There is a line of ancient monuments on the west Mainland of Orkney that together form what UNESCO calls the Heart of Neolithic Orkney: the chambered tomb of Maeshowe, the stone circles of Stenness and Brogar, and the village of Skara Brae on the Bay of Skaill. Orkney as a whole is a set of green islands with almost no trees, huge skies and a wind that never really stops, and the monuments are about five thousand years old.
The first thing you notice is how open the country is. Without hills to speak of, the stones stand against the sky and you see them from a mile away, and the roads lie across the land in long, easy lines. The A965 and A967 are good, well-surfaced roads with a few gentle bends, little traffic outside the summer months, and views of the lochs that change with the light. The danger on Orkney is not the corners but the crosswinds, which can be strong enough to push a bike off line on exposed stretches. Rain comes in showers, and between them the air is washed and the colours are strong.
The Neolithic people here farmed barley and sheep, built houses of flagstone with stone furniture, and created ceremonial sites of astonishing precision. Orkney's flagstone splits so neatly that the builders had easy material. Later the islands were Norse, ruled by earls who left runes and sagas, and the Vikings left their mark inside the oldest tomb. The harbour at Stromness, with its flagged main street, was a stop for Hudson's Bay Company ships heading to Canada, and many Orcadians went with them.
Practical matters are simple. Fuel is available in Stromness and Kirkwall, which is the main town about fifteen miles east, and there are small shops and cafes along the road. Book Maeshowe in advance through the visitor centre at Stenness, because entry is by timed ticket, and the other sites are open air and free. The ferry from Scrabster or Aberdeen needs a booking in summer. The best months are May to September, but the midsummer light is the real prize, as it is bright past eleven at night.