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THE WALKS

WALK 1

Shetland – Esha Ness

Start/Finish	Urafirth (grid ref HU303788). Park in the lay-by overlooking the inner pool of Ura Firth, just off the A970 leading toward Hillswick.
Distance	52km (32.5 miles); Day 1 – 31km (19.25 miles), Day 2 – 21km (13.25 miles)
Total Ascent	Total: 850m; Day 1 – 420m, Day 2 – 430m
Maps	OS Landranger sheet 3 Shetland, North Mainland
Number of Days	2

The Shetland Islands offer backpacking as you won’t find it elsewhere. The best of the wild country lies on the coast, and there is certainly plenty of that – rough seas pour in from all sides, bringing westerly gales, northerly sleet and southerly showers, often all at once, and on these ocean-borne winds come millions of birds. A coastal backpack here in summer – for to be honest, you wouldn’t want to go backpacking in these remote islands at any other time of year – will bring you up close and personal with all of our birds of sea and cliff. Puffins peer out of burrows on the cliff tops as you walk by, while below, just over the edge, a teeming mass of guillemots, razorbills, gannets, shags, rock doves, kittiwakes and fulmars jostle for space on tiny ledges.

This route takes in part of North Mavine, the northern tip of the main island of the Shetland group (confusingly known as ‘Mainland’). North Mavine is almost completely separated from the rest of Mainland by a very narrow strip of land known as Mavis Grind – a strip just wide enough to take the main A970 north.

On the west side you gaze around points and islands into the North Atlantic, while to the east you are looking at the Sullom Voe inlet of the North Sea. Heading into North Mavine the main road crosses rough moorland then splits on Hill of Orbister. The road to the west leads onto the fine Esha Ness peninsula, with its superb coastal scenery – huge, plunging cliffs falling into spectacular tidal voes (small bays or narrow creeks). This walk takes you around this exciting, windswept headland.

A walk that is suitable for all who enjoy wild coastal scenery. Route-finding is very easy, and there is not too much climbing, although picking your way around the thousands of inlets and headlands can be tiring. There is a path along parts of the route, particularly the main headland of Esha Ness, but the going throughout is easy, on short-cropped, flower-filled grass.

The route begins at Urafirth, preferably after a good night’s sleep and hearty breakfast at Almara Guest House in Upper Urafirth. Heading south along the main road you soon find yourself in Hillswick, where you leave the road and take to the rocky shore leading around the Ness. From here on it’s simply a case of keeping the sea to your left and the land to your right as you head off around the countless bays and jutting peninsulas to reach your overnight stay at Hamnavoe. On Day 2 the route continues in a similar vein, leading onwards around the coast into Ronas Voe and its fjord-like waters. A short walk along a little lane takes you back to Urafirth and the end of a fine expedition.

Tourist Information

There is an excellent tourist information centre at the Market Cross in Lerwick, tel 01595 693434, website www.visitshetland.com.

Transport

You can get to Lerwick, the capital of the Shetland Islands, by either air or ferry.

Air Contact British Airways and their franchise partners Logan Air on 0845 7733377. Their flights make use of the main airport on Shetland at Sumburgh, 40km (25 miles) south of Lerwick, website www.loganair.co.uk.

Ferry North Link Ferries operate ferries to Lerwick from Aberdeen or Stromness (Orkney), tel 0845 6000 449, website www.northlinkferries.co.uk.

Getting Around

Buses A daily (Mon–Sat) bus service to Hillswick from Lerwick stops at Urafirth. It leaves at 17.10 and arrives at 18.25 – contact White Coaches on 01595 809443.

Car Hire Try either Bolts Car Hire on 01595 693636, or Star Rent-a-Car on 01595 692075. Both have offices in Lerwick and at Sumburgh Airport.

Accommodation and Supplies

Lerwick For accommodation in Lerwick try the Glen Orchy Guest House on 01595 692031, website www.guesthouselerwick.com, or the Alder Lodge Guest House on 01595 695705. The youth hostel is a cheaper option, and you can contact them direct on 01595 692114 (open April to September). There are plenty of shops, bars and restaurants in Lerwick.

Heading North A very comfortable hotel on the road to North Mavine is the Busta House Hotel – Joe and Veronica Rocks are very welcoming, the food is excellent, and it is also a good option for some local Valhalla Brewery beer! Busta House is at Busta, near Brae, and you can make a reservation on 01806 522506, or e-mail reservations@bustahouse.com (website www.bustahouse.com).

North Mavine In North Mavine I would always opt for a night at Almara Guest House in Upper Urafirth – very comfortable rooms and huge breakfasts. Contact Marcia Williamson at Almara on 01595 503261, or e-mail almara@zetnet.co.uk (website www.users.zetnet.co.uk/almara). There is also a bar selling food in Hillswick, and a small shop.

Overnight Options

Either camp discreetly, or try Johnnie Notions’ Camping Böd at Hamnavoe, open from April until September and bookable through Lerwick tourist information centre, or contact 01595 694688, www.camping-bods.com.

Escape Routes

At any point during the walk the quickest return route to Hillswick and Urafirth is to head for the B9078, which runs along the Esha Ness peninsula from near Hillswick to the tip of the headland.

Day 1

From the lay-by beneath Urafirth village walk southwestwards along the road towards Hillswick village. Pass the B9078, which heads off to your right – this is the road leading out to the lighthouse at Esha Ness, and is worth remembering as a possible escape route. Continue into Hillswick and pass the St Magnus Hotel on your right, then take a little lane on the left that leads down to the shoreline. Follow this around to the west and along a track to Findlins House, from where you can go down onto the shore and pick a way between the rocky platforms and sandy bays.

This is a great place to see otters. They prefer to come out hunting on a rising tide, and so are not necessarily nocturnal, as many people believe. We only have one species of otter in Britain, the Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra. On the rivers of England and Wales it is pretty much completely nocturnal, but by the coast in Scotland can be seen at any time of day.

Continue around the little headland of Tur Ness, which juts into Ura Firth, then on into the bay known as the Bight of Niddister.

Watch for fulmars as you walk along towards Baa Taing. These graceful birds are a joy to watch as they skim close to the waves out at sea. They look not unlike seagulls, but are in fact members of the shearwater family. They fly with very stiff wings, whereas gulls are much more flappy.

Continue around the Quilse and into Queen Geos, then on to the lighthouse at Baa Taing, the headland of the Ness of Hillswick.

From Baa Taing turn northwestwards and go along the coast, passing the finger-like pinnacle of Gordi Stack and Windy Geo, before climbing to the 70m cliff top of Oris Field. Out to sea across Houlma Sound you can see the famous rock pinnacles of the Isle of Westerhouse and the Drongs. Continue around the cliff top to the summit of Ber Dale, then onwards and downhill to the Quey and the lovely bay of Sand Wick.

The island of Dore Holm, with its huge natural arch

Follow the coast round, climbing again until you are high above the bay, then drop down to cross Twart Burn where it enters the sea. A short hop around rough ground below the B9078 and you are soon heading southwest again, towards the Grey Face and Harry’s Pund. Another short climb up to the Heads of Grocken, then a traverse around under Watch Hill to Stoura Pund and the Neap, bring you out above the big bay of Brae Wick. Walking out along the cliff top of the Neap you soon descend to cross a couple of small streams, then head out towards the distant headland of No Ness above the rocky flats of Scarf Skerry. Just around the bay from here lies the hamlet of Tangwick, with a superb museum that is well worth a visit.

Tangwick Haa Museum has a fascinating display of local artefacts and photographs, part of which is changed every year. All aspects of life in this remote part of Shetland are depicted here. The haa itself was built in the 17th century as a home for the Cheyne family, and is one of the oldest buildings in this part of Shetland. The Cheynes were lairds of the Tangwick estate and other parts of Shetland.

From the museum drop down the lane around the back that leads westwards to the beach at the Houb, then continue along the low cliffs to Gro Taing and onwards to the natural coastal arches of Fiorda Taing.

Offshore lies the spectacular island of Dore Holm, with its huge natural arch. It is quite often referred to as ‘Horse and Man Rock’, or ‘Drinking Horse Rock’ – the latter name seems much more fitting.

Go around the bay to Utstabi, then the cliffs begin to rise again as you near Stenness, with the Isle of Stenness and Skerry of Esha Ness lying just offshore. Continuing towards Esha Ness itself, the way leads across broken, rocky ground around the Bruddens and the Cannon before you reach the lighthouse at the end of the B9078.

The name Esha Ness comes from the Old Norse for ‘Headland of Volcanic Rock’. Black basalts and purple andesites make up the geology, and agates and amethysts can be found within these hard volcanic rocks.

Backpacking at the Holes of Scraada

Johnny Notions’ Böd

Walk around the seaward side of the lighthouse and along the top of Calder’s Geo, where many seabirds will be nesting below your feet.

Calder’s Geo is a huge void cutting into the cliffs at Esha Ness. Kittiwakes (known locally as ‘waegs’) and fulmars (‘maalies’) nest here, while razorbills (‘sea craas’) and guillemots (‘looms’) can also be seen. Everyone’s favourite seabird, the puffin (‘tammy norrie’) is also present, and shags (‘scarfs’) nest at the bottom of the cliffs.

John Williamson of Hamnavoe is one of many great characters remembered by all in the North Mavine area. Always known locally as Johnnie Notions because of his inventive mind, in the 18th century he designed his own inoculation against smallpox, saving thousands of local Shetlanders from this terrible disease without losing a single patient – and all without the benefit of any kind of education! The Böd, which is now a small bunkhouse, stands where his house once was, and is a great place to spend the night.

Walk around Calder’s Geo and continue along what must surely be some of Britain’s most dramatic coastline. In two places the sea has found weaknesses in the rocks of the cliffs and forced subterranean passages through to blow-holes set well back from the cliff edge. One of the best examples of this is at the Holes of Scraada near the Loch of Houlland.

The Loch of Houlland is a good place to see breeding arctic terns (known hereabouts as ‘scooty aalins’) and great skuas (‘bonxies’). These birds can be very aggressive if you approach their nests or young, so be warned!

The cliffs continue, taking you past the Grind of the Navir as you approach the Head of Stanshi along the Villians of Ure, a fantastic name for a cliff top if ever there was one! Continue walking around the Geo of Ure and the Dale of Ure until you enter the delightful bay of Hamna Voe. Stroll into Braehoulland and walk around to the pier. If you are staying at Johnnie Notions’ Böd you should continue around the bay past Scarff to the hamlet of Hamnavoe itself.

The Holes of Scraada

Day 2

Begin the day by heading out westwards from Johnnie Notions’ to the sea. Turn north and walk along the cliffs of the Villians of Hamnavoe to the Burn of Tingon. This can occasionally be difficult to cross and you may have to head inland a short way to find a safe place. North of here you’ll come to the Hole of Geuda near the Geo of Ockran, another fine bay with a waterfall pouring into it from the hill above. Continue around Ockran Head and on past Clew Head to the superb headland of the Faither, which gives good views eastwards of Lang Ayre, the biggest beach in the Shetland Islands, backed by Ronas Hill, the highest hill.

Across Ronas Voe you can see the impressive Stonga Banks dropping to the beach at Lang Ayre. Above this rises Ronas Hill, at 450m the highest hill in the Shetland Islands, and enjoying almost arctic weather and terrain to match. There are many rare arctic plants growing here, and it is also a good place to see upland waders nesting in the summer.

The seas north and west of the Faither are often a good place for whale watching. In summer you might be lucky enough to spot minke whales, sperm whales, killer whales or even humpback whales. There are also good numbers of dolphins and porpoises. In all, 22 species of cetacean have been recorded in the waters around Shetland.

The route now leads southeastwards alongside Ronas Voe. You can either stay along the shoreline until you hit the minor road at Heylor, then follow that back to Urafirth, or continue along the shore only as far as the Stack of Sumra, then begin a slow climb up over rough grass and heather to Turning Hill. On Turning Hill you may see nesting great skuas, which will probably dive bomb you as you walk past.

Continue southeastwards up to Septa Field, then on to the curious lake known as Gersfield Water. This is a good place to see red-throated divers, but be careful not to disturb them during the breeding season.

Head south from the loch to the summit of White Grunafirth, where an OS trig pillar stands at 173m. From here head eastwards over rough ground to a track that takes you to Assater, then down to Upper Urafirth and the end of a fine walk.