The Orkney FolkLore and Storytelling Centre - Stromness

Louisa K.

Wonderful evening with Lynn sharing Orcadian histories, legends and folklore - thank you for weaving a rich tapestry of stories next to a peat fire for us! Thank you for keeping the spoken word tradition going and bringing a community of listeners into the space with you.

Have already saved the podcast link to hear more next month!

Jenny B.

I enjoyed this evening of folk storytelling. Thought it might be useful to describe it a little - I didn’t know what to expect when I booked. We sat at tables around a peat fire in a room, not smoky but quite hot so wear layers. Lynne prefaces the storytelling with historical context and is very passionate about the need to preserve the oral storytelling traditions of the islands. The stories are performed, rather like performance poetry but with added movement, song and prop work. Lynne is softly spoken and the storytelling is scattered (as is completely appropriate) with Scots words, I was glad I was familiar with some of it before the performance started. It demands your full attention to get the most out of the detail in the stories and the historical context but certainly a very authentic and a unique insight into the cultural heritage of the Islands.

Nicola V. K.

Absolutely amazing experience with Lynne! Highly recommended for anyone interested in storytelling and folklore, and who wants to learn more about Orkney life through the spoken word.

One thing my group cannot stop talking about is how Lynne managed to 'change' her appearance during the stories. What do I mean? Well, at some points she was a young girl, at other times an old sailor or a selkie. Her voice changed of course as she was telling these stories but it was also like her whole appearance changed too! It's hard to explain so you will have to go see this for yourself- but be prepared, she is very very good and I am convinced she is also a little bit magical too!

Richard S.

Just home from a magical evening of storytelling and folklore hosted by the amazing Lynn. Highly recommend whether you are an Orkney resident or a visitor to the islands.

Lars K.

We had a great evening with a wonderful performance. The reading and the atmosphere were great, absolutely worth experiencing. Non-native English speakers will probably have problems understanding everything, but you can always understand the mood and the basics. Absolute recommendation!

Cale

A bit off the beaten path, but attending a "Peatfire Tale of Orkney" evening was pretty magical. I would highly recommend you just go and experience it for yourself.

Debra ?. H.

Lynn has a most riveting way to tell the folklore stories of the Fin Folk and the Selkie Folk. We sat totally mesmerized for two hours. Lynn draws you into the history and magic of these tales passed on through time.
Well presented and atmospheric.

Colin F.

We spent a gloriously enchanting evening listening to fables, both real and imaginary, drawn from the rich Orcadian culture and history. We would gladly and eagerly visit again if we are blessed to visit the islands in the future (would certainly love to). Also, on the recommendation of the curator, we next day visited both the Barony Mill and Kirbister Farm - other nearby curations - and had a wonderful experience at both. Cannot reccomend highly enough. Bravo!