A fabulous sandy beach and coastal walk taking in a number of Viking sites including the remains of a longhouse and chapel. The walk can be combined with Mu Ness and the Castle from Uyeasound route to make a longer outing.
Bog Factor
Easy coastal walking, stiles and gates.
Sandwick beach and Framgord, Unst.
None to start.
HP619015
The walk starts from Hannigarth, reached by a minor road from the Uyeasound to Munness road, there is a car park and information board at the start. From here go over the stile and along the track towards the house. Before the house bear right to another stile and follow a faint grassy track downhill as the stunning white sands of Sandwick come into view.
Turn left at the coastal path sign and follow the back of the sandy bay. Right after the path sign the remains of a iron-age house with distinctive upright stones can be seen near the shore. Archaeologists have discovered two Pictish burials in this area. Continue north for a short distance and near an interpretative board the remains of a norse longhouse can be seen. The remains are now almost engulfed by the sands but the sea would have been further away when it was built. The remains of the byre at the north end can still be made out with its cow-shaped doorway which is wider at the top.
Continue along the short turf or drop down onto the sands and aim for a stile at the far end of the beach. Once on the grassy ground aim north and soon the square stone walls surrounding the cemetery can be seen. Aim for it enter the cemetery via the gate on the far side, it contains the remains of a viking chapel, which is thought to have been attached to the farm at Framgord, the remains of a similar aged outbuilding can be seen just outside the cemetery. There are also some very unusual viking keelstones and small crosses. The cemetery is still used today, although coffins are brought by tractor, the mourners have a relatively long walk.
From the cemetery walk back down towards the coast and continue northwards soon going over a stile in a stone wall. The dips in the grassy ground at the shore on the next section are the remains of noosts - shelters where boats would have been hauled to and tied up out of danger from the sea, it is throught that the ones here date back to viking times and would have been used by the inhabitants of Framgord farm.
Keep following the shore and at a fence cross the stile and continue as the house ruins of Colvadale come into view on the horizon. This section of coast is a good place to look for seals and otters - the path is often littered with crab shells and other food debris from otters and seabirds. Continue until the black rocks on the shore known as the Whale Back and head inland to explore the deserted township of Colvadale before heading back on the same outward route to return to the start.
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