Westray
Westray is a small northern island within Scotland's Orkney Islands archipelago. Its two villages are Rapness, the ferry port near its south end, and the larger Pierowall in the north. A lane stretches the six miles between them.
Get in
By boat: Orkney Ferries sail between Kirkwall and 🌍 Rapness two or three times a day, taking 90 mins.
Some 3 to 6 ferries a day link Pierowall with Papa Westray, taking 25 mins.
By plane: Twice daily Loganair flights link Kirkwall with Westray. The 🌍 airport is at the north tip of the island two miles from Pierowall. These flights also stop at Papa Westray just across the channel, making it the shortest scheduled flight in the world at just under two minutes duration.
Understand
World's shortest scheduled flight: what does that mean? First, it means commercial aviation: private aircraft larking about their aero club, or Australian farmers checking their far-flung stock, don't count. Second, it means a point-to-point service that you can by a ticket for. For instance in Kenya in the Masai Mara wildlife reserve, the planes make short low-altitude hops between any safari camps that have travellers that day, before heading back to Nairobi. But you can't buy a ticket between those camps, as effectively they're just separate terminals of a single destination. Third, it means a regular scheduled service: it might be fun to charter a big plane to recreate Orville Wright's first powered flight of 12 seconds, with everyone gussied up in 1903 period costume, but you couldn't claim this particular record.
The Westray-Papa Westray hop is part of a triangular flight coming out from Kirkwall then immediately returning, so normally all passengers are going to and from the Orkney Mainland. Nevertheless you can buy a ticket just for the hop, costing £17. As with the other inter-Orkney flights, you can't book this online, so either fill in the online booking request or phone Loganair. That's because they give priority to residents and essential travellers, so they may need to know the nature of your trip. "Wanting to fly the world's shortest route" is a perfectly acceptable reason but you'll appreciate you may get bumped if someone urgently needs to visit the dentist.
This flight has operated since 1967 and used to be in just one direction, Westray to Papa Westray, but nowadays it's both. The flight is scheduled for two minutes but is often less, and the record stands at 53 seconds. If you're collecting these things, the world's second-shortest air route is probably between Stronsay and Sanday, at five minutes. Several other inter-Orkney routes are scheduled for ten minutes, but don't expect dinner and a movie.
Get around
By bus
A minibus from M&J Harcus +44 1857 677450, can be arranged to meet the ferry at Rapness to take you to Pierowall and vice versa. Telephone in advance or arrange on the ferry.
By Bike
Cycling is a good way to get around the island. Hire can be arranged by:
- Sand O'Gill, Pierowall, +44 1857 677374.
- Twiness, +44 1857 677319.
- Rapness Manse, Rapness +44 1857 677494.
See
Do
- Visit the Westray Heritage Centre in Pierowall for traditional crafts and local history, plus a small café.
Buy
There are a couple of mini-markets in Pierowall to stock up in. There is also a potters in Pierowall
- 🌍 Royal Bank of Scotland, Pierowall. Wed 9:15 - 12:00, 13:00 - 14:45. Bank branch, but only open one day per week, and no ATM.
- Hume Sweet Hume, Pierowall. Knitwear and souvenir shop.
- 🌍 W I Rendall, Pierowall, KW17 2DH. General Grocers
Eat & Drink
- Pierowall Hotel. Reputedly the best fish & chips in Orkney, plus other bar & restaurant food.
- Jack's Chippy (Pierowall Fish Ltd), Broughton, KW17 2DA. Wed & Sat: 4.30 to 7.30pm (to 8.30pm June - Aug). A fishmonger selling raw fish every day, with a fish and chip shop two evenings per week.
Sleep
- Bis Geo Hostel (2 km west of Pierowall.), ☎ +44 1857 677420. Excellent youth hostel, with a lounge/conservatory giving views along the coast.
- The Barn, Chalmersquoy, ☎ +44 1857 677214. Very good hostel. bed £22 pppn.
- The Kilnmans Cottage (Pierowall). Self catering cottage sleeping 4 £40 per night, £220 per week.
- Pierowall Hotel, +44 1857 677208.
Stay safe
Go next
- Papa Westray - get away from it even more on a day trip to the neighbouring island.