Shetland 09/06/25

Mainland, Monday 9th June.

A late start after a good breakfast in the Community Centre adjoining the hostel. I left my rucksack in the hostel for the day and wandered out to think of something to do.

Lerwick hostel

I went back to the museum but it didn't open until the afternoon so I thought I would take the bus south again to Sumburgh this time for a visit to Jarlshof.

Sumburgh airport 

Jarlshof is an archeological site with remains of various ages starting 4000 Years ago. 

4000 year old houses. They built them to last in those days.

Some of the early remains are similar to Skara Brae on Orkney but then there are remains of wheelhouses, Brochs and Pictish buildings all on the same site.

Wheel house 

Back to Kirkwall then and a trip to the museum to buy an expensive book on Shetland boats before collecting my rucksack and heading for the ferry, where we were promised a smooth crossing.

Broch remains 

The end of another adventure.

Leaving Shetland

Shetland 07/06/25

Unst and Mousa 7th June 

A perfect morning but there were a few heavy showers during the day even a hail shower.

Unst west coast

Everything was nice and dry when I packed up and walked south along the coast looking at masses of seabirds until joining the boardwalk back to Burrafirth.

Boardwalk across the bog 

There is an information area with parking space for campervans and a toilet at the end of the road and I met a few people who were surprised to meet me coming back already.

Lifesize bird profiles at Hermaness

There was no bus back to the ferry until later so I decided to walk, unfortunately there were some very heavy showers, including the afore mentioned hail.

Viking longhouse reconstruction

There is a reconstruction of a Viking longhouse and a longship that had been built in and sailed from Norway towards America but only got as far as Shetland before they gave up and left the boat at Haroldswick.

Viking longship 

A car stopped beside me and said she was going to the ferry and would I like a lift? Thank you very much. It turned out that she was an archelogist and we had an interesting discussion about the Shetland Brochs.

Ferry Terminal Yell

A certain amount of waiting for ferries and buses but I arrived in Lerwick in time to eat before the bus went to Sandwick.

Camp on the mainland looking out to Mousa

An amount of wandering about then to find somewhere suitable to camp that was near the Mousa ferry.

Mousa jetty

I had booked the night trip to Mousa to see the Storm Petrels returning to their nests and joined the other fifty nine people waiting for the ferry at 22.30.

What it says on the seat

A short crossing to Mousa and an interesting walk, with historical information, to the only complete broch in Scotland.

Mousa Broch in the summer dim

It was starting to get dark when we arrived, and soon afterwards a few Storm Petrels began to appear.

Boat skipper and guide

They are tiny birds that return to Mousa to breed in the stones of the broch, and other walls, after wintering in the South Atlantic. One of the pair stays in the nest and the other goes out to sea to feed. What we were seeing was the one coming back from maybe a three day feeding trip to allow it's mate to leave for it's own feeding trip. They travel up to 500 miles from Mousa on these feeding trips and come back when it is dark to avoid predators. The only land based predators on Mousa are Otters, there are no rats or mice, and they are too big to get at the nests but can catch the odd bird.

I tried to get some pictures of birds and Broch but it didn't work!

It was a fascinating place and amazing to hear the sound of the birds in the walls. I'm very pleased to have been there to see the spectacle.

Midnight

Back to the Mainland and it started to rain, typical, at least I didn't have to far to walk back to the tent.  

An excellent excursion, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A long way but only 10 miles walked

  

Shetland 06/06/25

Lerwick to Unst Friday 6th June.

The overnight ferry to Lerwick was excellent, it was a nearly smooth crossing and I managed to sleep well in what they call a Pod which is really just a fancy reclining seat.

First sight of Lerwick 

An early morning arrival into Lerwick gave me a chance to look round and see what was worth going to look at when it opened.

Nice Shetland skiff by the museum 

The old castle walls with its cannon, that were never used in anger, were interesting and a walk out to the Horse of the Nab for the view down Bressay Sound well worth while.

Defence against passing yacht

Back to the Shetland museum then which was a bit of a disappointment as the boat sheds were closed. The rest of the museum was good with excellent displays of artifacts from Neolithic to modern times and an interesting section on the geology of the islands.

Model fishing boat

Lunch then a long bus ride via two ferries to Haroldswick in Unst. There is a massive wind farm on mainland Shetland with a forest of overhead power lines connecting them to Lerwick, very unsightly.

Shetland from the bus 

I walked from Haroldswick along a tiny road to Burrafirth and then onto the National Nature Reserve at Hermaness. 

Burrafirth

The walk out to the top of the hill across the bog is easy as there is a new boardwalk that takes you most of the way, no wet feet!

Boardwalk across the bog

I had hoped to camp overlooking Muckle Fluga, the most northerly lighthouse in the British Isles, but the ground was either too steep or too wet so I continued the loop down and south above the cliffs.

Muckle Fluga lighthouse 

There are spectacular numbers of Gannets nesting on the cliffs and offshore rocks here, a birdwatchers paradise.

Out Skerry on the right, the most northerly bit of the British Isles 

I thought that I might have to go back to Burrafirth to camp near the beach but then I came across some beautifully rabbit nibbled turf with a flat bit just above the cliffs, perfect.

Unst west coast

A beautiful place with Puffins nesting in the rabbit holes close to me and Gannets and fulmars flying below.

The perfect spot?

The sun shone and it was beautiful although just when I was falling asleep it started to rain, luckily the wind stayed light.

More perfection 

In sure I was the most northerly person in the British Isles that night.

A long way but only about 5 miles walked 

Orkney 05/06/25

Westray, Thursday 5th June.

The wind eased overnight and it was raining hard in the morning but the forecast was for it to clear by late morning and it was right.

The Westray Stone

The plan for the day was to take the 18.00 ferry to Kirkwall before going to Shetland overnight but I wasn't sure what to do before that.

The Westray Wife 

I decided on a second visit to the heritage centre first for another look and to see if the rain would stop, it really is a fascinating place.

Pierowall bay at low tide

Coffee and cake at the shop/cafe then and I made the decision to walk to the ferry with a detour round by the Castle o'Burrian to see the Puffins.

He didn't like me much

To avoid some of the road I took an overgrown track to start with, which wetted my feet nicely, before being forced onto the 'main' road. 

Long straight road to the ferry terminal 

The road made the walking easy and there probably weren't more than a dozen vehicles that passed me.

The old mill with the remains of the waterwheel 

At the turn off and parking space for the Castle o'Burrian there is an old watermill that used to supply the island's needs, long since ruined.

The Castle o'Burrian 

The Castle o'Burrian is actually a decayed sea stack that is home to thousands of Puffins and Fulmars, in fact by the time I had walked round the coast I was almost suffering from a surfit of puffins!

Puffins

It was a perfect place to sit in the, almost, sun to watch the birds and pass an hour before getting to the ferry terminal.

Ro-Ro terminal Westray 

The sun was shining as the ferry crossed to Kirkwall and I found a good place to eat before walking to the North Link ferry terminal and the ferry for Lerwick.

Ferry to Kirkwall 

9 miles walked 

Orkney 04/06/25

Westray, Wednesday 4th June

Still blowing a gale and raining this morning as well but the forecast said it would ease to showers later.

Ruined cottages by the road 

I decided on a circular trip to include the west coast so started south on the road straight into the wind and rain.

The locals 

I hadn't gone far when a car stopped and offered me a lift, thank you very much! She dropped me where the road turned west which was much more pleasant walking and by the time I reached the coast the promised breaks in the rain had come.

The West Coast 

It was a very blustery walk along the cliff tops but at least l dried out between showers.

Overhanging old red sandstone cliffs 

The grassy cliff tops were teeming with rabbits and I saw two well fed feral cats, I was told there are no rats on Westray.

Plenty of rough water 

I couldn't safely approach the cliff edge because of the wind but still managed to see Cormorants, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Guillemots, Puffins and near Noup Head, Gannets.

Near Noup Head

The wind was seriously strong at Noup Head and I was nearly forced to use hands and knees at times but after reaching the lighthouse the track and road back to Pierowall was much more sheltered by the hill.

A bit less blustery on the track from the lighthouse 

Close to Pierowall is Noltland Castle a relatively modern ruined castle that started building in 1560 and was never completed. It was well worth visiting.

Noltland Castle 

I walked out to the pier then to see if there was anything interesting, not a lot except for salmon farm boats although there was a nice old motor yacht.

Pierowall Harbour 

Fish and chips night tonight at the fish factory. Yummy 😋

Fish factory and Chip Shop

14 miles walked 600 meters ascent