Holm of Papa facts for kids
 Holm of Papa, viewed across South Wick, from Papa Westray |
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| OS grid reference | HY507519 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 59°21′N 2°52′W / 59.35°N 2.87°W |
| Physical geography | |
| Island group | Orkney |
| Area | 21 ha |
| Highest elevation | 15 m |
| Administration | |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Country | Scotland |
| Council area | Orkney Islands |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 0 |
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The Holm of Papa is a tiny, uninhabited island in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. People also call it the Holm of Papay or Holm of Papa Westray. Locals often just say the Papay Holm. This small island is about 21 hectares in size. That's like 21 football fields! You can visit it from Papa Westray, which is another island less than 100 meters away.
Contents
Exploring Holm of Papa
Ancient Burial Sites
The most important thing to see on the Holm of Papa is the Southcairn. This is a very old chambered cairn, which is a type of stone burial monument. It is about 20 meters long. This cairn dates back to around 3000 BC. That's about 5,000 years ago!
Inside the Southcairn, you can find ancient carvings on the stones. This long cairn was built from local stone. It was a special place where an ancient community buried their loved ones. Today, a modern roof protects it. You enter it through a trapdoor from above.
More Cairns on the Holm
There are actually three ancient chambered cairns on the Holm of Papa. Some people think that the people who lived at the Knap of Howar might have buried their dead here. The Knap of Howar is one of the oldest stone houses in Northern Europe.
Unique Carvings
In the southernmost chambered cairn, you can find special carvings. These carvings look like "eyebrows." They are very similar to the "eyes" found on the Orkney Venus. The Orkney Venus is a famous ancient carving found at Links of Noltland on Westray.
Visiting the Island
The Southcairn is easy to see from the larger island of Papa Westray. If you want to visit the Holm of Papa, you can arrange a small boat trip. You can ask about this at the Co-op shop on Papa Westray.
