This excellent walk makes a coastal circuit around the Ness of Hillswick peninsula. There are some spectacular sea stacks and fine clifftop scenery, as well as a tiny lighthouse at the far end.
Bog Factor
Mostly grassy walking above exposed coastal clifftops, rough in places but stiles over all fences.
Parking by the public toilets at the shore in Hillswick.
Bus to Hillswick.
HU282770
As you arrive in Hillswick you can't miss the striking St Magnus Bay Hotel - the building was constructed in Norway and brought to Glasgow's Kelvingrove for an exhibition before being purchased and moved to its current position here. Take the turning on the left down past the shop to a shoreside parking area near the public toilets. The large house at the parking area is the Hillswick wildlife sanctuary, that cares for sick and abandoned seal and otter pups from around the Shetland coast. Begin the walk on the lane from the far end of the parking area, soon rejoining the road; continue along this to the left. Follow the road until it bends to the right at the far end of the bay - here leave it, turning left over a stile to follow a landrover track towards the sea.
After a second stile the grassy coastline is reached - turn right to begin walking along it. After an initial flat bay there is a pedestrian gate as you round Tur Ness. The coastal cliffs begin but are quite small at first, though even here there are natural arches to be seen. Continue to a stile and then follow a path to a sheep enclosure. Pass to the right of this, heading over another stile, and round the back of the next low lying bay - the Bite of Niddister.
After another gate follow the clifftops, gaining height as you pass above the promontory of The Quilse.
As you round Queen Geos you get your first glimpse of the tiny lighthouse at the end of the peninsula. Continue round above ever more impressive cliffs towards it; there's a safety railing to follow on the final stretch - a testimony to the fierce winds that can be experienced here.
From the lighthouse the walk begins to head back along the more impressive western coastline of the Ness. After ascending a long grassy slope above the cliffs there is a sudden view down to the spectacular Gordi Stack. As you continue round the coast this changes shape, appearing as a narrow pinnacle when seen end-on from the next geo.
Keep safely back from the cliff edge on the grassy slopes as you continue by the undulating coastline. There are views out towards the Drongs - a stack disintergrating into a series of pinnacles.
The coast now climbs over Oris Field, revealing a fine view ahead of the cliffs curving round to the Pund of Grevasand. You can bypass this peninsula, regaining the cliffs just beyond.
Pass through a gate before rounding the end of a deep geo before climbing steeply to the right beside a fence before cutting up to the next grassy hilltop shown as point 82m on OS maps. This is a fine viewpoint, both looking back along the coast and ahead towards Hillswick, and across to the cliffs at Zoar. Regain the coastal cliffs and follow them through more geos, passing through a pedestrian gate as the descent continues.
The route leads down to reach the beautiful bay of sand and pebbles at Sand Wick. Keep left of a wall and fence before bearing right across a grassy pasture to reach a stile and the road beyond at Hillswick. Turn left here to quickly return to the village.
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