No chimney sweep listed in Houton yet.

A chimney sweep cleans flues and chimneys to remove soot, tar and blockages - essential for anyone with an open fire, wood burner or multi-fuel stove.

An annual sweep is recommended for any chimney in regular use and many home insurance policies require it.

Look for a sweep registered with the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps or HETAS and keep the certificate they issue - your insurer may ask for it.

Houton is a small settlement on the southern shore of the Orkney Mainland, sitting on the edge of Scapa Flow at Houton Bay.

During both World Wars, Houton served as a significant military base - first as a seaplane station and later as a naval facility supporting operations across Scapa Flow.

Today, the Houton terminal is the departure point for the Orkney Ferries service to Hoy and Flotta, making it a key link in the inter-island transport network.

The settlement is small and rural, but its strategic position on Scapa Flow and its ferry connections give it an importance beyond its size.

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Orkney is an archipelago of around 70 islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland, separated from Caithness by the Pentland Firth - one of the most powerful tidal races in Europe.

Of those 70 islands, roughly 20 are inhabited and most of the population of around 22,000 lives on the largest island, known simply as the Mainland, where the towns of Kirkwall and Stromness serve as the administrative and cultural centres.

Orkney's history stretches back over 5,000 years. The Heart of Neolithic Orkney - a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising Skara Brae, Maeshowe, the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness - represents some of the best-preserved prehistoric sites anywhere in northern Europe. The islands were under Norse rule for around 600 years and that Scandinavian heritage remains visible in place names, dialect and culture.

The islands are reached by ferry from Scrabster and Aberdeen and by air from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness. Orkney's economy is built on agriculture, fishing, renewable energy, whisky and tourism and the islands have a quality of life consistently rated among the highest in Scotland.

Orkney is at the forefront of marine renewable energy, home to the European Marine Energy Centre which tests tidal and wave power devices in the waters around the islands. The strong community life, low crime and dramatic landscape make Orkney one of the most distinctive and self-reliant places in Scotland.