Tour 1 - Noup Cliffs RSPB Reserve
Noup Cliffs RSPB Reserve
Noup Cliffs RSPB Bird Reserve comprises 2.5km of sea cliffs which at the highest point is 76 metres above sea level. It has the largest collection of seabirds in Orkney.
Guillemots, kittiwakes and fulmars can be seen in large numbers on the cliff face, and puffins, razorbills and black guillemots also breed there. Since 2005 there is now a growing colony of breeding gannets.
Grey and common seals can regularly be seen on the skerrie below the cliffs.
The top of the sea cliffs is home to large amounts of sea pinks, sea campion and sea spurrey, types of plants common among coastal areas of northern and western Britain.
Noup Head Lighthouse
Noup Head Lighthouse was built in 1898 at a cost of £7550 (£964 under estimate!!)
Noup head is a group flashing light that shows 5 flashes over a period of 20 seconds followed by an eclipse of 40 seconds.
The lighthouse was de-manned on 16th December 1964.
The original keepers house was demolished in 1971 by request of the Northern Lighthouse Board who deemed this course of action cheaper than the upkeep of the buildings. The dwelling house, that is seen today, was built in the early fifties for the use of the occasional keepers.
Sights Along the Way
Holm of Aikerness: Used solely for grazing sheep.
Quoygrew: Recently restored medieval building dating back to the 12th - 13th century.
Sand of Grobust: Prehistoric settlement on the Links of Noltland thought to be up to four times larger than Skara Brae and one of the very few Bronze Ages settlements in Orkney.
Noltland Castle: Founded in the second half of the 16th century by Gilbert Balfour who held high office under Mary Queen of Scots. The fortress is built of local grey flagstones, however the dressed work of the castle is wrought in fine red freestone probably brought over from Eday.
Wildlife to Look Out For
Seals watching the Capella
Common Seals: : approximately 1.5 metres long with the bulls weighing up to around 250kg and the cows around half that. Breeding season is between June and July.
The Scottish population of Common seals is estimated at 33,000, about 90% of the world population.
Grey Seals: a little larger than the Common seal at approximately 2 metres long, the bulls weighing up to around 300kg and the cows about a third less. Their diet consists of all types of fish supplemented by squid, sand eels and crabs. Breeding season is in Autumn.
The Scottish population of Grey seals has been estimated at 140,000.
Harbour Porpoise: most commonly found around the Hebrides and Northern Isles. Their length ranges from 1.4 - 1.9 metres and they can weigh up to around 65kg. Harbour porpoises are sociable and gather in pods of 2-5.
Ask Malcolm About....?
On your tour ask Malcolm about -
- Shipwreck
- Gentleman's Cave
- Trenabie Farmhouse
- Noltland Castle
- Seaweed eating sheep!
