North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond: Stone walls of Midhowe Broch on the shore of Rousay, with the sea and sky behind

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North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond

Rousay's tombs, Westray's castle and cliffs, the Knap of Howar and the lighthouses of the outer isles

Welkom in het gebied

Rousay's tombs, Westray's castle and cliffs, the Knap of Howar and the lighthouses of the outer isles

The North Isles are reached by Orkney Ferries and Loganair's inter-isles flights from Kirkwall. Rousay, a short crossing from Tingwall, has at least 15 chambered cairns and a walk along its south coast that passes Blackhammer, Taversoe Tuick and the Knowe of Yarso before reaching Midhowe's huge stalled cairn and broch. Egilsay and Wyre hold a Norse church and a castle of the 1100s.

Westray, with a population of a little over 550, has Noltland Castle, the Westray Heritage Centre in Pierowall and the seabird cliffs at Noup Head. From Westray, the world's shortest scheduled flight crosses to Papa Westray and the Knap of Howar, among the oldest standing houses in north-west Europe. Sanday, Eday and North Ronaldsay have more tombs and the tallest land-based lighthouse in Britain.

Hoogtepunten

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Op de kaart

The map shows North Isles: Rousay, Westray & beyond and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.

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Insidertips

Voor vertrek

1

Book ferries and flights early

Orkney Ferries asks travellers to book as early as possible, particularly in summer; the inter-isles planes have seven passenger seats.

2

Walk Rousay's tomb trail

Historic Environment Scotland describes a walk from the Rousay pier via Blackhammer, Taversoe Tuick and the Knowe of Yarso to Midhowe.

3

Sanday's summer bus

The Sanday Bus meets every ferry at Loth pier from early May to late September and runs on demand in winter.

4

Hatch and ladder

Historic Environment Scotland says visitors enter the Holm of Papa Westray cairn through a roof hatch and down a vertical ladder.

Tips van de Britlens-redactie

Fotoverantwoording

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits