A lifetime lived in Orkney, guiding shaped by experience rather than convention.

I have spent my life living and working across the islands. My family’s roots here run back generations and my understanding of this place has been shaped not only by study, but by growing up within landscapes that visitors now travel great distances to reach. Many of the sites that draw international attention today were simply part of everyday life when I was younger. That long familiarity brings a perspective and calm judgement that can only come from genuine connection to place.

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Before establishing Historic Orkney, my working life moved through farming, engineering, and telecommunications across Orkney and Shetland. Those years built resilience, adaptability, and a practical understanding of how these islands function in real conditions. Formal professional training later added recognised structure to a foundation already built on lived experience.

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I hold a particular specialist interest in Orkney’s Neolithic and Viking past, two periods that continue to shape both the landscape and identity of the islands today. Orkney’s story is not fixed or neatly packaged. It evolves constantly as new discoveries are made and old assumptions reconsidered. Interpretation here must remain thoughtful and grounded rather than simplified for convenience. I see my role less as a performer and more as a custodian, presenting what is known clearly while allowing space for the complexities that keep the past alive.

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“A better ambassador for Orkney would be hard to find… one of the best guides I’ve experienced anywhere.”

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Over time this approach has developed in its own direction, shaped less by tourism trends and more by long familiarity with the place itself. Each season brings new ideas and refinements, and visitors often remark that the experience feels noticeably different from standard touring. That difference comes naturally from guiding shaped by lived connection rather than by a fixed formula.

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I guide only one private tour per day so that your time here is handled properly and without rush. Every visit is planned personally and paced around you, allowing space to follow curiosity or simply pause when a place deserves more attention. Strong local relationships built over a lifetime help each day run smoothly and naturally.

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“One of the best trips of my life… something we will remember for the rest of our lives.”

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With more than one hundred five-star reviews built steadily over the years, my reputation has grown quietly through consistency rather than promotion, the Orcadian way. What matters most is that visitors leave with a clear understanding of where they have been and a genuine sense of connection to the place.

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From time to time, guests suggest that I should write a book. Perhaps one day I will. For now, I am content to share these stories where they belong: out in the landscape itself, where they can be experienced rather than simply read on a page.

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Guiding here is not a side venture or seasonal interest. It is a long-term commitment to place, people, and the stories that connect them. That commitment shapes every journey and ensures that time spent in Orkney is experienced with the care and depth it deserves.

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