Orkney ferries - North Ronaldsay

[gloomyandy]

Hi,
a couple of years ago I spent a very pleasant few days visiting each of the small isles (Rum, Eigg, Muck and Canna) followed by a trip out to South Uist. I enjoyed spending a night on each of these small islands and the contrast between them. So this year I hope to do the same with the various Orkney Islands. However looking at the current summer timetable it looks like I may need to spend 3 nights on North Ronaldsay. Now lovely though I'm sure this island is, I suspect that I may be struggling to fill three days with things to visit/do. Does anyone happen to know if there are any alternate ways to get to/from there with a bike (so the plane is out)? Any extra ferries that could be used to tie in with one of the scheduled service to reduce the length of my stay? I'd be more than happy getting a ferry/boat from/to one of the other islands like Sanday, Papa Westray etc. as I plan to visit all of them!

Thanks

[Cyril Haearn]

Could one hire a small boat and sail/motor from one island to the next?

[gloomyandy]

Hiring a boat is an interesting idea, but it can get pretty wild up there so I think I'd need a skipper, and a boat plus crew starts to sound expensive. But who knows, it is worth looking into.

[PH]

Do you really need to take your bike? If not you could fly and hire one there.

[gloomyandy]

Do I need my bike, possibly not, but I will have tent plus other stuff to carry and I like exploring places by bike. It was certainly worth having on the small isles a few years ago and they typically had fewer miles of road on them. So yes ideally I'd like to have my bike.

[gloomyandy]

The thing is when I was last up there a couple of years ago, I'm sure that during the summer there were special "excursion" sailings that basically let you get out to North Ronaldsay and back in a day with time for a few hours on the island. I was hoping that something like one of those used in conjunction with one of the normal sailings might give me a day or two on the island. Ah yes a google search turns up a pdf that is no longer available giving details of the 2018 excursions and they are also mentioned here: http://www.nrbo.co.uk/gettinghere.htm. Perhaps I just need to wait a bit to see if they will run this year, or maybe give them a call. Looks like they are on a Sunday which in conjunction with a Friday or Tuesday ferry would work pretty well. Fingers crossed that they will still be running and that they start early enough in the year. I was hoping to head up there around June.

[Cyril Haearn]

I would hover round the harbour and try to hitch a lift on a holiday boat or yacht

[gloomyandy]

I would hover round the harbour and try to hitch a lift on a holiday boat or yacht

That might work quite well for a good looking 20 year old with a small rucksack, not sure if it will go so well for a not so good looking 58 year old with a fully loaded touring bike! But wait I could hide my bike round the corner....

[Cyril Haearn]

I would hover round the harbour and try to hitch a lift on a holiday boat or yacht

That might work quite well for a good looking 20 year old with a small rucksack, not sure if it will go so well for a not so good looking 58 year old with a fully loaded touring bike! But wait I could hide my bike round the corner....

I would try it, want to try it on the canal this year, I am about your age, I can tell stories and entertain people, was doing that only yesterday
Many boats have plenty of room
But beware of them sailing away with you to the Faroes by mistake
Seriously, getting on a strange boat you are at their mercy, maybe one should be wary

[gloomyandy]

If they were going to the Faroes I'd be first in the queue! That's a destination that has been on my must do list for a long time, also a destination that seems to be even harder to get to by boat than North Ronaldsay! I'm sure I could fly, but there is something about a boat/ferry that makes a trip like this seem more of an adventure rather than a chore. Not sure if it is that I've flown a lot when working or what, but I'm sure it is partly the ferries that makes me enjoy trips to the Scottish Islands so much!

But yes I agree that a strange boat could be a serious risk, a lot can happen at sea!

[griggsy]

If you’re not fussed about staying over just go on the Sunday excursion. It’s a pretty small place and you have plenty of time to see around the island by bike. If you do want to stay over I’d leave the bike behind, fly and stay at the bird observatory overnight. The flight is really good on a nice day. It’s a great place but unles you want to count all the seaweed eating sheep and seals you will see everything quite quickly. Only about 60 people live there.

[PDQ Mobile]

Why worry about the extra days but rather use them.
Time enters another dimension on small islands but paradoxically the transition takes time.
The main thing IMV is spending nights and by inference sleeping on the place.
A slowing down and becoming an observer.
There will be a huge amount going on along beaches and in the ever changing skies.

You may leave a slightly different person.

[gloomyandy]

I really want to spend a night camping on the island as I think that is the best way of getting to know a place. Three nights might be fun, but I don't think I'll have the time for that, which is why I am looking at other options.

Places like this can really get under your skin. I've spent a lot of time in the Hebrides over the years and visited several of the Orkney Islands before, I'm looking forward to getting to know some of them a little better this time and also see some of the ones I've missed so far (North Ronaldsay, Sanday, Eday and Rousay). Must say I'm particularly looking forward to returning to Papa Westray again as my previous visit (literally a flying one I took the shortest flight from Westray!) was just not long enough.

[griggsy]

Looking at the timetable I wonder if it might be worth asking Orkney Ferries when the Sunday excursions will start running this year. Might be able to go out on Friday, back Sunday or out on Sunday, back Tuesday potentially. It is nice to explore when the weathers nice, should be able to see Fair Isle from the lighthouse. Take a good book and head for the pub (if it’s still there) if the weather turns.

[gloomyandy]

Yes that's what I was thinking of doing. When I get chance I'll give them a call to find out if/when the Sunday excursions will run, unless anyone here happens to know!