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This was our last day in Shetland and we had planned a day out in Out Skerries (this would have been the walk report title
). The weather was good so we were confident when we arrived at Tingwall Airport. However, the pilot told us there was a rainstorm forecast for the afternoon and there was a 20% risk that we would not be able to make it back that day. As we had a plane to catch very early the next day, we could not take that risk and thought of alternatives.
We had been in Hermaness, Unst, in 2010 and it was a really nice walk then. The only thing that was missing, were the puffins, as in 2010, we were on Shetland in late August. As we were quite early anyway, we decided to drive up to Unst. The trip up there is very scenic, as it involves two ferry crossings, one from the Mainland to Yell, then a quick drive through Yell and from Yell to Unst. Once in Unst, just drive up the island through Baltasound and then, instead of driving into Haroldswick, head straight on to Hermaness, past Loch Cliff, which happened to be infested by some poisonous algae according to SIBC. Anyway, we were not going to take a swim (unlike certain other forum members
).
Before reaching the carpark, you can drive down to an old lighthouse which has been transformed into a visitor center. We had done this in 2010 so skipped it this year. From the carpark, you get views over to Saxa Vord, the highest hill on Unst with army structures on top. I had to look twice but something was different from the first visit in 2010.
Saxa Vord 2015:
Saxa Vord 2010:
Right, they have dismantled that huge radar globe thingy. Still quite a lot of infrastructure up there though...
That's what it would look like without it - no photoshop, just fog
Pic from 2010.
But enough of that. The path to the cliffs is almost entirely "paved" by synthetic battens that look like wood but are not wood. They make walking easy and so you reach the cliffs in under one hour. The battens stop about 100 meters away from the cliffs and the last meters are boggy so you can still get wet feet.
Theoretically, there is an alternative route through the bog, leading up the hilltop of Hermaness, which then descends above Muckle Flugga and leads back along the cliffs to the synthetic path. However, this bog path was closed because of erosion. It had been open in 2010 and we had taken it then. It's a pleasant walk so hopefully it will soon be practicable again.
There are enough Bonxies flying around but they do not attack, as long as you stay on the path, at least. Even if they also use the path:
Once on the cliffs, this is what you see first, to the North:
In the distance, Muckle Flugga is just visible, Britain's most northerly lighthouse:
If you walk up the cliffs further north, then you get to see Muckle Flugga and Out Stack, Britain's most northerly, well... stack. We did that in 2010 so here are some pictures. As the path over the hilltop was closed this year, we did not go up there this year.
Soon, we spotted our first puffins, so we sat down to pick nick and watch the birds. There was even some puffin - fulmar interaction:
That's what google photos made of it:
We then went south along the cliffs and soon stood above a huge gannetry:
It is like always, if you can not see the birds in motion, hear the noise they make and smell them, you can't imagine how impressive this is in reality.
When walking on top of the cliff, all of a sudden a gannet head appeared from a whole and let us know this was his place. We tried not to upset the bird but still managed to get a few decent close-ups:
The puffins did not like it that the gannet tried to steal their show so they were back in full force!
"Come on guys, let's give these tourists the big show!"
After this unbelievable show, we said goodby to the cliffs and the birds and walked back to the car park. We were still early, so drove around Unst to see the most northerly house in Britain in Skaw, which comes with a nice beach and the rare Oysterplant.
Skaw with the famous shed with a boat as roof:
Oysterplant:
The aptly decorated Baltasound bus shelter:
We then headed down to take the 4:15 pm ferry back to Yell and very soon, the rainstorm the pilot had announced in the morning arrived. I am not sure we would have made it back from Skerries. In hindsight, it was a good thing we went to Unst, as Hermaness truly is one of the greatest places on Shetland and a must for everyone visiting the islands.
