No Ness and the Broch of Burraland, Sandwick

Summary

This superb coastal walk heads around the delightful No Ness peninsula from Sandwick. There is some fine coastal cliff scenery around the peninsula - particularly on the east side - before the route reaches the secluded remains of a broch looking across the Sound to its more famous counterpart on Mousa.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

4.5/5

Rating

Terrain

Minor road, track then grassy coastal clifftop walking with some boggy patches; stiles over all gates.

Public Transport

None to start - nearest stop around 2.5km away.

Start

Sandwick - near bend in road at HU434236. Open in Google Maps.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 8.25km / 5.25 miles
Time: 2.5 - 3.5 hours
Ascent: 180m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: HU434236

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Walk Description

User reports (1)

Stage 1

The walk starts from the small and attractively-situated village of Sandwick - if you take the turning signed for No Ness, there is space to park a car carefully (do not block gates) on the right where the road reaches the coast, or further parking by a picnic table a short distance further along.

Stage 2

Begin the walk by continuing south along the road, leaving behind the village and its bay. When the tarmac road ends, continue through a gate onto a track. This continues by the coastline, eventually passing through a gate in a large stone wall (stile alongside).

Stage 3

The track swings left here, so leave it and instead follow sheep paths above the coastal cliffs. The going can be boggy in places but the coastal scenery is excellent, passing above Skaag and round a geo at Vins Taing - note a sea cave at the foot of the cliffs.

Stage 4

At the end of the peninsula are some concrete ruins from the second World War, possibly the base of a gun emplacement. Now follow the cliffs as they lead back north along the eastern side of the peninsula, keeping to the right of a small lochan. This section is superb, with some particularly fine cliffs and an outlook across to the island of Mousa. The route rounds several geos, and crosses a drystone wall at a ladder stile.

Stage 5

Further on it is possible to cut the route short by crossing a stile over a fence to the left and rejoining the outward route at the start of the track at No Ness. Continuing our route, ignore this stile and keep nearer the east coast. Cross two further stiles to now walk along the landward side of the coastal fence. Leave the coastline to keep to the higher ground over a grassy hillock to ensure you meet the next fence at another stile, then head downhill back towards the coast at first on the landward side, then over a stile to the seaward side of the clifftop fence.

Stage 6

Continue to reach the finely situated ruins of an iron age broch. This would once have been a twin to the famous Mousa broch across the sound - in clear view from here - but many stones were taken to help build the buildings over to the left - now themselves ruins.

Stage 7

Leaving the broch, follow the coastline north, eventually passing through a gate in a fence. From here it is possible to extend the walk along the coast to Sand Lodge and the Wick of Sandsayre before returning by road, but for our shorter route aim to join the track visible a short distance inland - again there is a gate. Turn right along the track, and then turn left when it forks. It soon reaches a tarmac lane just short of the farm buildings - turn right along the tarmac, then left when it meets the road to return to Sandwick. The start point is a left turn onto the No Ness road.

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