Excursion S.a.l.t. ancient orkney beremeal experience tour at Kirkwall

Bere is an ancient six-row barley and is probably Britain’s oldest cereal still in use today.  It has a short growing season, tolerates low temperatures and requires long hours of daylight, making it a perfect cereal to grow during the Orkney summer.  Historically bere was an important source of grain used for flour, malt, roofing material and bedding for livestock.  Today it continues to be grown in Orkney and is traditionally processed by Barony Mill, a 19^th century watermill in Birsay.  

Barony Mill

Depart Kirkwall and head into the west of Mainland, Orkney’s largest island.  Pass through the gentle rolling landscape and farmland of the West Mainland.  Arrive at Barony Mill where you will meet the Miller and learn all the stages of milling, from drying the grain over a kiln to the process the grain takes through various pieces of machinery.  The entire procedure is driven purely using the power of the water from the adjacent Boardhouse Loch.

Bere Production

View displays of old photographs and tools of historic farming in Birsay and learn about some of the locals who lived and worked the mill.  The process used to grind the grain has remained unchanged for hundreds of years.  See how the grain is hoisted to the top floor of the building for drying before being dropped into a fanner and eventually ground into meal and flour by the millstones.  Enjoy demonstrations of the running of the machinery, handle samples of the grain from each stage of the milling process and have a go at turning on the water wheel to set all the machinery in motion.  At the end of the demonstration there will be an opportunity to purchase bere and other local produce from the onsite shop.

Birsay Bay Tearoom, Bere Bannock Baking

For the second part of the experience, travel a few miles across to Birsay Bay Tearoom and admire the view of this part of the Atlantic Ocean famous for its stormy seas.  Follow a traditional Orcadian recipe and make your own mini bere Bannocks using beremeal produced at Barony Mill.  Once baked, enjoy the Bannocks served with Orkney cheeses and chutney.  

Continue on the coach via the Neolithic Heartland of Orkney; an area designated as a World Heritage Site due to its wealth of pre-historic archaeology.  Pass the Ring of Brodgar, the Standing Stones of Stenness and Maes Howe on the return journey to the ship.

Note

Please note: This tour involves a moderate amount of walking over uneven ground, much of it at the discretion of the visitor. This tour is not suitable for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilise a wheelchair who are not traveling with a companion who can assist. Guests are advised to wear warm, comfortable clothing in layers with flat, closed-toe walking shoes, a warm layer, and a weatherproof jacket or coat.