19th May, 2009

Gallery:

Some new photos on our Gallery page - take a look.

Eating Out:

The Haff Yok Cafe will be providing evening meals again, this Summer, from Thursday, 28th May.   Meals will be served on Thursday and Saturday evenings and will specialise in fresh organic Westray food.   Contact Kathy on 01857 677777 for more information or to book your table.

Wildlife:

Shag are now on eggs at the Scaun and at Noup.   Have a look at the photograph of them on their nesting ledges at the Scaun..

Noup has Gannets, Kittewakes, Guillemot, Razorbill, Fulmar, Great and Arctic Skua and a small number of Puffins.   Over the last couple of days, I have seen Swift and House Martins feeding there too.   One visitor, which I have never seen before, was a White Tailed Sea Eagle, on the way to Noup and that was very exciting for the other two Guets who were with me at the time.

Another exciting moment was one of my Guests spotting a Killer Whale when we were viewing Puffins at Castle o' Burrian one evening last week.

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. 

Puffins:

The Puffins are here!

We went to Castle o’ Burrian on 11th April and the 450 or so Puffins are back on the stack.   If anyone is interested in the arrival date, compared to last year, then they arrived ashore on Wednesday, 8th April, which is exactly one week earlier than 2008.

Weather:

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 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.    This timetable runs from now until 28th September, 2009.  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

Westraak:

Escape the credit crunch!   Come to Westray - even if  for only a week or two!   The peace and solitude will be 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, Taxi hire and the home of the Haff Yok Cafe and evening Restaurant.

Book your Westraak Tour for 2009.   Westraak is open all year round for Tours of Westray and bookings for Summer 2009 are coming in.   You can check our ’Bookings’ page for availability.   
 
Should you have a date in mind for 2009, 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. 
 
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!
 
Haff Yok Cafe:
 
The Haff Yok Cafe is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 1230 to 1700 until May, 2009, when we will be open 7 days a week once more.   
 
Come to the Haff Yok and browse the Information at our Tourist Information Point over lunch, or try some of our traybakes with fresh coffee or tea.
 
We have a Restaurant Licence, so you can enjoy a glass of wine or Orkney beer with your meal.
 
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 .....................