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Papay / Papa Westray
Papay or Papa Westray, takes its name from the Celtic clergy
who were there before the Vikings. This small island lies
just east of Westray, to which it is connected by the shortest
scheduled air route in the world, a distance undertaken in
two minutes or less, depending on the wind.
 The Knap of Howar, is the oldest known stone built house
in Orkney and, like Skara Brae, it was revealed after a severe
storm. The walls of the well-preserved houses still stand
to a height of 1.6m, and the stone interiors are remarkably
intact.
Large numbers of artefacts including much Unstan Ware pottery
was found, along with bone, flint and stone tools. Bones
of domestic animals, fish, seals and birds, including Great
Auk were abundant as well as many mollusk shells.
The earliest dates were from about 3600BC, 500 years before
Skara Brae, and the latest about 3100BC, so the site may
have been occupied for at least 500 years.
The Holm of Papay has two chambered cairns, the larger being
of Maeshowe-type with a chamber over 20m long with 12 side
cells. This impressive and mostly intact structure is well
worth a visit. Teistie Taing at the south end is a good place
to see seals and the nearby Bay of South Cruive is good for
finding Groatie Buckies (Cowrie shells).
Early Christian Sites include St Tredwell’s Chapel,
dedicated to St Triduana is built on top of an Iron Age broch
on the Loch of St Tredwell. Triduana was a nun whose eyes
were so admired by Nechtan, King of Picts, that she plucked
them out and sent them to him on a thorn branch to retain
her virtue.
 The St Boniface Church near the Knap of Howar has been refurbished
and is worth a visit. Boniface was a 7th century English
missionary who became Archbishop of Germany in 728AD, and
was massacred with his followers in 754AD.
The church dates from the 12th century and
is still in use today. The interesting graveyard has an 11th
century hog-backed gravestone which has been linked to the
burial of Earl Rognvald Brusison in c.1045. This site has
extensive Iron Age, Pictish and Norse remains, and there
was probably a much older chapel here before the Vikings
arrived.
Holland Farm has a fine 19th century steading with a circular
horse engine house, doocot and corn drying kiln. The main
part of the house dates from about 1636, and there is an
interesting folk museum in the bothy.
Wildlife
Papay is famous for its birds, with the North Hill being
an RSPB Reserve and home to many breeding Terns and Arctic
Skuas in summer. There is a small bird cliff at Fowl Craig
on the east side, site of the killing of the last Great
Auk in Britain in 1813.
The island is also a good place to search for migrants in
spring and autumn. The Mull Head is said to be perhaps the
best place for sea-watching in Orkney, as it forms a natural
turning point.
Flora The North Hill is mostly made up of maritime heath
and has an interesting variety of plants, many in dwarf form.
These include several sedges and herbs such as Dog Violet,
Primrose, Spring Squill,Grass of Parnassus, Heath Spotted
Orchid, Mountain Everlasting and Primula scotica.
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