EGEN - North Ronaldsay, Orkney

World Heritage Site Air Adventure
Log Entry: EGEF (Fair Isle) to EGEN (North Ronaldsay)
Date: May 31, 2025
Aircraft: Pipi (N8086K), DHC-5 Buffalo
Guest Narrator: Eric Idle (as Himself, in First Person)

Hello, skybound adventurers and people who thought this was a recipe for spotted dick! Eric Idle here, your guest narrator for this leg of the World Heritage Site Air Adventure. I’m not a dead parrot, nor a knight who says “Ni!”—though I did once say “Ni” to a shrubbery, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Today, I join Cropduster and his motley crew aboard Pipi, the Buffalo with a heart of gold and a cargo bay full of surprises.

We’re launching our Whisky, Whiskey, Whales, and Gophers adventure from Fair Isle, where the wind is so strong, the sheep have to hold onto the grass. Cropduster, ever the squadron commander, is at the controls, while Lani (“Sky”) and Kai (“Sea”) are on paw patrol, ready to solve any mystery that comes their way. The rest of the crew—Wrench, Scotchmaster, Lost Boy, Choo-Choo, and Sgt. Hulka (our airborne man cave)—are all present and accounted for, though Sgt. Hulka is mostly just being awesome.

As Pipi roars to life, we’re airborne before you can say “Islay malt.” The flight is a quick hop over the North Sea, and before you know it, we’re descending over the wild, windswept shores of North Ronaldsay. The runway is so short, the cows have to turn sideways to let us past. The locals greet us with a flask of something peaty and potent—which is not a euphemism, no matter what Lost Boy says.

As we taxi out, Lani and Kai discover a new button mysteriously labeled “Whisky, Whiskey, Whales, and Gophers.” Lani, ever the clever German Shepherd, presses it with her nose, and the cabin fills with the sound of sea shanties and the distant call of a whale. Kai, ever the diplomat, adds a wag and a woof. Lost Boy swears he saw a gopher with a screwdriver, but I’m not sure I believe him—unless it was a very clever gopher.

We barter dog treats and a fine cigar from our cargo bay for a hand-knit sweater from our hosts. Lani insists it matches her eyes, and who am I to argue? The cargo bay is now stocked with treats, a sweater, and a promise of more barter to come. If you’re wondering what the collectible is, it’s a rare North Ronaldsay wool yarn—which is not a euphemism for anything, no matter what Lost Boy says.

On the tarmac, we’re greeted by a chorus of sheep and a local farmer with a flask of something peaty and potent. Lani presses the button again, and the crew joins in with a round of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” for our hosts. Even Kai gets in on the action, wagging his tail to the beat. It’s like a ceilidh, only with more wool and less whiskey. Well, slightly less.

Another collectible—a rare North Ronaldsay wool yarn—joins the cargo bay. The button mystery deepens, and the gopher remains elusive. Next stop: more World Heritage Sites, more gifts, more adventure.

Clear skies, short fields, and long friendships. To whisky, whiskey, whales, and gophers—adventure continues. And remember, always look on the bright side of life… unless you’re a sheep on Fair Isle, in which case, keep your seatbelt fastened. Eric Idle, out.Read more