Fairwinds 2005

Day 11 – Pierrowall (Westray)

It looked as though it was clearing up, so after a late and leisurely brunch – bacon rolls in fresh baked rolls from the bakery just up from the harbour – we wandered down to the Half Yokk café and hired bikes for a half day. Once again the people couldn’t have been friendlier or more helpful – we were told to take them back to the marina any time up to nine o’clock  to save ourselves a walk, and given a mobile number to phone so the bikes could be collected from the pontoon..

We decided to take the road South towards Rapness. For those thinking of following in our footsteps, don’t! It is without doubt one of the straightest, dullest seven miles of road I have ever cycled on, with one long slow hill after another. About half way the ‘Jesus Saves’ bus that had been parked on the pier at Pierrowall passed us in a reek of choking diesel fumes, then as we approached Rapness it began to rain in earnest and we sheltered for nearly an hour in the deserted ferry waiting room on the pier, where with a little supple manoeuvring I managed to  use the hot air dryer to dry parts for which it was never designed.

When the rain subsided we headed back, detouring to watch the puffins at Burrian Castle. These guys know how to put on a show, and allowed us to get within a few feet of them. They made the entire wet painful expedition worthwhile.

When we eventually freewheeled down the hill into Pierrowall it was straight into the hotel for a welcome pint of Northern Lights, then off to the shop where we bought an Orkney Today and some local eggs before retiring to the boat for pasta and vegetables and a relatively sober and early night.