B9063
| B9063 | ||||
| Location Map ( geo) | ||||
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| From: | Backaland (HY573300) | |||
| To: | Calfsound (HY579377) | |||
| Distance: | 6.1 miles (9.8 km) | |||
| Meets: | Pier, unclassified | |||
| Highway Authorities | ||||
| Traditional Counties | ||||
| Route outline (key) | ||||
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The B9063 is the only classified road on Eday in Orkney's northern isles.
The route starts at the Eday Ferry pier towards the southern end of the island and curves west around the Bay of Backaland before turning inland and climbing steadily up to a T-junction, where it TOTSOs right. Now heading north, it continues to climb up to the summit of 52m near the island school at Stenaquoy, before starting to descend. The route is loosely following the island's east coast, trying to find an easy route without too many bends on what is one of the hillier of Orkney's northern isles. After winding down the lower slopes of Chapel Hill, a more sinuous section takes it round the next hill and down to the Bay of London. The road then curves around the back of the bay as it passes the airfield, which is rather amusingly called Eday London Airport! It has a flight every Wednesday, and another on Monday mornings to take school pupils to Kirkwall. (They return by ferry on Fridays.)
The airport is roughly halfway along the route, which continues north, climbing into the shallow gap between Mill Hill and Stennie Hill, before dropping down to Hamarhill, the largest settlement so far reached. The island shop is here, along with maybe a dozen or so properties, but that is all. A long undulating straight continues north through the low hills and eventually reaches the north coast and bends sharply right at a crossroads in the scattered community of Calfsound. The final section of the route is a straight which heads south east and ends at a crossroads of tracks/driveways leading to properties.
History
The overall route of the B9063 hasn't changed since it was first classified in 1922. However, when first classified it possibly took a different route at Bay of London, which can still be traced. Rather than curving around the back of the bay, the road originally continued in a straight line, crossing the beach, where remains of the road can still be seen. The approaches on either side also survive as tracks onto the beach. Although the MOT map shows the road crossing the beach, the OS One Inch map from 1913 seems to show both roads, so it may be the case that the B9063 always has bypassed the beach.