Orkney - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 363

Orkney Angora
Mon-Fri 9am-5pm • T 01857 600421, W orkneyangora.co.uk
In Upper Breckan in the parish of Burness, you can visit Sanday's Orkney Angora craft
shop. The owner will usually let you stroke one of the comically long-haired albino
rabbits that supply the wool. Close by is the stone tower of an old windmill, which
belonged to the neighbouring farmstead, where you can still see the chimney from the
old steam-powered meal mill.

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE SANDAY

By plane The airfield is in the centre of the island and
there are regular flights to Kirkwall (Mon-Fri 2 daily, 1 on
Sat; 10min) and a daily connection to Sanday (Mon-Fri
1 daily; 6min).

By ferry Ferries from Kirkwall to Sanday (2 daily; 1hr
25min) arrive at Loth Pier, at the southern tip of the island.
By bus All sailings are met by the Sanday Bus ( T 01857
600438), which will take you to most points on Sanday.

INFORMATION AND TOURS
Tourist information W sanday.co.uk, W sandayorkney
.co.uk.
Tours The Sanday Ranger ( T 01857 600341, W sanday

7

orkney.co.uk) organizes activities and guided walks
throughout the summer, as well as regular Sanday bus
tours (May-Sept Wed; £25).

ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Ayre's Rock T 01857 600410, W ayres-rock-hostel
-orkney.com. If you're on a budget, this is a great place to
stay: a well-equipped eight-bed hostel, a caravan, and a
small campsite (with several camping huts for hire) over-
looking the bay, with washing and laund ry fa cilities, a
chi p shop (every Sat) and bike rental. Dorms £15 ; camping
£5 /pitch
Backaskaill Farmhouse T 01857 600305, W bedand
breakfastsandayorkney.com. Lovely old farmhouse
idyllically positioned overlooking a glorious sandy bay.
Evening meals offer ed (b ring your own bottle), and packed
lunches if required. £70
Braeswick T 01857 600708, W braeswick.co.uk. Despite
the dour exterior, this B&B is a good choice. Just a couple of

miles from the ferry terminal, it has very pleasantly decorated
rooms with free wi-fi and a resid ent d og - the breakfast
room has lovely views over the bay. £70
Newquoy Guest House & Writers Retreat T 01857
600284, W newquoy.com. The old school in Burness, in
the north of the island, is now a B&B run by an enterprising
couple who put on writing courses and storytelling
evenings. £70
Retreat Tea & Coffee Shop T 01857 600284,
W newquoy.com. The owners of Newquoy also run a
really nice café serving soups, toasties and delicious home-
baked cakes all served on vintage crockery. May & Sept
Tues & Thurs noon-4pm; June-Aug Tues, Thurs & Sat
noon-4pm.

North Ronaldsay
North Ronaldsay - or “North Ron” as it's fondly known - is Orkney's most
northerly island. Separated from Sanday by treacherous waters, it has an outpost
atmosphere, brought about by its extreme isolation. Measuring just three miles by
one, and rising only 66ft above sea level, the only features to interrupt the flat
horizon are Holland House - built by the Traill family, who bought the island in
1727 - and the two lighthouses at Dennis Head . The rest of the island is almost
overwhelmed by the magnitude of the sky, the strength of wind and the ferocity of
the sea so that its very existence seems an act of tenacious defiance. Despite this,
North Ronaldsay has been inhabited for centuries, and continues to be heavily
farmed, from old-style crofts whose roofs are made from huge local flagstones. With
no natural harbours and precious little farmland, the islanders have been forced to
make the most of what they have, and seaweed has played an important role in the
local economy. During the eighteenth century, kelp was gathered here, burnt in pits
and sent south for use in the chemicals industry.