10th February, 2010

Westraak Guided Tours:

Come to Westray - even if  for only a week or two!   The peace and solitude here is the ideal tonic and you will go home fully refreshed.

Here, on Westray, you can really feel the remoteness and slip into the island way of life for a short spell.   We promise you that you will feel the benefits - immediately you arrive.

There are excellent facilities, with a variety of accommodation opportunities, eating out, sea tours and sightseeing.

Then, of course, there is Westraak, where we provide Guided Tours, Bike Hire (with child seats, kiddie-carrier and trailer-bike attachemnts), Taxi hire and the home of the Haff Yok Cafe and evening Restaurant.

Book your Westraak Tour for 2010.   Westraak is open all year round for Tours of Westray and bookings for Summer 2010 are coming in.   You can check our ’Bookings’ page for availability.   
 
Should you have a date in mind for 2010, please check the Bookings page and book online or call us on 01857 677777 or E-mail on info@westraak.co.uk.   
 
If you want to see the other services available here on Westray, please visit www.westraypapawestray.co.uk
 
Come to Westray and get a ’feel’ for the remoteness and experience real island life.   If there is any aspect of your proposed trip to Orkney that we can help with, call us or E-mail and we’ll be delighted to help. 
 
Wildlife:
 
A visit to Noup Head today revealed something I have never seen as early in the year as this before - several thousand Guillemot both on the water and on the cliff ledges.   Take a look at the picture I have placed in the Gallery.
 
Also, not really wildlife - the first lambs this year at Noup Farm.   Take a look at these tiny guys.

Haff Yok Cafe:

The Haff Yok Cafe is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from now until the end of March and will then be open each day over the Easter period. 

Kathy serves only the very best home-bakes and locally-produced bakery.   The Haff Yok is also a ’Fair Trader’.

Contact Kathy on 01857 677777 for more information.

The Haff Yok also stocks a small amount of Crafts, both local and from elsewhere, uincluding Fairly Traded craftwork.   We feature some very impressive artwork by our Nephew, L. B. McNicoll.  These are mainly Orkney scenes and if you would like to see more of his work, please use this link www.kasia-dixon.eu and if you like anything you see, or want to get in touch with L. B. McNicoll, please use his following E-mail address at mcnicoll.artist@hotmail.com .

Westray Heritage and Archaeology:

Follow the link below and take a look at Westray Heritage Centre’s site.   You will be amazed at what Nancy and her Team are doing.

Also, there is a very exciting dig under way at the Noltland Links site.   To find out more, please visit http://www.westrayheritage.co.uk and follow the link to ’Noltland Links’.   This is proving to be one the most significant sites in Orkney.

Throughout the Summer, whilst the EASE Archaeological Team are onsite, Westraak Tours include this site in the itinerary for the day.   This offers an extrememly rare opportunity to see the excavation under way and to learn about this hugely important site.

Wildlife:

Right now, there are large numbers of Dunlin, Ringed Plover, Snipe, Widgeon, Teal, Mallard, Redwing and Greylags.   There are a few Whooper Swans, but not as many as I recall from last Winter.

It seems quite amazing, but Puffins will return in the next 8 - 10 weeks!

By the way, Westray has no midgies!   Doon sooth, some places are plagued by these people-eating insects, but Westray does not have any - all Summer. 

Weather:

Weather has been cold over the last month, with some frost and very little snow, unlike the rest of the UK!

For accurate up-to-the-minute weather, visit these links.   I use these websites to plan my daily itinerary.   Click on the link.    Birsay Bay on the West mainland of Orkney is about 18 miles south west of Westray’s Noup Head and the other site is based here on Westray.

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=uk7dayx6;type=range;page=1;sess=

http://magicseaweed.com/Birsay-Bay-Surf-Report/97/detailedLongRange/uk/    

Ferries:

Orkney Ferries Summer timetable is on their website.     A good idea, when planning your trip to Westray, is to have a look at their website at www.orkneyferries.co.uk so that you can view the range of services, including the Papay service from Gill Pier.

Also, have a look at Northlink’s website for opportunities at:

http://www.northlinkferries.co.uk/shetland-orkney-tours.html and Pentland Ferries at

www.pentlandferries.co.uk

Fair Trade:
 
Westray and Papay have both been accredited with ’Fair Trading’ status and, of course, we are delighted with that.   A lot of hard work, commitment and determination, as well as a sound belief in ethical trading, has resulted in this award.
 
We are proud to say that we, at Westraak and the Haff Yok Cafe, are Fair Traders.   Try our Westray tablet - made with Fairly Traded sugar!
 
Other Tours:
 
As mentioned above, another way to see Westray is from the sea.   You can find out more if you visit this website at www.pierowallcharters.co.uk
 
More later .....................