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Starting in Scalloway the route initially follows the quiet road towards the bridge leading over the Clift Sound to the island of Trondra, but here leaves all sight and sound of man’s presence behind. The long line of hills falling in steep slopes down into the Clift Sound are followed through to Maywick, from where more rocky coastal cliffs lead around to St Ninian’s Isle.
The route then takes you around the Bay of Scousburgh and on to Fora Ness before making for impressive Fitful Head. The broad sands at the Bay of Quendale provide a change in scenery before the rugged headland at the Ness of Burgi and the superb walk around Sumburgh Head to Grutness.
Tourist Information
There is an excellent tourist information centre at the Market Cross in Lerwick, tel 01595 693434, website www.visitshetland.com.
Transport
You can get to the Shetland Islands’ capital, Lerwick, by either air or ferry.
Air For flights contact British Airways and their franchise partners Logan Air on 0845 7733377 – they make use of the main airport on Shetland at Sumburgh, 40km south of Lerwick – website www.loganair.co.uk.
Ferry North Link Ferries operate comfortable ferries to Lerwick from Aberdeen or Stromness (Orkney), tel 0845 6000 449, website www.northlinkferies.co.uk.
Getting Around
Buses There are regular bus services to Scalloway from Lerwick, and back from Grutness. Contact the Lerwick tourist information centre for details.
Car Hire Try either Bolts Car Hire on 01595 693636, or Star Rent-a-Car on 01595 692075. Both have offices in Lerwick and at Sumburgh Airport.
Accommodation and Supplies
Lerwick For accommodation in Lerwick, try the Glen Orchy Guest House on 01595 692031, website www.guesthouselerwick.com, or the Alder Lodge Guest House on 01595 695705. The youth hostel is a cheaper option, and you can contact them direct on 01595 692114 (open April to September). There are plenty of shops, bars and restaurants in Lerwick.
Scalloway Not a lot of choice here, but the Scalloway Hotel is situated conveniently in the centre of the village (tel 01595 880444). Also worth a try is Windward bed and breakfast (tel 01595 880444) or Broch House bed and breakfast (01595 880051) www.brochhouse.shetland.co.uk.
Sumburgh Area For a comfortable night’s sleep there’s always the Sumburgh Hotel at Jarlshof (tel 01950 460201), www.sumburghhotel.com, whereas nearby you’ll find Betty Mouat’s Böd (tel 01595 694688) www.camping-bods.com.
Overnight Options
Either camp discreetly, or book a room at the superb Spiggie Hotel in Scousburgh (tel 01950 460409), www.thespiggiehotel.co.uk.
Escape Routes
There are roads running parallel to the coast to the east at most points of this walk, and although generally a couple of kilometres away at the furthest points, they do see regular traffic.
Day 1
Before heading out of town it’s worth having a good look around the sleepy streets of Scalloway.
Head out of Scalloway on the main road towards Lerwick (A970). Walk over the road bridge that goes over the East Voe of Scalloway and turn right immediately. This is the B9074, leading towards the bridge over Clift Sound to the island of Trondra.
A few hundred metres before this bridge, which is visible cutting across the channel, turn left to Easterhoull. Go right at the next junction at Uradale and pick up the path along the east bank of the Burn of Sundibanks. This path soon crosses over to the west bank and begins a gentle climb up the ridge of the Kame of Whalwick. The views from here out westwards over Trondra are superb.
Scalloway used to be the capital of Shetland, until Lerwick gained in importance through greater trading success. Today the place is very quiet, although it does have a busy fishing industry, and down at the harbour you could hardly fail to notice the imposing tower of Scalloway Castle. This was built in 1600 by the infamous Earl Patrick Stewart, using forced labour, and both the earl and his son Robert were to be executed in Edinburgh in 1615 for their aggression against fellow landowners. The castle is really little more than a fortified tower house, but it is well worth a look around (if the gate is locked you can get the key from the Scalloway Hotel).
On Main Street, at the road junction, there is the small Scalloway Museum, which is free and also worth a little time spent there.
Scalloway Castle at the start of this walk
Continue down into a little col, then leave the path for a short time to climb to the higher summit at a spot height of 143m. Drop down to the east to pick up the track again – this leads down into Wester Quarff and the end of a small tarmac lane. Turn left – eastwards – here to a road junction, then turn right and continue beyond the wonderfully named Beneath-a-Burn to the ness. Head out to the coast overlooking East Burra.
From the coast begin a steep climb up towards Bogabreck, then continue up the moorland ridge to the summit of Muskna Field at 262m.
These moorlands of South Mainland hold a few breeding pairs of great skuas and arctic skuas. These great ocean wanderers return to the wild moorlands of Shetland every year and provide a bit of excitement for any passing walker. Arctic skuas will defend their territory against any intruder, especially if they happen to have eggs or young on the nest. These large birds dive bomb the hapless walker, but rarely make actual contact. The same can’t be said for the great skua, or ‘bonxie’, as the Shetlanders call it. Bonxies are more than happy to fly at you as you walk harmlessly across the moors, and they regularly clip people with a wing or extended foot, which can be quite painful. Fortunately they do seem to aim high if you hold your arm or even a walking pole above you head, and the whole thing can actually be good fun – being bombed by a bonxie is all part of the joy of walking on Shetland.
Head on southwards from Muskna Field along the Clift Hills and down to a col at the head of Lax Dale. Climb steeply up to the top of Holm Field at 290m, then down again to another col at 209m. A gentler climb up to a spot height at 247m leads onto the northwest ridge of Royl Field. Climb the ridge to the summit at 293m – there is a trig pillar here, and the views out to the west lead the eye to far-off Foula, one of the most remote inhabited islands of Britain.
Head southwards to the Grey Stane of Bonxa then continue over rough ground to the Hamars. A short climb leads to the Hill of Deepdale, and you should continue over this and down to a sheepfold in Deepdale itself. From here head southwestwards to the deep cleft at the Burn of Claver, then down the hill with a steep drop into the sea on your right, and you’ll emerge at the road head in Maywick hamlet. Walk westwards out to the wonderful headland called the Taing of Maywick, then follow onwards down the coast to the Knowe of Burgarth.
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