Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Boat A ferry ( Click here ) links Kirkwall with Rapness (passenger/car £8.10/19.15, 1½
hours, daily). A bus to the main town, Pierowall, meets the ferry.
PAPA WESTRAY
POP 65
Known locally as Papay, this exquisitely peaceful, tiny island (4 miles by 1 mile) attracts
superlatives. It is home to Europe's oldest domestic building - built about 5500 years ago
- the Knap of Howar ( 24 hr) , and to Europe's largest colony of arctic terns. Even the
two-minute hop from Westray airfield is featured in Guinness World Records as the
world's shortest scheduled air service. The island was the cradle of Christianity in Orkney
- St Boniface Church ( 24 hr) was founded in the 8th century, though most of it dates
to the 12th century.
Sleeping & Eating
Beltane Guest House & Hostel £
( 01857-644224; www.papawestray.co.uk ; dm/s/d £15/25/35; ) Owned by the local
community co-op, this comprises a 20-bed hostel and a guesthouse with four simple and
immaculate rooms with en suite and self-catering kitchen access. It's just over a mile
north of the ferry. You can camp here (£5) and lunch and dinner are served.
GUESTHOUSE, HOSTEL
Getting There & Away
Air There are daily flights to Papa Westray (£18, 15 minutes) from Kirkwall, and a spe-
cial £21 return fare if you stay overnight. Some of the Kirkwall flights go via Westray
(£17, 2 minutes) or North Ronaldsay (£17, 10 minutes).
Boat A passenger-only ferry runs from Pierowall on Westray to Papa Westray (£4.05, 25
minutes, three to six daily in summer); the crossing is free if you travel direct from the
Rapness ferry from Westray. From October to April the boat sails by arrangement (
01857-677216).
NORTH RONALDSAY
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North Ronaldsay is a real outpost surrounded by rolling seas and big skies. Delicious
peace-and-quiet and excellent birdwatching lure visitors. There are enough semiferal
sheep to seize power, but a 13-mile drystone wall running around the island keeps them
off the grass; they make do with seaweed, which gives their meat a unique flavour.
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