General Information

General Information in Westray

Mobile phone users should note that reception is quite dependent on the provider in Westray, with Vodafone and O2 providing coverage reasonable outdoor coverage and EE/BT working quite well more or less everywhere.

Shops

There are 3 shops on Westray, all stock general provisions but each with their own individual flavour.

W I Rendall is found in Pierowall village and has a good selection of gifts and souvenirs. It also boasts the only fuel pumps on the island and stocks Calor Gas. It is open from 9am -6pm Monday to Saturday (Sunday 2-4:30pm, Summer only)

JC Tulloch is also in Pierowall village and along with a wide range of produce also has an off licence and the Post Office.  Opening hours are 9 am – 7.30 pm Monday to Saturday and during the afternoon on a Sunday.

The Skello Shop is found in Skelwick, in the southern part of the island, signed off the main road between the village and the Rapness ferry terminal. Here you will find a very well stocked rural shop with an off-licence and a Post Office, open Mon – Sat 10am – 6pm and Sun 2pm – 5pm.

All 3 shops sell Westray baked bread and biscuits from WFM Brown, and fish from Pierowall Fish.

Eating out

The Pierowall Hotel is open for meals over lunchtime and all evenings. Takeaway meals are also available from the Pierowall Hotel.
 
Jack’s Chippy is open on Wednesday and Saturday evenings 4.30 – 7.30 p.m.  They have a wide menu and arguably the best fish and chips in Orkney, divine puddings and much more.  They also sell fresh fish each weekday.
 

Groatie Buckies Café is located within W I Rendall’s shop in Pierowall village.  They provide locally roasted, Fair Trade coffee and light lunches. They offer a choice of home-made soups each day with a selection of fillings for toasties, wraps and baked potatoes. Delicious cakes and bakes are also served. 

 

The Wheeling Steen Gallery and Coffee Shop offers a relaxing space where you may sit and enjoy a coffee and view the photographs, prints and paintings which are for sale. Then, why not have a browse among the gifts and souvenirs. Hot and cold drinks, pre-packed bakes and whippy ice cream also available.

 
Drinks, snacks and crafts can be enjoyed at Richan’s Retreat, a short walk from the Rapness ferry terminal.
 
The Skello Shop has a few tables and chairs and a coffee machine for anyone who wishes to call along there.  There are always homebakes for sale too.
 

Kirk services

There are 2 kirks on the island and a Quaker meeting.

The Church of Scotland (The Old Kirk) and the Baptist Kirk both hold Sunday morning services at 11:30 am.  All welcome. See local shops for details of services during holiday periods as they are often united.

Westray and Papa Westray Quaker Meeting: Meetings in Friends homes, children welcome. Contact Sandy: 01857 677482 for further information. 

 

Swimming pool

The swimming pool is open at various times during the week for public session, please see notices in shops and at the Healthy Living Centre. With advanced booking, the swimming pool can be hired with a lifeguard – excellent for wet days. Private hire prices start from £30/hour.

 

Doctors

There is a Doctors Surgery at Gill Pier, Pierowall, serving both Westray & Papa Westray. See the Westray Surgery website for details of services and surgery times. www.orcadespractice.co.uk/westray

 

General Information in Papa Westray

Access is free to all historical sites. The island is rich in birdlife; listen out for calling corncrakes. The RSPB North Hill reserve is famous for Scottish primrose and breeding birds including skuas and puffins. 

There is a coastal walk all round the island, with stiles. The Bothy Museum, located at Holland Farm, is always open.

Coffee Mornings are held in the community room, St Ann’s Kirk, from 10.30 to 12.00 on Wednesdays, raising money for charity. All are welcome.

The Kelp Store Craft & Heritage Centre is open all the time. This beautifully renovated building has cabinets of information about all aspects of the island’s rich heritage and displays of locally-made crafts.

The Saturday Pub is at Beltane House, the Papa Westray hostel. The bar cupboard is opened at 9pm.

 

Shops

The Papay Community Cooperative Shop at Beltane House provides a very wide range of food, drink, fuel and other supplies. The shop is open from 9am – 11am Monday to Friday, from 3 – 5pm on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and from 6 – 7pm on Saturday. Times change with the clocks and the summer/winter loganair timetable. Same as above for the winter but open from 15:30 – 17:30 in afternoons except for Tuesday when still closed.  Phone 01857 644 321.

 

Eating Out

Self-service tea and coffee are available at Beltane House in the hostel dining room. Look out for local events including dances and cinema screenings on the Papay Facebook page. Phone 01857 644 321.

Coffee Mornings are held in the community room, St Ann’s Kirk, from 10.30 to 12.00 on Wednesdays, raising money for charity. All are welcome.

The Saturday Pub is at Beltane House, the Papa Westray hostel, open from 8pm.

“Northern delights” café is at the North end of the island, next to the North Hill entrance. They are currently closed but should reopen again in the spring of 2025, see facebook.com/northerndelightspapay 

 

Kirk Services

There are Sunday services at St Ann’s Kirk (Church of Scotland) at 2.00 pm and at the Gospel Hall at 5.00 pm.

Westray and Papa Westray Quaker Meeting: Meetings in Friends homes, children welcome. Contact Sandy: 01857 677482 for further information.