Sandness Hill circuit from Huxter

[thepigguy]

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There's an excellent circular walk on Walkhighlands that includes Sandness Hill, starting at Dale of Walls to the south, but we were staying in Sandness, right by the hill, so it seemed logical to leave the car at home and set out from our digs on foot.

We crossed into the field by the coastguard hut (there are parking places here) and dropped down to the coast, making our way along a few hundred metres to a group of three old mills.

Exploring the old mills at Huxter

Signposts and stiles around the West Mainland coast path are generally very good

From there we followed the well-marked coastal path south for a mile-and-a-half as far as Horse Head where, after a short debate, Martin and I decided to carry on up Ramna Vord while Sally and Kathy headed back for tea and first go at the cake tin.

Looking over to Ramna Vord

The pull up to Banks Head is steep, but short and we were soon looking over the dramatic drop down to the Bay of Deepdale before turning inland and the brief, grassy walk up to the cairn on Ramna Vord with commanding views over Papa Stour and to the North Mainland.

Banks Head

Bay of Deepdale

Top of Ramna Vord

From there we dropped down towards the lochan, skirting to the left through some slightly boggy ground before the last climb up to the summit of Sandness Hill.

Towards the top of Sandness Hill

Sandness Hill looking north to Ronas Hill in the distance

From the top of Sandness Hill the ground to the east is rougher and there are several peat hags to negotiate, but we were fairly soon at the top of a farm track that leads down past a communications mast to the road from Walls to Sandness.

Heading down from Sandness Hill

Looking back up Sandness Hill

Nearly at the road

Once down at the road it was a quiet ramble for the couple of miles through the township of Sandness back to the start at Huxter.