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Overview
This reserve covers a large area of moorland in the north of the Orkney island of Hoy. The moors consist of wet and dry heath, areas of deer-grass and fell-field commounities in the higher, most exposed areas.
Two glacial valleys cross the moorland and there are glacially-formed corries. The reserve also includes some of the highest cliffs in Britain reaching 350m at St John's Head, and the spectacular Old Man of Hoy, a world famous 150m high rock-stack.
At Berriedale is virtually the only remaining fragment of Orkney's original woodland cover. The area is important for a wide range of both moorland and cliff-nesting birds.
Birds
Notable Species
Great Skua nests in good numbers as does Great Black-backed Gull, smaller numbers of Arctic Skua breed on lower ground. Other moorland breeders include Red Grouse, Golden Plover, Dunlin and Eurasian Curlew and raptors are well represented on the reserve with Hen Harrier, Merlin, Common Kestrel and Peregrine Falcon all breeding as well as Short-eared Owl.
Passerine breeders are limited but include Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Ring Ouzel and Twite.
The cliffs hold large seabird colonies with Northern Fulmar and Shag, Kittiwake, Common Guillemot, Razorbill and Atlantic Puffin. Common Tern and Arctic Tern form a mixed colony here and there is a Manx Shearwater colony close by, European Storm-petrel probably also breeds. Also breeding on the cliffs are Rock Dove, Northern Raven and Rock Pipit. The lochans in the hilly areas are the breeding site for about half of Orkney's Red-throated Diver.
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
Red-throated Diver, Northern Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, European Storm-petrel, European Shag, Hen Harrier, Common Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Red Grouse, Eurasian Golden Plover, Dunlin, Common Snipe, Eurasian Curlew, Great Skua, Arctic Skua, Great Black-backed Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Common Guillemot, Razorbill, Atlantic Puffin, Rock Dove, Short-eared Owl, Eurasian Skylark, Meadow Pipit, Rock Pipit, European Stonechat, Northern Wheatear, Ring Ouzel, Fieldfare, Redwing, Northern Raven, Eurasian Siskin, Twite
Other Wildlife
Mountain Hare are present in good numbers throughout the reserve and Otter are frequently seen.
Plants of interest include alpine species such as Purple Saxifrage, Alpine Saw-wort and Moss Campion found here at lower altitudes than elsewhere in Britain.
Site Information
History and Use
To do
Areas of Interest
To do
Access and Facilities
There is access to the reserve at all times but visitors are asked to take extra care at the cliff edges as they are particularly loose and crumbly. The reserve is situated in the north-west of Hoy around the island's highest point, Ward Hill.
There is a passenger ferry between Stromness on Mainland Orkney and Moness on Hoy and the reserve boundary is a short walk from Moness Pier.
A footpath runs through the glen between Ward Hill and Cuilags and across the moors to the village of Rackwick. Alternatively there is a car-ferry from Houton to Lyness then on the B9047 road to Rackwick.
From Rackwick there is a footpath to the Old Man of Hoy.
Grid reference: HY222034
Contact Details
Tel: 01856 850176
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
Content and images originally posted by Steve
