Date: Monday 30th December 2019
Company: Just myself
Distance: 7.9km, Ascent: 220m
Time: 2Hrs 15Mins
On 26th December I set off from Aberdeen to Lerwick for a week in Shetland. While there I hoped to undertake lots of walking, see plentiful wildlife and admire the Aurora Borealis. The reality however was significantly different! While on Shetland, the rain rarely stopped, the wind was gusting between 40 and 60mph throughout my stay, there was hardly any wildlife to be seen, and the Aurorawatch forecast was a constant 'green'.
On my fourth day on Shetland, the rain stopped for a couple of hours so I took the opportunity to ascend Hermaness Hill despite the wind gusting to over 50mph.
Click here to see a map of the route undertaken
I set off walking circa one hour before sunrise with a view to hopefully witnessing a sunrise from the summit of Hermaness Hill. The following photos are not great as I used my iPhone which is not good in poor light.
Looking across to Saxa Vord during ascent of Hermaness Hill:
During the ascent I decided to undertake the cliffside circuit instead of simply ascending to the summit and back. I highly recommend undertaking the circuit as seeing the cliffs is by far the best part of the walk.
In Spring, please note that you must ascend and return via the cliffside path due to nesting birds.
Cliffs at Toolie:
During the walk round the cliffs I passed two small waterfalls which were flowing upward due to the wind. Despite being over 100m above sea level, I was also getting hit by spume getting blown up from the sea.
Shieling:
Skirting round the cliffs:
Looking back to Kame of Flouravoug:
My iPhone pics really do not do justice to the spectacular cliffs.
Looking back:
Natural Arch:
On reaching the SNH sign opposite Muckle Flugga, I ascended to the top of Hermaness Hill. Seeing Muckle Flugga and its lighthouse was the highlight of the walk. In Spring, Summer and I suspected also Autumn, Hermaness is teaming with birds including Puffins and Great Skuas. During the walk, the only birds seen were a handful of diving Gannets.
SNH sign opposite Muckle Flugga:
Muckle Flugga and Out Stack:
Muckle Flugga lighthouse:
En-route to the summit, I passed the remains of the lighthouse signalling station.
Ruined lighthouse signalling station:
On reaching the summit, there was no sunrise just ongoing Shetland gloom.
Saxa Vord from the summit of Hermaness Hill:
From the summit, I returned via an intermittent track to eventually pick up the excellent in-bound track which led to the cliffs.
Descent back to van:
I am sure this would have been a spectacular walk undertaken in good weather in Spring.
On my return to the Shetland Mainland, I stopped at Haroldswick to see the replica longhouse and longship.
Longhouse replica at Haroldswick:
Inside the longhouse replica:
Skidbladner replica:
The highlight of the day and one of the highlights of the trip occurred later that evening during another brief break from the rain. When the clouds cleared for a few minutes, I was able to snap a nice view of not only the Milky Way but also the Andomeda Galaxy. The Andromeda Galaxy is the fuzzy object about one-quarter of the way in and down the photo.
Milky Way and the Andromeda Galaxy:
