Guided Walks

Lunna Peninsula - little visited north-east corner of Mainland Shetland, with stunning sea-scapes.  Relatively easy walks to longer hikes are possible here. Lunna Kirk and the surrounding area has a fascinationg history, including its role in the secret World War 2 operation - The Shetland Bus.

Culswick, Westerwick, Silwick, Skeldaness - all areas on the Westside, with beautiful dramatic coastline offering a range of walking options from easy tracks to longer hill-walks.  The ruins of the Broch at Culswick date from the Iron Age about 2000 years ago and make a wonderful picnic spot.

Sandness - stroll along the beach and see old water mills used to grind grain.  Walk along the cliff tops and look out to the North Atlantic.  For a more strenuous walk, summit Sandness Hill with wild expanses of open moorland, or walk to the Dale of Walls.

Ronas Hill and Lang Ayre - Ronas is the highest hill in Shetland (450m) with a rugged barren terrain and neolithic cairn at the summit.  Unusual alpine-arctic flora grow here.  It is not recommended in bad weather, but with good visibility the views are spectacular - extending the whole length of the Shetland Isles.  A long day hike can also take in the Lang Ayre - a remote beach of red sand, reached by climbing Ronas Hill first!

St Ninian's Isle - a classic Shetland walk across a beautiful sandy tombolo (double-sided beach) and round the island.  There are many tales of ship-wrecks and a ruined church where buried Late Iron Age treasure was found in 1958.

Fethaland - the northern-most tip of Mainland Shetland, with some great walking, interesting geology and much history.  This was the site of a large haaf (deep sea) fishing station.  Fishermen sailed up to 50 miles out to the fishing grounds in large open rowing boats.  The remains of the drystone lodges that the men slept in, and the pebble beach where the fish were dried can still be seen.

Arisdale - a day hike to see the remains of a World War 2 air craft and a fitting memorial to the lost men on a remote hillside on the Island of Yell

Muckle Roe - the walk to the Hams of Roe is considered by many Shetlanders to be the best walk on the islands.  The scenery is certainly spectacular and there is interesting history, geology and nature to explore.

Gloup and Breckon in Yell - take in a beautiful sandy beach and a memorial to 58 men lost in a fishing disaster in 1881.  Short or longer walks are possible in this area.

Eshaness and Stenness - walk over an extinct volcano!  The rocks in this area were formed about 360 million years ago during volcanic eruptions and the area has fascinating geology with a dramatic coastline.  The Eshaness clifftops are carpetted with wildflowers in the summer and the beach at Stenness is an old fishing station with its interesting social history.  The Grind of the Navir is a great place for a picnic - a natural amphitheatre with a storm beach of massive boulders 15m above sea level, showing the power of the North Atlantic, but hence not recommended in stormy weather!

Sumburgh Head and Jarlshof - at the southern tip of Shetland Mainland.  A wonderfully accessible seabird colony around the Sumburgh lighthouse, which has a fascinating history and excellent visitor centre.  Close by is Jarlshof - the most significant multi-period archeological site in Europe with evidence of almost continuous occupation for about 4500 years.

Scatness - a narrow peninsula with an Iron Age blockhouse at the Ness of Burgi and stunning views in all directions.  Scatness, Sumburgh Head and Jarlshof can be combined to give a day's walking with several interesting site visits.

Hermaness, Clibberswick, Woodwick or Sandwick in Unst - the most northerly inhabitted UK island. Getting to Unst from Mainland Shetland requires 2 ferries, but there is so much to see and some great walking.