Burra Ness and the broch, Yell

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Head out round a low-lying headland to visit the remains of the best-preserved broch on Yell. The walk leads through prime otter habitat and much of the footage in the award-winning documentary "On the track of the Wild Otter" by Hugh Miles was filmed here.

Terrain

Mostly low-lying, grassy coastal walking - wet in places.

Public Transport

Nearest bus at the turning for the Cunnister road.

Start

Road end through Cunnister. Open start point in Google Maps for directions.

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Walk Description

Stage 1

The walk is described from the end of the public road through Cunnister, where there is a turning area just beyond a bridge where the road becomes a private track to Kirkabister. Finding considerate space to park is difficult, and you may have to look for a spot further back in Cunnister. From the turning area, begin the walk by heading straight down to the coastline and then turning left along it; it is boggy in places.

Stage 2

Soon the derelict farmhouse of Kirkabister comes into view over to the left - keep mostly to the seaward side of the fenced pastures, passing above a shingly beach. The low coastline all around here is prime habitat for otters - Shetland is the best place in the UK to see these elusive but beguiling animals, and many argue that Yell in the best place in Shetland. It was around this walk that Hugh Miles shot most of the footage for his award winning BBC documentary, On the Track of the Wild Otter. Otters have a very keen sense of smell and so your best chance to see them is when upwind - look out for them returning through the water as they are harder to spot once ashore.

Stage 3

Continuing round the coast onto the Burra Ness peninsula itself, the coastline begins to rise to form low cliffs. Continue above these, passing round above a geo at one point with some small stacks - and a tiny arch.

Stage 4

Further on the route leads past some ruined crofts to reach the remains of Burra Ness broch. Although collapsed internally, the 2,000 year old stonework of this iron age defensive tower still stands to an impressive 4m height on the seaward side - the walls themselves are over 4m thick. Like its more famous and better preserved relative on Mousa, the gaps in the broch walls are used by nesting storm petrels which return here at night in the summer.

Stage 5

Continue along the coastline as it now heads back west, passing an old noust - a haul-up spot for a boat. Soon a wide shingly bay is reached, with sand at low tide. Continue to the far end of this before cutting inland, heading southwest across rough ground along the foot of the Hill of Burraness.

Stage 6

This leads back to the outward route on the opposite coastline. Turn right to retrace your steps along this coast. At the far end of the enclosed pastures of Kirkabister it is possible to turn right uphill - with the last fence on your right - to gain the access track to the ruined farm. Turn left along the track to return to the turning area at the start of the walk.

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Burra Ness and the broch, Yell

Click to Install our FREE APP
Download our route guides and use offline with free GPS mapping

Terrain

Public Transport

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