Orkney wildlife cameraman and documentary maker Raymond Besant has filmed all across the world, but there’s nowhere he loves more than his home on Orkney. Raymond, who received an honorary degree – a Doctor of Science (DSc) – from the Robert Gordon University this summer, has shared his favourite things about living in the Orkney Isles with us. He has filmed for series such as What springs to mind when you think of Orkney? It’s nice to feel like you are properly connected to somewhere and I have that in Orkney.
I grew up here but have travelled a lot in my life and always enjoyed the feeling of coming home. It’s a busier place than it used to be, but if you want solitude you can still find it. Essentially it’s a group of farming islands heavily influenced by the sea.
The people are generally chilled out with a wry sense of humour that I like! What are your favourite places around Kirkwall and the Orkney Islands? I live quite centrally in Kirkwall and can see St Magnus Cathedral from my back garden. I sometimes have to remind myself how nice it is and that not every town in Scotland has such a vibrant town centre and with such a beautiful centrepiece like the cathedral. We are fortunate that most of the islands have their own unique character.
I’m always drawn to anywhere where the sea is wild, but I have a soft spot for Hoy. My dad’s family are from there and so we often spent our carefree childhood summers there. I’m quite nostalgic so I definitely have rose tinted spectacles when it comes to Hoy.
Most memorable night out there? That’s tough; my friends and I used to go out a LOT when we were young! It was always good fun though and we were a gang that seemed to avoid getting into trouble. What is your favourite Orkney restaurant and why? The food at The Foveran (in Kirkwall) has always been excellent. The scallops there are particularly good.
A lot of effort goes into gathering hand dived scallops so they are really something to savour if you order them. Mind you, it’s pretty hard to beat a pattie supper from the Harbour Fry in Kirkwall. A pattie is basically deep fried mince and onions and quite peppery, totally delicious but not something you would eat every day! Best place around the isles when you are looking for inspiration? Orkney’s west coast is pretty special and I spend quite a lot of time at the cliffs at Yesnaby and Borwick.
During the winter time the waves crashing in from the Atlantic Ocean can be really dramatic and always a good place to clear your head. The Old Man of Hoy is pretty hard to beat though. You can see it from the ferry on the way to Stromness but you only really get a proper sense of the scale when you are next to it.
It’s around an hour and a half walk from the beautiful bay at Rackwick but totally worth the hike. I’ve filmed all around the world but I think the view of the old man and the towering red sandstone cliffs behind is one of the most spectacular in the world. What is your first memory in Kirkwall? That’s a hard one but I do remember the coat pegs at the infant school and they had each pupil’s name next to one.
I remember really liking that! I would have been five years old. Best place to stop for a coffee around the islands? I’m probably in The Archive in Kirkwall more than I should be. It’s a great place to meet up with friends for a coffee or a comfy place for an informal work meeting.
Favourite places around the isles to spot wildlife? In the spring time the heather moorland and hills are great places to see the spectacular ‘skydance’ display of the hen harrier and we are lucky to have them in good numbers. In winter I like to go to the islands of Westray and Sanday to observe and photograph the wading birds, but my favourite time of year is late autumn when the remote beaches are full of pupping grey seals. There’s always lots of behaviour to watch, from suckling pups to fighting bulls.
The weather can be pretty wild at that time of year too and that just adds to the atmosphere. What are you up to with work at the moment? I’m working on a new book about the wildlife found on Orkney’s farmland and freshwater habitats. I’m also spending more time at home now and have just started a new wildlife watching business called Orkney Nature, where I will be showing folk the best of Orkney’s wildlife throughout the year.
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