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Home , Atlantic puffin, Old Man of Hoy, Papa Westray, Westray

IS HOME TO SOME OF THE RAREST AND MOST SPECTACULAR WILDLIFE IN THE WORLD.

The islands are alive with the sights, sounds and colours of nature SPRING WILDLIFE TRAIL in all seasons. With 600 miles of coastline, dramatic clifftops, crystal-clear waters, lush meadows, wetlands and moorland, Orkney’s unique landscape is home to cities, eagles, otters, , seals, orcas and a great deal more. Spring marks the point when much of this nature comes alive.

Follow this trail and get up close with Orkney’s wildest inhabitants and uncover a natural paradise.

Italian Chapel Atlantic Italian Chapel interior Hen Harrier Grey Seal

FIND OUT MORE AT ORKNEY.COM/ALLSEASONS NORTH PAPA RONALDSAY 6 TRAIL OVERVIEW

1 WESTRAY BRODGAR Modern day natural wonders among ancient SANDAY historical monuments

ROUSAY 2 MARWICK HEAD SPRING WILDLIFE TRAIL Towering cliffs home to a vast seabird colony

2 3 WYRE 3 THE LOONS WEST Orkney’s largest MAINLAND wetland is a haven for 4 waders and wildfowl

1 4 COTTASCARTH

Stromness Hen harriers take part in breathtaking aerial displays EAST Lorem ipsum MAINLAND 5

5 ‘The high island’ is a HOY true wilderness

AIRPORTS FERRY ROUTES SOUTH A ROADS 6 NORTH HILL, LONGHOPE RONALDSAY B ROADS The wild north coast and stronghold for

FIND OUT MORE AT ORKNEY.COM/ALLSEASONS Ring ofBrodgar Gannets north forthebreedingseason. ducks too,beforetheybegintheirjourney the lastfewgoldeneye orlong-tailed March, it’sworthkeeping youreyeoutfor of anotter heretoo.Ifyouarevisitingin the road.You mightevencatchaglimpse basking ontherocksjustafewmetresfrom former isaperfectspotforwatchingseals, andHarray. Thesaltwaterofthe Brodgar issandwichedbetweenthelochsof high as300m. spectacular verticaldisplaystoheightsas perform look totheskiestoo,asskylarks teal , tobuildtheirnests.Don’t forgetto ideal spotforwildfowl,suchaswigeonand ‘drumming’. Thewetgrasslandsarealsothe ears openforcurlew chorus ofbirdsong.Mostnotably, keep your their matingdisplays,producingamagical out breeding season,aswadingbirdscarry for wildlife.Springmarksthestartof circle, Famous foritsmagnificentNeolithicstone 1 BRODGAR Brodgar is also a modern-day haven is alsoamodern-dayhaven ‘bubbling’ andsnipe Inquisitive Seals

just afewfeetaway. possible, toprotectthewildlifethatthrives Stenness . Pleasekeep tothetrailwhenever you rightdowntotheshoreofLoch your waytotheRingitself, beforeitbrings park (approx. 2km). Thisallowsyou tomake by followingthetrailthatbeginsincar is The bestwaytoseethewholereserve silhouetted againstaspectacularsunset. boxing onthegrasslands:quiteasightwhen charismatic mammalscanoftenbeseen phrase, “MadasaMarch hare”, asthese Back onland,youcanseeevidenceofthe Sea Thrift Otter FIND OUT MOREAT ORKNEY.COM/ALLSEASONS warm clothing is recommended. warm clothingisrecommended. dramatic NorthSea,sturdyfootwear and 2.2km). Windingalongthecoastof with atrailconnectingthetwo (approx. Head, There aretwocarparksatMarwick as possible.Itmayevenbeanorca. of youreye,grabbinocularsasquickly catch abreakinthewavesoutofcorner regularly spottedfromtheseshores.Ifyou minke whalesand spotting cetaceans:bottlenosedolphins, isalsoafantasticsitefor The reserve our residentgulls. whose whitewing-tipsstandoutagainst andglaucous ,wintervisitors Earlier inthespring,youmayalsospot for thedistinctivecallofeiderducks. colourful legsofredshank , andlistenout for wadersandwildfowl.Lookthe lagoon, knownastheChoin,offersshelter edge,alow-tide Down atthewater’s wildlife. for yourownsafety, aswellthatofthe not tostraytooclosetheedgethough, many morecolourfulflowers.Becareful through carpetsofthrift, Atop thesemajesticcliffs,youcanwander seabird numbersreachtheirpeak. offers themostimpressiveviews,as spectacular divesintothewater. Latespring between ledges,whilegannetsperform feet ofapuffin. wellbetheclown-like beakororange very Look outforasplashofcolour, whichcould to thesecliffsaheadofthebreedingseason. of After winteringoutintheocean,thousands mostmagnificentseabirdcities. Orkney’s Head, ishometooneof Marwick 2 , MARWICK HEAD andmorereturn Fulmar soargracefully are all porpoises areall sea campion and

SPRING WILDLIFE TRAIL 3 THE LOONS 4 COTTASCARTH

The Loons, Birsay is a feast for the ears The hide at Cottascarth, is named as much as the eyes. Sit yourself by the after Eddie Balfour, a local naturalist who Listening Wall and immerse yourself in a conducted years of research into hen symphony of birdsong. The unique shape harriers in Orkney. It comes as no surprise of the wall is designed to amplify the sound then, that this reserve is one of the best of the breeding waders, including curlew places in the country for viewing these and lapwing. Later in the season, keep your majestic of prey. ears open for the wickering call of one of Hen Harrier Spring sees the males take part in their our rarest waders, the black-tailed godwit. spectacular courting displays, affectionately Visit around sunrise to hear the spectacular known as ‘skydancing’. With an elegant dawn chorus. SPRING WILDLIFE TRAIL combination of dips, twists and rolls, they A few hundred yards away, the Loons hide can draw our eyes as easily as those of a is the perfect place to see wildlife up close. female. Follow the track from the car park Gadwall and shovelers are preparing for to the hide (approx. 600m) for the best the breeding season, as are flocks ofpintail chance of seeing hen harriers, along with that make up over 10% of the UK’s total. other birds of prey such as merlin and With so much on offer in the wetlands, short-eared owls. Visit in the morning don’t be surprised to see a hen harrier glide or evening for your best chance of seeing past too. skydancing. Ruff can sometimes be seeing passing There is plenty of other wildlife to enjoy on over the reserve as they make their way your walk too. Keep your eye out for ravens to their breeding sites further north. Keep and stonechat, and your ears open for the an eye out for males in their spectacular unmistakable call of a cuckoo. Moreover, breeding plumage. With brightly-coloured the track provides a perfect vantage point feathers around their face and neck, to look over Rendall Moss, home to one of they’re almost unrecognisable compared the densest populations of breeding curlew to their winter greys. in . Short-eared Owl

xxxxxxxxxxx Stonechat Curlew Lapwing

FIND OUT MORE AT ORKNEY.COM/ALLSEASONS Gannets Old ManofHoy Gannets email [email protected] you seeoneletusknowon01856 886163or is astoateradicationprogramme andweaskthatif threated thecurrentbalance.Amajor partofthis managing theinvasivenon-native predatorsthat uniquenativewildlifeissafeguardedby Orkney’s the mainaimofprojectistoensure that Led byScottishNaturalHeritageandRSPBScotland, THE ORKNEYNATIVE WILDLIFEPROJECT of fishing. the parents-to-bereturnfromahardday when normally mostactivearoundsunset, hoping tostealitsnextmeal.Thecliffsare anunfortunatekittiwakeone harrying , the skies.Keep watchingandyoumightsee the OldManitself, whilegreat patrol onwards. welcome thousandsofseabirdsfromMay spectacular seastack,theOldManofHoy , The cliffsatStJohn’s Head andthe bit ofeverything. thathasa and youhaveanaturereserve woodland, anditshighestverticalseacliff, Add intheUK’snorthernmostnative mostspectaculardestinations. Orkney’s beautiful beachesofHoy Orkney, thehighhills,sweepingmoorsand A strikingback-drop tomany viewsin 5 HOY build their into Puffins buildtheirburrowsinto make it one of make itoneof Rackwick Beach

11am –3pm. to helpyouspottheeagles,dailyfrom onwards, RSPBvolunteersareonhand Linksness andRackwick Bay . From April from theDwarfie Stone carpark,between Thebestplacetospotthemis a century. is backinOrkneyafteranabsenceofover in recentyears.TheUK’slargestbirdofprey a familyofwhite-tailed eagleshavearrived High onthecliffsaboveDwarfie Stone, rough inplaces. Please dressappropriately, asthetrailis to (approx. 4km),the reserve passingclose between thehillsisanexcellent waytosee primroses andclovers.Thepostroad with astunningarrayofflowers,including peaks offermoorlandwhichisdecorated twohighest Away fromthesea,Orkney’s Berriedale Wood andSandy Loch. White-tailed Eagle Primula Scotica

FIND OUT MOREAT ORKNEY.COM/ALLSEASONS RSPB Text kindlyprovided by maritime heath. maritime heath. finest spectacular viewsoverOrkney’s entranceandoffers 200m fromthereserve sedate, theNorthHillhideisapproximately track, butifyou’dlike something more the CoastalTrail (6km). Bothareonrough FowlCraignaturetrail(2.5km) and reserve: There aretwowalksthatleadyouroundthe theminthewind. their wingswidetodry for theircharacteristicpose,standingwith perfect forshagsandguillemots.Watch Down onthewater, therockyoutcropsare watching theelegantflightoffulmar. breezy day, thehighwindsareperfectfor and claim theirnestingsites,whilerazorbills Speaking ofseabirds,springseesskuas best placesintheUKtoviewthem. isstill oneofthe recent years,thereserve migration. Despitenumbersdwindlingin 60,000-mile having completedtheirepic, May alsoseesthearrivalofarctic terns, Craig frommid-May. it properly. LookaroundthecliffsatFowl need togetonyourhandsandkneessee flower lessthan1cmindiameter, youmay north coastofScotland.Withitspurple select fewspotsaroundOrkneyandthe ScoticaPrimula canonlybefoundina mostdelicatenaturaltreasures. Orkney’s amongst thiswildlandscapeisoneof waves andhowlingwinds.However, hidden strikesHill reserve youwithitscrashing At firstglance,Papa Westray’s North 6 settle onto the cliffs. On a guillemots settleontothecliffs.On PAPA WESTRAY NORTH HILL,

SPRING WILDLIFE TRAIL