I have walked past these climbing stones in the playground of the local primary school at least twice a day since arriving in Kirkwall. At least. Every time I walked past them, if I gave them any thought at all it was: another commercial cartoon themed playground. Based on the Flintstones, obvs.
I don’t know why, but yesterday it suddenly occurred to me: this has nothing to do with Hanna-Barbera. Here in Orkney they don’t need 1960’s cartoons – they have the real thing in their backyard. These climbing stones, in the local Orkney primary school playground, are based on nearby neolithic standing stones: The Stanes of Stenness. Duh.
Neolithic – how cool is that?