Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
NORTH RONALDSAY SHEEP
The island's sheep are a unique, tough, goat-like breed, who feed mostly on seaweed, giving
their flesh a dark tone and a rich, gamey taste, and making their thick wool highly prized. A high
dry-stone dyke , completed in the mid-nineteenth century and running the thirteen miles
around the edge of the island, keeps them off the farmland, except during lambing season,
when the ewes are allowed onto the pastureland. North Ronaldsay sheep are also unusual in
that they can't be rounded up by sheepdogs like ordinary sheep, but scatter far and wide at
some considerable speed. Instead, once a year the islanders herd the sheep communally into a
series of dry-stone “punds” near Dennis Head, for clipping and dipping, in what is one of the
last acts of communal farming practised in Orkney.
Bird Observatory
The most frequent visitors to the island are ornithologists, who come in considerable
numbers to clock the rare migrants who land here briefly on their spring and autumn
migrations. The peak times of year for migrants are from late March to early June, and
from mid-August to early November. However, many breeding species spend the spring
and summer here, including gulls, terns, waders, black guillemots, cormorants and
even the odd corncrake. he permanent Bird Observatory (see below),in the southwest
corner of the island, can give advice on recent sightings.
7
The Lighthouses and the Wool Mill
Exhibitions May-Aug daily 10am-5pm • Free • Guided tours May-Sept Sun noon-5.30pm; at other times by appointment • £5 or £7
with the Mill • T 01857 633297, W northronaldsay.co.uk
The attractive, stone-built Old Beacon was first lit in 1789, but the lantern was replaced
by the huge bauble of masonry you now see as long ago as 1809. The New Lighthouse ,
designed by Alan Stevenson in 1854 half a mile to the north, is the tallest land-based
lighthouse in Britain, rising to a height of over 100ft. There's an exhibition on the
lighthouse in one of the keepers' cottages, as well as an exhibition on the history of life on
the island and a café (see below). You can also climb to the top of the lighthouse, don
white gloves (to protect the brass) and admire the view - on a clear day you can see Fair
Isle, and even Sumburgh and Fitful Head on Shetland. Finally, you can combine this with
a tour of the island's Wool Mill where they turn the North Ron fleeces into yarn and felt.
ARRIVAL AND INFORMATION
NORTH RONALDSAY
By plane Your best bet is to catch a flight from Kirkwall
(Mon-Sat 3 daily, 2 on Sun; 15min): if you stay the night on
the island, you're eligible for a bargain £21 return fare.
By ferry The ferry from Kirkwall to North Ronaldsay runs
just once a week (usually Fri; 2hr 40min), though there are
also summer sailings via Papa Westray (usually Tues; 3hr
10min), and day-trips are possible on occasional Sundays
between late May and early September ( T 01856 872044
for details).
Tourist information W northronaldsaytrust.co.uk.
GETTING AROUND
By bus A minibus usually meets the ferries and planes
( T 01857 633244) and will take you to the lighthouse.
Bike rental Contact Mark ( T 01857 633297, W north
ronaldsay.co.uk).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Bird Observatory T 01857 633200, W nrbo.co.uk. You
can stay (or camp) at the ecofriendly bird observatory,
either in an en-suite guest room or in a hostel bunkbed. The
Obscafé serves decent evening meals (£14 for two courses)
- obviously try the mutton, washed down with Dark Island
beer. Food serv ed d aily noo n-2pm & evening s b y arrange-
ment. Doubles £72 ; dorms £16.50 ; camping £5 /pitch
The Lighthouse T 01857 633297, W northronaldsay
.co.uk. Great little café in the old lighthouse keepers'
cottages serving snacks and evening meals (by arrange-
ment) - make sure you sample one of their famous North
Ronaldsay mutton pies. May-Aug daily 10am-5pm;
Sept-April phone ahead.
 
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