- you'll need an overnight stay though and then it's a short sea crossing over to Orkney. If you can't manage that you could cut the drive short and board a ferry from Aberdeen or you could just fly from Glasgow. All that driving and all that time is well worth it just for the experience of visiting a place which is not only one of the most beautiful but also one steeped in history. The islands are situated where the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean meet, and there are 70 islands in the chain, about 21 currently inhabited. ...  Read the complete review