A coastal circular above cliffs to the highest point on Faraclett Head, a good place to spot terns and both Arctic and Great skuas.
Bog Factor
Waymarked path, crosses farmland with livestock (keep any dogs under close control).
Faraclett parking area, Rousay.
Ferry to Rousay from Tingwall, Mainland Orkney. A dial-a-ride bus service operates on Rousay.
HY445322
Start the walk just south of Faraclett, where there is a small parking area and information board just off to the left of the minor road on the track leading to the farm. Begin by walking up the track and then straight ahead through the metal gate when the track bends right. Go directly uphill and through the next gate and then bear diagonally right uphill to reach a tall marker post and then straight across to a farm gate and kissing gate with waymarker post. Don't go through the gate (this is the return route) but turn left and follow the muddy/grassy track uphill.
Go through the gate in the stone wall and bear left following the white waymarkers with the dome of Kierfea Hill dominant to the left. The path eventually curves around the hillside to the right to head towards the sea (ignoring an older path to the left at a fork). Go through a kissing gate and pass the remains of two chambered cairns to your right.
Continue on the narrow path over rough moorland to reach a large cairn waymarker at the cliffs. This section of coastline is popular with popular with Arctic terns, which take a staggering 44,000-mile round trip every year from Antarctica to return to these breeding grounds on Orkney. When the path forks keep right (heading for a marker post) to bear northeast heading uphill to keep well above the high cliffs.
The narrow path crosses heather (ling, bell and cross-leaved heath all grow here) and there are views across the sea to remote Westray. A large cairn marks the northern summit of Faraclett Head, where you may also see skuas, ravens and occasionally peregrine falcons.
From the summit, the faint path heads northeast down to a marker post on the cliffs, then works its way east, and finally south, traversing the flanks of the slope. The 'ayre' or natural causeway between Stockness and the rest of Rousay can be seen below with the Loch of Stockness behind.
Descend to a kissing gate, cross the next field to a stile over the wall and then bear right passing the probable remains of another cairn. Continue to a stile over a stone wall and continue across the slope, aiming above the farmhouse at Faraclett. From here you may be able to make out the Yetnasteen standing stone down on the left at the field edge. It is said to walk to the nearby loch every New Year for a drink. Aim directly for the wind turbine on the distant hill and you should reach the farm gate and walkers' gate passed earlier. Go through this and ahead to return to the first metal gate. Head left through this and the next gate to return to the parking area.
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