Papa Westray

Papa Westray is one of the Orkney Islands north of mainland Scotland - nearly the northernmost, but North Ronaldsay edges it by half a mile. Papa Westray measures 4 miles north-south and a mile across, and is more low-lying and fertile than nearby Westray. In 2011 it had 90 residents, who usually just call it "Papay", pronounced Papee — the name refers to medieval priests. There's no travel information centre, but see the island website for info.

Get in
By plane: Twice daily Loganair flights link Kirkwall with Papa Westray. These flights also stop at Westray just across the channel, making it the world's shortest scheduled flight, at just under two minutes. The flight between Kirkwall and North Ronaldsay also calls at Papa Westray on some days of the week.

is midway along the island.

By boat the usual route is to first take the car ferry from Kirkwall on Orkney Mainland, which sails 2 or 3 times a day to Rapness at the south tip of Westray. There it's met by a minibus which takes you six miles north to Pierowall for the little inter-island ferry to Papa Westray. This sails May-Sep 3 to 6 times a day, taking 25 min, for foot passengers and bicycles only. Until April 2025, return fares from Kirkwall are £11.90 adult, £8.90 conc, £4.90 child. Day trips between Westray and Papay are also possible and the return fare is £5.90 adult.

Sailing Oct-April, or if you need to bring a vehicle, you need to take the Tuesday car ferry, which sails a triangular route between Kirkwall, Papay and North Ronaldsay.

is the landing point for all ferries.

Get around
Walk: it's hardly worth bringing a bike here let alone a car.

See

 * Holland Farm just south of the airfield has an attractive set of 17th-19th century buildings and the small "Bothy museum". You're free to look around anytime, but it's a working farm so take care around machinery, animals and so on.
 * Holland Farm just south of the airfield has an attractive set of 17th-19th century buildings and the small "Bothy museum". You're free to look around anytime, but it's a working farm so take care around machinery, animals and so on.
 * is a gully that the sea rages into when the weather is easterly. If anyone ever did try to leap it, he's not been seen since.
 * is a scrappy ruin on a mound on the east bank of the freshwater St Tredwell's Loch. It's a medieval chapel built over an Iron Age settlement. The 8th-century Triduana, Tredwell or Trøllhaena was supposed to have plucked out her own eyes (no doubt in an empowered sort of way) when pestered by a suitor, and spent her later years in Restalrig in Edinburgh healing the blind. She was venerated at various spots including here, and ophthalmic miracles were ascribed to her.
 * is an islet 100 m east of Papa Westray. The Southcairn is a 20-metre-long chambered cairn from 3000 BC, used as a burial place, and with ancient carvings. A modern roof has been added to protect it, enter via the trapdoor. Ask at the hostel about boat trips to get here.
 * is an islet 100 m east of Papa Westray. The Southcairn is a 20-metre-long chambered cairn from 3000 BC, used as a burial place, and with ancient carvings. A modern roof has been added to protect it, enter via the trapdoor. Ask at the hostel about boat trips to get here.

Do



 * Wildlife: bird life and seals are the main features, but always keep looking (including on the ferry), you never know what might come into view.
 * Dark skies: Papa Westray is free of light pollution so expect starry skies and maybe the aurora borealis on any clear night September to April. In summer it's a lost cause as the sky never gets properly dark.

Eat, drink and buy
Papay Co-op is the only shop, in Beltane House next to the hostel and open M W-F 9-11AM, 3:30-5:30PM, Tu 9-11AM, Sa 9-11AM, 6-7PM.

Connect
As of July 2024, the island has no signal from any UK carrier.

Go next

 * Westray can be reached without returning to the Mainland. It has sea stacks and cliffs and a 16th-century castle.
 * North Ronaldsay can likewise be reached direct by air on some days of the week.
 * Kirkwall is where all inter-island routes eventually return.