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The Newark Walk
This walk starts from the old Baptist chapel, built in 1881 now a Heritage
and visitor centre, adjacent to which is the bird hide for viewing moorland
birds across the dune heath.
Continue over the stile where a small ‘but and ben’ type house called
Brimbanks can be seen on the right. This name appears on the first recorded
list of farms on Eday, dated 1617. It was worked as a croft until
1864 when it became part of a sheep run for the larger farm of Skaill.
A small detour over the stone dyke leads to the Bay of Doomy. The earth
bank that runs between the Youth Hostel and the small sandy bay dates
from the 19th century when Eday was owned by two lairds.
This boundary marked the division of the ‘commonty’. The dyke originally
terminated at a bronze age burnt mound, but this has since been covered by
drifting sand. Grass of Parnassus, Eyebright and Autumn Gentian thrive in
the vegetation behind the beach while Butterwort and Sundew can be seen
along the dyke.
Returning to the path you will see two small recesses along the shore,
these are the remains of boat nousts. Bird’s Foot Trefoil, Spring Squill,
Sheep’s Bit and Thrift all grow along the grassy banks. Several
small bays that can be easily accessed, are found along the walk. A mini
rock stack stands in one while another has some old slab steps cut into
the bank.
The small island of Faray and its Holm can be seen across the Faray Sound,
to the West. Inhabited until 1947, Faray was part of the Parish of Eday
and the people of the island used the Eday shops for local supplies.
Today it is home to sheep owned by a Westray farmer and is designated
a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) because it supports a large colony of
breeding Grey seals in the Autumn months..
and visitor centre, adjacent to which is the bird hide for viewing moorland
birds across the dune heath.
Continue over the stile where a small ‘but and ben’ type house called
Brimbanks can be seen on the right. This name appears on the first recorded
list of farms on Eday, dated 1617. It was worked as a croft until
1864 when it became part of a sheep run for the larger farm of Skaill.
A small detour over the stone dyke leads to the Bay of Doomy. The earth
bank that runs between the Youth Hostel and the small sandy bay dates
from the 19th century when Eday was owned by two lairds.
This boundary marked the division of the ‘commonty’. The dyke originally
terminated at a bronze age burnt mound, but this has since been covered by
drifting sand. Grass of Parnassus, Eyebright and Autumn Gentian thrive in
the vegetation behind the beach while Butterwort and Sundew can be seen
along the dyke.
Returning to the path you will see two small recesses along the shore,
these are the remains of boat nousts. Bird’s Foot Trefoil, Spring Squill,
Sheep’s Bit and Thrift all grow along the grassy banks. Several
small bays that can be easily accessed, are found along the walk. A mini
rock stack stands in one while another has some old slab steps cut into
the bank.
The small island of Faray and its Holm can be seen across the Faray Sound,
to the West. Inhabited until 1947, Faray was part of the Parish of Eday
and the people of the island used the Eday shops for local supplies.
Today it is home to sheep owned by a Westray farmer and is designated
a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) because it supports a large colony of
breeding Grey seals in the Autumn months..