Scalloway used to be the capital of Shetland, until Lerwick gained in importance through greater trading success. Today the place is very quiet, although it does have a busy fishing industry, and down at the harbour you could hardly fail to notice the imposing tower of Scalloway Castle. This was built in 1600 by the infamous Earl Patrick Stewart, using forced labour, and both the earl and his son Robert were to be executed in Edinburgh in 1615 for their aggression against fellow landowners. The castle is really little more than a fortified tower house, but it is well worth a look around (if the gate is locked you can get the key from the Scalloway Hotel).
On Main Street, at the road junction, there is the small Scalloway Museum, which is free and also worth a little time spent there.
Scalloway Castle at the start of this walk
Continue down into a little col, then leave the path for a short time to climb to the higher summit at a spot height of 143m. Drop down to the east to pick up the track again – this leads down into Wester Quarff and the end of a small tarmac lane. Turn left – eastwards – here to a road junction, then turn right and continue beyond the wonderfully named Beneath-a-Burn to the ness. Head out to the coast overlooking East Burra.
From the coast begin a steep climb up towards Bogabreck, then continue up the moorland ridge to the summit of Muskna Field at 262m.
These moorlands of South Mainland hold a few breeding pairs of great skuas and arctic skuas. These great ocean wanderers return to the wild moorlands of Shetland every year and provide a bit of excitement for any passing walker. Arctic skuas will defend their territory against any intruder, especially if they happen to have eggs or young on the nest. These large birds dive bomb the hapless walker, but rarely make actual contact. The same can’t be said for the great skua, or ‘bonxie’, as the Shetlanders call it. Bonxies are more than happy to fly at you as you walk harmlessly across the moors, and they regularly clip people with a wing or extended foot, which can be quite painful. Fortunately they do seem to aim high if you hold your arm or even a walking pole above you head, and the whole thing can actually be good fun – being bombed by a bonxie is all part of the joy of walking on Shetland.
Head on southwards from Muskna Field along the Clift Hills and down to a col at the head of Lax Dale. Climb steeply up to the top of Holm Field at 290m, then down again to another col at 209m. A gentler climb up to a spot height at 247m leads onto the northwest ridge of Royl Field. Climb the ridge to the summit at 293m – there is a trig pillar here, and the views out to the west lead the eye to far-off Foula, one of the most remote inhabited islands of Britain.
Head southwards to the Grey Stane of Bonxa then continue over rough ground to the Hamars. A short climb leads to the Hill of Deepdale, and you should continue over this and down to a sheepfold in Deepdale itself. From here head southwestwards to the deep cleft at the Burn of Claver, then down the hill with a steep drop into the sea on your right, and you’ll emerge at the road head in Maywick hamlet. Walk westwards out to the wonderful headland called the Taing of Maywick, then follow onwards down the coast to the Knowe of Burgarth.
The coastal scenery here is superb, with boiling seas throwing up white spray onto the cliffs, and fulmars and kittiwakes riding the airstreams above each wave. Also look out for puffins, guillemots and razorbills, as well as shags and rock doves.
The cliffs soon diminish in height as you make towards the Tromba of Griskerry and the superb little island of Griskerry itself. Continue onwards around Ireland Wick into the village of Bigton.
St Ninian’s Isle is today uninhabited, but there are the remains of a 12th-century church just to the north across the tombolo. In 1958 a large hoard of Pictish treasure was discovered within the church. There were 28 silver objects, including brooches, bowls and a spoon, possibly dating from about 800AD. There are replicas in the Shetland Museum in Lerwick, although the originals are on view at the Royal Scottish Museum in Edinburgh.
Just south of Bigton lies one of the most remarkable coastal features of the walk – the tombolo leading across to St Ninian’s Isle. A tombolo is a narrow spit joining an island to the mainland, and the one at St Ninian’s Isle really is superb. A single strand of white sand and shingle leads you out through nesting arctic terns to the island itself.
The tombolo to St Ninian’s Isle
It is possible to camp discreetly on St Ninian’s Isle, or you can ask at one of the farms in Bigton if you can pitch a tent for the night. Failing that, continue along the coast to Scousburgh and the Spiggie Hotel.
Day 2
From Bigton continue southwards around St Ninian’s Bay to Rerwick, and round into the beautiful Bay of Scousburgh. Here the superb Scousburgh Sands are held in by Northern Ness and the lovely island of Colsay, lying just offshore. Walk along the sands and around Northern Ness, then continue to Fora Ness for the best views of Colsay.
Head southwards to Noup Noss then onwards to Wick of Shunni. Here the long climb to the summit of Fitful Head begins. Follow the top of the cliffs throughout for the best views, over Windy Stacks and out to the headland of Yuxness before turning south again for the top of Fitful Head, known as Scantips at 283m.
Walk onwards to Garths Ness, then pick up a track northwards to Quendale. Hop down onto the sandy beach and follow this around to Hestingott and Toab. Walk along the A970 to Betty Mouat’s Böd on the left, and a little further on a lane leaves the main road and heads south for Scatness. Follow this to its end, then continue along a track to Tonga. A superb and narrow rocky ridge leads with the aid of a handrail out to the Ness of Burgi.
At the Ness of Burgi there is a defensive Iron Age blockhouse sited in a spectacular position on the promontory. This massive blockhouse lies behind two ditches that cut off the promontory from the mainland, and between them is a 6.4m thick stone rampart. The blockhouse was once 22m long, but its south end has been destroyed by cliff erosion. There is a single entrance leading to a stone-lined passage with door-checks and bar-holes. The blockhouse is 1.5m high and there are three cells within its 6m wide walls. The site was excavated in 1935.
Retrace your steps from the Ness of Burgi back to Scatness and out onto the A970. Turn right and down the hill to where the road is backed by sand dunes on the right. A little path through the dunes leads down onto the beach, and you can follow this round to the Sumburgh Hotel and Jarlshof.
Officially described as ‘one of the most remarkable archaeological sites ever excavated in the British Isles’, Jarlshof came to light 100 years ago, when violent storms exposed massive stonework under a grassy mound above the beach at the West Voe of Sumburgh. There are six main levels, dating originally from the Stone Age (perhaps 4000 years old), through to an Iron Age broch and wheelhouses, to a sizeable Viking village and medieval farmstead. The site is owned by Historic Scotland and there is an admission fee.
From Jarlshof you can walk around the coast via a series of cairns, and uphill across close-cropped grass to Sumburgh Head lighthouse and nature reserve.
The cliffs around Sumburgh Head attract thousands of breeding seabirds, including puffins, guillemots, shags and fulmars. Gannets are regularly seen offshore, as well as sometimes whales and dolphins. The site is owned by the RSPB and entry is free.
Walk around the lighthouse and down the access road to a car park. Do not follow the road from here, but stick to the cliff top with the sea to your right. Walk out over Compass Head and down to Grutness where this walk ends.
Fitful Head from Jarlshof
WALK 3
Shetland – Yell
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