Orkney and Shetland, June 2024

A Perfect Day on Westray and Papa Westray – Castle o’Burrian Puffins, The World’s Shortest Commercial Air Flight, Papa Westray Coastal Walk, Knap of Howar, and More Puffins!

On Westray I had contacted Westraak Tours, a local company, hoping to join one of their evening puffin watching tours at a sea stack known as Castle o’Burrian. They weren’t running those tours on my dates but offered to take me there for a morning visit on their way to the ferry to pick up clients, and then after about an hour of viewing they could take me north to the airport which was perfect as I was taking a flight to Papa Westray.

It was an easy walk, first past a large 19th century water mill that used to grind bere and oatmeal, and then along a pleasant path lined with flowers. It was a surprisingly calm morning with just the slightest breeze so I was able to photograph some white sea campion and two varieties of red campion, a dark pink and a very pale pink.

It was just a short distance to reach the sea stack and, having been warned that the puffins might all be out at sea, I felt very lucky indeed to see puffins flying in and landing on the rock shelves and turf, as well as popping into and out of burrows. Please click on any photo for an enlargement – they are such appealing birds!

Here is one photo of a charming fellow (or Miss) that I have enlarged for a closer view.

I had the entire place to myself for about a half hour before the small Westraak group joined me, and it was wonderful to sit quietly alone and watch the puffins.

Then, it was north to Westray’s small airfield and into an 8-seater Logan Air plane for the shortest commercial flight in the world from Westray to neighbouring Papa Westray, a flight of only about two minutes. Mine was two minutes and five seconds – it says so on my certificate!

It was a very short but exciting flight and little did I know I would do it again the following day as a stop on my flight from Westray to Kirkwall. We landed perfectly on Papa Westray and I headed south down the island’s main road to the very large collection of farm buildings, some dating from the late 17th century, that belong to the steading of Holland.

This working farm once owned the entire island of Papa Westray, as well as land on Westray and Mainland. They have a small Bothy Museum, open to visitors, that is filled with historic items typical of a small early 19th century farm dwelling.

From there I walked about a half mile to the west coast of the island to view the Knap of Howar, which are the oldest Neolithic buildings to be found in northwestern Europe. The dwellings were occupied from 3700 BC to 2800 BC and are very well preserved. The two connected homes are similar to those found at Skara Brae, with low entrance doors facing the sea, central hearths, storage cupboards, stone slab partitions, and bed areas. It was magnificent to view the site, to enter through the low front doors and walk through the space, and to crawl through the low tunnel that connects the two dwellings. I felt very privileged and happy to be there.

I was also happy to begin walking up the coast. It was a beautiful day! The wind was much calmer than on previous days, and although the sky was hazy not one drop of rain fell all day. Papa Westray is a small island, only four miles long by one mile wide, and a coastal trail of about eleven miles goes all the way around the island. My plan was to travel a short ways north to reach an early Norse church, and then cross over to the east side of the island to visit its white shell beaches and then walk south to the ferry terminal. The trail along the grass and beside the sea was well defined and wonderfully scenic. There were enticing views of the coast ahead, the splash of waves on the shore, and lovely cattle and their calves in the fields to my right. What a glorious place to walk!

I soon arrived at St Boniface Kirk which dates to the 12th century (as St Olav’s Kirk), and was built on the site of an 8th century church. It is one of the few churches that survived the Reformation and is still in use today. It was abandoned in 1929 but then restored in 1993. The interior was pleasingly sparse and very peaceful, with a bouquet of fresh flowers adding a touch of colour to the space.

I had planned to head back to the main road from the church but the walking was so wonderful that I just kept on going. I soon left the church behind,

and here is a view, some time later, looking forward and inland (zoomed in) to the RSPB North Hill Reserve bird viewing building. That was my new destination!

I started to climb towards it across the heath but many gulls rose up around me to complain about my presence. I persisted and walked a bit further, but then I saw a toddler-aged (in bird years), round and fuzzy gray chick awkwardly running away at speed. Oops! So sorry! I apologized to the birds, turned around, and quickly walked away as non-threateningly as I could! (I imagined that there might be some serious birders up in the building “tsk, tsking” as they watched me scuttle away!)

Back at the shore, I returned down the coast to the church and from there walked inland to the main road. I walked past the airfield back to Holland Farm, and then turned to walk towards the east coast of the island. Here I passed the health centre, a small school and playground, the community shop, and a really wonderful hostel. I truly wished that I had several days to be here on the island instead of just one.

I reached the east coast of the island and arrived at this splendid white shell beach with other beaches visible in the far distance.

Across the water was a small islet called the Holm of Papa Westray. The distinctive shape of its chambered cairn is clearly visible. Boat rides can be arranged to view the cairn which has a twenty metre long central passage with twelve side chambers, and it apparently houses a collection of Neolithic artwork.

I turned to the south and headed off down the grassy path towards a lovely old farmhouse,

and shortly afterwards I stopped to look inland and out over the Loch of St Tredwell. A small peninsula reaches out into this loch and there one can find the remains of a late medieval church, St Tredwell’s Chapel, built atop a conical mound of Iron Age remains. The chapel was a pilgrimage centre and was associated with miraculous cures, especially for eye problems. I had planned to walk out to the site but missed seeing the side trail that leads out onto the peninsula.

From here I continued along on the path, walking past many curved stony beaches, dark rock outcroppings, and the remains of old crofts. There were also lovely wildflowers to photograph, including one newly-met – the lavender star-shaped flowers are called Spring Squill.

I finally stopped for a rest and a snack at one steeply-sided beach and scanned the shore, hoping for a glimpse of an otter.

I was not lucky, but I did have a surprising and rather unusual wildlife experience a little later, just beyond this fence and stile where I had stopped to photograph the think curling lichen that covered the stones (it is known as Sea Ivory).

As I was taking the above photos, several fulmars soared by rather close but I was used to this. Then, when I stepped up and over the stile, at first I didn’t notice the fulmar sitting on her nest just below. She coughed up and ejected a copious amount of bright orange fluid towards me. Thank goodness it didn’t reach as it is apparently very oily, sticky, and foul-smelling.

She was getting ready to do it again so I had to leap off of the stile backwards away from her! As I moved away, I saw that there were multiple fulmars nesting on the south side of the stone fence. Again, I apologized for causing a disturbance!

I continued on down the coast enjoying my best day of walking so far – it was warm enough to take off my rain jacket! In the distance, I saw the silhouette of some birds that I immediately knew were shags.

Look at these two!

I’ve enlarged the next photo so it is not in great focus, but you can just see the lovely dark coppery-green sheen on the plumage. The bright yellow feathers on its cheek are below its bottle-green eye.

I was so busy watching the shags that it took me a few moments to notice the puffins on a nearby ledge!

Here is one enlarged image.

I had plenty of time before the next ferry back to Westray so I watched them for a long time before finally moving on. I was nearing the south end of the island and felt quite replete with all that I had seen. I thought that Papa Westray had shown me plenty of beautiful sites and then I turned a corner to this stunning view across a flowery field of the pier and a white sand beach beyond.

How beautiful!

I walked out to the end of the pier,

to photograph the white shell beach across the way,

and then found a spot on the rocks out of the wind which by now had grown stronger and cold. I ate a very late lunch,

and watched a trio of eider ducks and then an oyster catcher feeding in the shallows. Thankfully these were birds that I didn’t disturb!

It had been a magnificent day, actually a quite perfect day, on Westray and Papa Westray. Thank you Orkney Islands!

Orkney and Shetland, June 2024

Wonderful Westray Walks – Westray Heritage Centre, Noltland Links and Loop Walk, Noltland Castle, Noup Head Loop

It was another rainy morning in Kirkwall and I decided on taking an afternoon ferry instead of waking early for a morning boat. I enjoyed my cozy airbnb until check out time, and then I spent some time at the Orkney Library which was founded in 1683 and is one of the oldest public libraries in Scotland. I then shopped for groceries for my three day stay on Westray before heading to the ferry terminal for the 85 minute journey. Here is a photo looking back towards Kirkwall,

and here is a photo some time later as we passed by Egilsay (you can just make out the tower of St Magnus Church), with the heather-covered hills of the island of Rousay behind.

It was a fun crossing, with good conversations with fellow travellers and a nice rolling sea. A local bus service dropped me off at my accommodation, The Barn Hostel, which is located on the seafront at the edge of Westray’s main town of Pierowall. The town curves all along the edge of a large shallow bay. This is the view from opposite the hostel!

Rain was threatening, and I wanted to do the Noltland Links loop hike before it started so I headed out straight away after dropping off my backpack and groceries. I walked into town and made a brief stop at the Westray Heritage Centre. Outside, there was a skeleton of a sperm whale, and an example of a boat noust – a fence of stones arranged above the beaches to store and protect boats. There are examples of old nousts, some dating from Viking times, all over Westray and the other Orkney islands.

I spent a brief amount of time inside the small but informative centre, intending to visit again another day but sadly I never found the time. I did look at the Westray Wife, a tiny stone figurine, only 4cm high, carved over 5,000 years ago, which is the oldest known representation of the human form ever to be found in Scotland (unfortunately my photo is poorly lit). I also viewed the Westray Stone which was found at Pierowall village. The beautiful spiral and lozenge design is similar to that of carved stones found at Newgrange and other tombs in the Boyne valley in Ireland, suggesting interconnections between the two areas more than four thousand years ago.

Back outside, I walked along Pierowall’s waterfront road and stopped at the ruins of the Lady Kirk, a 13th century church with later modifications made in the 17th century.

I continued along, past the far end of Pierowall Bay and then took a road that cut northwest across the island. I was walking straight into the wind and of course rain started to fall. I pushed my way through the wind and the wet with the help of my umbrella and seriously considered turning around and returning to my warm hostel, but I carried on and was soon very glad that I did. The rain squall didn’t last long and it was over by the time I reached Rack Wick Bay, with its long curve of steep stony beach where islanders used to gather seaweed. Here is a view looking north, and I considered adding to my hike by walking to the far headland to visit Quoygrew, the remains of a 10th century Viking settlement that included a long house, dwelling houses, farm fields, and a fishing station.

Deciding against a longer walk, I turned south for this view, zoomed in, looking towards Noup Head in the far distance, its lighthouse just barely visible in the photo.

Just behind me, at the top of the steep beach there were examples of nousts, and to the southwest was a clear track leading across a lovely expanse of turf covered in small flowers including many buttercups and my first sighting of the very pretty little flower called eye bright.

The air was fresh and invigorating and I felt good as I walked along by the sea. The end of the bay was marked by sandstone rock formations lined with bright sea pinks. I had read that fossils can be found here.

After exploring the rocks, I continued along on the grassy machair and could see dunes in the distance as I approached the beaches at Grobust.

At the start of the dunes was a bench, well-placed for the view, but it was too cold and windy to sit! I continued along on the narrow trail that angled across the dune,

to the first of two beautiful white shell beaches and a turquoise sea.

Here is the second beach, looking back to the far headland,

and looking directly out to sea.

On one section of beach there were deep mounds of seaweed at the high tide line. Nearby there are a series of low drystone walls known as tangle dykes. Until recently, great amounts of kelp were harvested during the winters and left to dry on the walls before being sent away for processing.

Also nearby are the hidden remains of the Links of Noltland, a very well-preserved Neolithic farming settlement dating from 3300 BC to 800 BC. Excavations here revealed at least a dozen dwellings and many artefacts including the Westray Wife. Orkney’s largest Bronze Age settlement has also been discovered here. The excavations have been halted for several years, and the sites reburied in sand for protection, but they are set to resume soon as the ancient settlements are threatened by coastal erosion, as are many important archaeological sites in Orkney.

I continued around to the end of the bay to locate the Knowe of Queen o’ Howe broch which was a rather nondescript grassy mound topped with fallen stones, but the walk there was lovely with swathes of bright yellow birds foot trefoil, tiny daisies, and white clover in the grass.

Then it was up a long farm track, and then down a road toward Noltland Castle, with views of fields, low hills, and a loch. There were many blackbirds and sparrows on the fences, and nesting curlews and oyster catchers in the fields. And, I was very lucky to see a pair of lapwings!

Noltland Castle is huge and imposing with walls more than two metres thick, 71 gun holes, and few windows. It was built between 1560 and 1574 for Gilbert Balfour but never fully completed.

I was the only one there in the rather dark and gloomy castle, though some areas including the magnificent spiral stairscase were lit by motion detector lights. It was a bit of a creepy castle to be honest with sudden and unexpected rustlings, flappings, and noisy complaints as I disturbed pigeons and crows from their nests.

Perhaps my feelings regarding the castle were coloured by the character of the man who had it built. Disliked by the local population, Gilbert Balfour, Sheriff of Orkney and Master of the Household for Mary Queen of Scots, was implicated in the murder of Mary’s husband, Henry Lord Darnley and in an earlier murder of a Cardinal at St. Andrews. He was eventually executed in Stockholm for participating in a plot against King John III of Sweden!

The second story of the castle, open to the sky, with its Great Hall and various chambers was less spooky, though my heart did beat a little fast again when I climbed a thin, narrow, and very much eroded sandstone staircase to the fourth floor to look way down into the Lord’s Chamber and out to the surrounding countryside.

Back at the hostel I relaxed in their large and comfortable lounge and retired early, ready for the next day’s walk of about thirteen kilometres of walking from town and then on the Noup Head Loop. The first three kilometres led me back past the castle and on single lane roads past farms to the trailhead here, where the path led straight to the sea.

Looking south, the coastal trail follows the cliff tops for about five kilometres to East Kirbest,

but I was headed north towards Noup Head with its cliffs, seabird colonies, and lighthouse.

I passed the first of several small sea stacks,

and then a second, seen when looking back.

Fulmars were the first nesting birds that I encountered,

and each time I neared any nesting area fulmars sailed close past me as a warning to stay away.

It was wonderful coastal walking, with calmer winds today and just sprinkles of rain. I was blissfully all alone except for the company of some sheep, some very timid hop-away fast rabbits, and one Arctic tern who flew directly above me to chase me away from a nearby nest.

But the real draw on this walk were the nesting seabirds on the cliffs,

and the beautiful gannets soaring over the sea below me, their long wings outstretched.

The guillemots, black and white, were aligned on narrow shelves with their backs to the wind to protect their precious eggs.

These gannets were busy preening while sitting on nests made of seaweed and guana,

while this gannet flew in with more material for its nest.

I loved watching the gannets soar – the one on the left below is a youngster whose plumage has not quite finished turning white.

Sadly, my zoom lens is not a very powerful one but I am quite happy with this photo of a large black backed gull who soared past rather nonchalantly!

I watched the birds for a long time and then finally made my way to the lighthouse. From there it was an easy walk along a track that led me back to the roads and on to Pierowall.

The reward for my efforts was of course the walk itself and the glorious birds, but my day ended with a few more pleasures – the sighting of a seal on the beach in front of the hostel, a fish and chip dinner, and then this sunset at around nine p.m.,

that went on and on and eventually morphed into this blazing sky by about eleven p.m.!

It was definitely wonderful walking on Westray!