SC 36 · RSPB reserve guide
RSPB Noup Cliffs
Noup Head, Westray, Orkney
Gannets, Guillemots, Puffins, Kittiwakes
Decide if the visit fits.
RSPB Noup Cliffs at a glance
Last checked 18 October 2026.
- Best time
- Spring and autumn passage; seasonal breeding and winter birds
- Opening & entry
- Hours, admission and parking: see Entry below.
- Trails & visit length
- Noup Cliffs is a cliff-top walk with seabirds beneath you and open sea beyond.
- Accessibility
- The RSPB describes rough, uneven grass terrain which can be wet and boggy.
- Facilities
- There is no reserve café, shop, visitor centre or toilet block, and no staff are normally based on site.
- Dogs
- RSPB Scotland asks visitors to keep dogs on a short lead during the ground-nesting season, 1 April to 15 August, and wherever livestock are present.
- Public transport
- Westray is reached through Orkney's inter-island network.
Reserve overview
RSPB Noup Cliffs reserve and habitat
Gannets, Guillemots, Puffins, Kittiwakes
Eight checks for a smoother visit.
Planning your visit to Noup Cliffs
Conditions change: check the operator and transport notices before travelling.
Noup Cliffs best time to visit and seasonal birds
Jan–Feb: Noup Head is usually a place for watching the open sea and the weather rather than a packed auk colony. Fulmars can be present around the cliffs, while gannets are less closely tied to the ledges than in summer. Choose the middle of a calm day and make the lighthouse end the focus; poor visibility removes much of the reason for a long exposed walk. Mar–Apr: gannets, guillemots and kittiwakes typically return towards their breeding cliffs. A morning watch from the Noup Coastal Trail helps distinguish birds settling on ledges from those passing offshore. Colony attendance varies through spring, so spend time looking across several faces without approaching their edges. May–Jun: June is the RSPB's recommended month for the seabird city. Look for gannets, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and puffins along the public cliff-top route. Late morning gives time for a measured approach and a substantial stationary watch. Usually different birds use different shelves, making this a rewarding place to compare colony structure. Jul–Aug: early July usually retains much of the auk activity, followed by departures as young leave. Gannets and fulmars can still provide interest later in summer. Try the lighthouse end in the morning and avoid treating an August walk as equivalent to the June colony peak. Sep–Oct: offshore passage usually becomes more important than occupied ledges. A sheltered, safe position near the lighthouse can produce gannets and other passing seabirds during daylight. Match the length of the outing to the wind rather than pursuing a distant viewpoint. Nov–Dec: fulmars and gulls are the more realistic coastal interests. Use a short midday visit in settled weather; dramatic winter seas are best watched from a secure position well inland of the cliff edge.
RSPB Noup Cliffs opening times, entry and facilities
Checked 18 October 2026: the RSPB lists free admission for adults and children, both members and non-members, and its opening calendar describes the nature reserve as open 24 hours. There is no staffed admission point. At Noup Cliffs, the RSPB charges page mentions payment at a visitor centre, but the facilities page says there is none. Follow the published free admission tariff and arrive equipped for an exposed coastal walk. Parking consists of five unmarked spaces beside Noup Head lighthouse. No separate parking tariff is published on the reserve pages reviewed. A parking space does not guarantee that the approach is suitable for your vehicle: the road restriction is explained under accessibility. Check the official reserve page and island transport arrangements before committing to travel.
Noup Cliffs trails, hides and visit length
Noup Cliffs is a cliff-top walk with seabirds beneath you and open sea beyond. The Noup Coastal Trail is part of the wider West Westray cliffs walk between Noup Head and Kirbest. The RSPB also describes a circular option from Backarass Farm, using road and track towards the lighthouse before returning along the coastal trail and turning inland. Carry a map and choose a route that fits the conditions; the coast is a landscape to read slowly, rather than a sequence of hides. Two-hour plan: if you have safely reached the lighthouse entrance, devote the first part of the visit to scanning the nearest cliff faces. Pick out the larger white gannets before working through the smaller auks and kittiwakes. Continue only a modest distance along the marked coastal line, pause again, then return by your outward route. If approaching on foot from farther away, use the available time for the approach and a shorter watch instead of trying to force in the same itinerary. Full-day plan: make Westray the day's destination, with the reserve as its main birdwatching stop. In suitable weather, experienced walkers can choose the RSPB's longer Backarass circuit, allowing generous pauses to compare the seabird ledges and watch the offshore water. Keep a reserve of time for the inland return and onward island travel. Finish with a final stationary scan rather than extending the walk until the transport margin disappears. Take all litter away and keep food securely packed in wind. In calm conditions, compare the birds sitting on ledges with those arriving from the sea: the changing balance tells more about colony activity than a single count. Keep a notebook accessible so a gust does not scatter loose papers across the grass.
Noup Cliffs accessibility and step-free routes
The RSPB describes rough, uneven grass terrain which can be wet and boggy. The Noup cliff-top trail has a kissing gate and no stiles or steps, but that description should not be read as an accessible surfaced route. There is no shelter or seating provision identified for the coastal walk. Exposed edges and crosswinds make balance, confidence and weather judgement particularly important; stay well back from the drop and abandon the coastal section if gusts make standing difficult. The gravel approach to the reserve entrance should only be attempted in a 4x4 vehicle, according to the operator. The alternative approach from Noup Farm to the lighthouse is a 2.4 km walk. Do not drive an ordinary hire car up the track on the assumption that a lighthouse car park makes the approach a standard road. Discuss any vehicle restrictions with the hire provider and use the RSPB access statement to assess the whole journey. A view from the car park may suit someone unable to complete the cliff path, but reaching it remains the significant obstacle.
Noup Cliffs visitor facilities
There is no reserve café, shop, visitor centre or toilet block, and no staff are normally based on site. Bring food, drinking water and the clothing needed for a self-contained coastal outing. The RSPB identifies public toilets and food options in Pierowall village. Arrange those stops before heading towards the headland, especially when travelling with children. Binoculars are the most useful equipment; a telescope is worthwhile only where it can be set up securely away from the edge.
Noup Cliffs dog rules
RSPB Scotland asks visitors to keep dogs on a short lead during the ground-nesting season, 1 April to 15 August, and wherever livestock are present. Clean up after them and prevent chasing or disturbance. Visitors with assistance dogs are welcome at RSPB Noup Cliffs. The exposed coastal route requires close control at all times.
Noup Cliffs public transport and getting there
Westray is reached through Orkney's inter-island network. Orkney Ferries publishes the Kirkwall–Westray sailing timetable and booking information, while Loganair operates inter-island flights from Kirkwall. Book the outward and return island connection together and leave space for disruption; a mainland Orkney arrival is only the first stage of this outing. The RSPB states that there is no public transport to the reserve itself. Arrange an island taxi or suitable local transfer in advance, discussing where the vehicle can safely leave you and collect you. Walking the final approach can be a sensible part of the day, but it needs to be included in the available time. Do not assume that the ferry arrival, a transfer and the cliff walk form a guaranteed day-trip connection. The current Orkney Ferries timetable is the source for sailings, not a generic journey planner's suggested connection.
Useful bases for an early start.
Where to stay near Noup Cliffs
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Pierowall
About 4.0 miles by road, roughly 16 minutes’ drive to the reserve approach (OSRM, measured 18 October 2026; estimate without live traffic).
Measured driving route · 18 October 2026. Map estimates exclude live traffic.
A base in Pierowall suits a longer break that includes RSPB Noup Cliffs.Find places to stay in Pierowall on Booking.com - 02
Rapness
About 12.2 miles by road, roughly 33 minutes’ drive to the reserve approach (OSRM, measured 18 October 2026; estimate without live traffic).
Measured driving route · 18 October 2026. Map estimates exclude live traffic.
A base in Rapness suits a longer break that includes RSPB Noup Cliffs.Find places to stay in Rapness on Booking.com - 03
Skelwick
About 9.9 miles by road, roughly 27 minutes’ drive to the reserve approach (OSRM, measured 18 October 2026; estimate without live traffic).
Measured driving route · 18 October 2026. Map estimates exclude live traffic.
A base in Skelwick suits a longer break that includes RSPB Noup Cliffs.Find places to stay in Skelwick on Booking.com
Noup Cliffs official sightings, safety and contact
For reserve advice contact the RSPB Orkney team at orkney@rspb.org.uk or 01856 850176. Their Noup Cliffs pages provide the access statement, location information and seasonal birdwatching overview. Describe the vehicle and walking limitations of your party when seeking access advice, rather than simply asking whether the reserve is open. Ferry and flight bookings belong with the respective transport operators. Report a damaged gate or unsafe section with a clear description of the public route affected.
Best months for this reserve
Nearby complete guides.
Bird reserves near Noup Cliffs
Stops with a purpose: use one as a contrasting habitat or weather-proof Plan B. Distances are straight-line estimates, not road journeys.
- About 19 miles away · A useful habitat changeRSPB Cottascarth and Rendall MossSpring and autumn passage; seasonal breeding and winter birds
- About 19 miles away · A useful habitat changeRSPB Marwick HeadSpring and summer seabird colony · winter coastal birds
- About 22 miles away · A useful habitat changeNorth Ronaldsay Bird ObservatorySpring and autumn passage; seasonal breeding and winter birds