18th January, 2012
Westraak Guided Tours:
Book your Westraak Tour for 2012.
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, Taxi hire and the home of the Haff Yok Cafe.
The Haff Yok Cafe is open now as follows: Saturday and Wednesday - 12.30 pm to 5 pm. until the end of March. Then we are open seven days a week over the 2 weeks straddling Easter.
Summer opening hourse will start on 7th May until the end of September - 7 days a week.
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, including 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 theTeam is doing.
Also, there is a very exciting dig under way at the Noltland Links site. This will re-open in the early Spring and continue through next Season. 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 and one which I include in the Westraak Tour Itinerary.
Of course, the Westray Wife , or Orkney Venus as she is formally called, will be on display at the Westray Heritage Centre, from May, 2012, so this is a must for anyone visiting Westray. I always give my Tour Guests time off to make this visit and meet her.
Interested in the Westray Wife, but can’t make it to Westray? Log on to the Westray Heritage Centre site, above, and look for the Noltland Links link.
Useless Info! :
Westray has no midgies! Doon sooth, some places are plagued by these people-eating insects, but Westray does not have any - all Summer.
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 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 will be on their website in the next couple of months. 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
