Seashore Safety 1. Be aware of tide times and avoid being trapped by an incoming tide. 2. Check the local weather forecast before departing. 3. Be careful on slippery rocks, especially near the edge of the sea, and watchful of incoming waves. Seashores 4. Keep well clear of cliff edges, especially in wet conditions. Sands of Breckon 5. Do not touch any strange objects washed up on the shore Shingle Shores as these may be dangerous. Any hazardous or suspicious The composition of these beaches largely depends items should be reported to the Coastguard or Police. on the local geology. Pebbles are deposited 6. Please leave any bird corpses on or above the strand line A shoreline to suit everyone according to size, with the largest ones at the top of as these are counted monthly on some beaches. the shore. The shingle is moved around by the tides and a series of peaked ridges may be thrown up by Shetland Names storms. Many of the sand spits and bars around the Shetland Common coastline have a shingle base. Shetland Common name name name name Sandy Beaches Banks Sea cliffs Plucker Sea Scorpion Varying in size, the sand mainly consists of finely Voe Sea inlet Buckie Common Whelk ground-up rocks and fragmented sea shells. Wick Bay Grottie The composition, structure and angle of slope is Geo Inlet with steep rocky sides Buckie Cowrie determined by wave action. Some beaches reflect Skerry Isolated rock Yoag Horse Mussel the local geology such as the sparkling mica sands in the sea Ebb Wirm Lugworm in Unst. The diversity of organisms on a sandy beach Baa Sunken rock Tirrick Tern is largely determined by the size of the sand Ness Headland Dunter Eider particles, smaller grains retaining most sea water Taing Projecting point Shalder Oystercatcher at ebb tide. This enables a greater diversity of life Ayre Beach Sandiloo Ringed Plover to exist beneath the sand. Noost Boat draw Stenpikker Turnstone Mud Flats Craigstane/ Angling rock Maalie Fulmar craig saet along foreshore Mud flats form where fine particles of silt and Solan Gannet Waar/Tang Seaweed Sea craa Razorbill mud accumulate on a level beach, often where Banksflooer Sea Pink fresh water enters the sea. High levels of organic Loom Guillimot Buggiflooer Sea Campion material build up supporting large populations of Skarf Shag Spoot Razorshell invertebrates, an important food source for waders Taamie Skaddiman’s Norie Puffin and Shelduck. Head Sea Urchin Mudflats at Swinister, Delting Contents copyright protected - please contact Shetland Amenity Trust for details. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the contents are accurate, the funding partners do not accept responsibility for any errors in this leaflet. 2013 1 Introduction With around 1,500km of coastline, Shetland 3 has something to offer most visitors. Absorb 2 yourself in the day-to-day life of a seabird Coastline of Fair Isle colony amidst magnificent cliff scenery, One of Europe’s finest tombolos at St Ninian’s Isle or take a gentle stroll along a 4 sandy beach. Let the children Shetland Beaches and Shorelines 5 investigate fascinating rock 1 Norwick: Scenic east-facing sandy beach. pools, or step into the past and 6 2 Lund: Two sand and shingle beach complexes explore some of the with nearby archaeological remains. archaeological features found 3 Sands of Breckon: Extensive north-facing area of near the shore. Whatever your The action of the shell-sand beach, dune and machair. Interesting interests, allow yourself to waves is constantly changing the coastline plants and archaeology. relax and enjoy the scenery 4 Tresta: Fine sandy beach backed by shingle – 7 and wildlife around you. good for shells, especially tellins. 5 West Sandwick: West-facing sandy beach with dunes and machair. Cliffs 6 Eshaness: Impressive dark cliffs, geos & stacks Spectacular cliff scenery is concentrated in the west 8 in volcanic rocks. Extensive blowhole at the Hols and north of Shetland and on Fair Isle and Foula. The 9 o Scraada. Seabirds and coastal turf flora. complex geology means that sea cliffs come in a range 10 of colours, such as the pinkish-red granite of Ronas 7 Sandness: Sandy beach at Norby and coastal trail to Deepdale taking in spectacular cliff scenery. Voe, the reddish-brown sandstone of Sumburgh Head, 15 the blue-green serpentine of Fetlar and the dark 8 Sands of Sound: Fine sandy beach, good rocky 11 basalt of Eshaness. shore with pools and boulder beach. Good site 12 for observing marine invertebrates and seashore Rocky Shores life at low tide. 13 This is the predominant type of coastline in Shetland. 9 Meal Beach: West facing shell-sand beach. Car 14 On exposed shores the constant pounding by the sea park and toilets at main road. prevents the growth of seaweed and allows only 10 Bannaminn: Shingle tombolo and sandy beach. hardy organisms like Barnacles and Limpets to 15 survive. Sheltered rocky shores support the greatest 11 St Ninian’s Isle: Classic example of sand tombolo Leebitton: Superb rock pools at low tide. diversity of seashore organisms tucked away in linking island to Mainland. Archaeological crevices, pools and overhangs. interest on the island. 12 Spiggie Beach: Sheltered north-facing shell- Rocky shore at Cunningsburgh sand bay backed by dunes and machair which cut off Spiggie Loch. Cliff scenery at Deepdale, Sandness 13 Pool of Virkie: Tidal basin with large area of mud flat. Important feeding area for waders and ducks. 14 West Voe: South-facing sandy beach near Sumburgh Head and archaeological sites at Jarlshof and Scatness. Toilets at east end. An explorer’s guide to the seashore All shores are influenced by the twice daily tidal cycle. Extreme low and high tides occur around the spring and autumn equinoxes. The seashore divides into a Most of the permanent Shingle ridges above the average inhabitants of a sandy beach, such high tide level accumulate series of horizontal organic matter and are colonised zones with different plants and as bivalve molluscs, Lugworms and Ragworms, live buried by plants such as Oraches, Sea animals living in each zone depending beneath the sand. Look for the Sandwort, Sea Campion, on the length of time each area is left shells of common species such Silverweed, Sea Mayweed and uncovered. Zonation is best observed as Cockles, Trough Shells, Goose Grass. A rare species on a rocky shore. Sand Gapers, Carpet Shells, found at a few sites is the blue- Razorshells, Striped Venus flowered Oysterplant. and thin Tellins. Many colonies of seabirds breed on sandstone sea cliffs, which weather into a series of suitable nesting ledges and crevices. These are occupied by Fulmars, Gannets, Puffins, The strand line accumulates Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Shags. Ravens and Hooded Crows also nest here. cast-up seaweed and other Safe from grazing animals and enriched by salt spray and seabird guano many cliffs debris which harbour tiny have colourful “hanging gardens” which may include Sea Pink, Roseroot, Sea Campion Turn over small rocks and stones crustaceans and Kelp Fly larvae and Moss Campion. to expose seashore life. Many and is a favourite hunting ground animals attach themselves to the for birds such as Turnstone, Rock Pipit and Starling. Shingle beaches are the most underside of the rock as well as barren of all shorelines – sheltering beneath. Please make the continually moving pebbles sure you turn rocks and stones Only a few species such prevent colonisation by plants back when you are finished! as the small Periwinkle or animals. and the Sea Slater can survive on the upper Shingle beaches do provide shore, the area above the valuable nesting habitat for average high tide level. Arctic Terns, Oystercatchers, Oarweeds or Kelp grow in Ringed Plovers and Eiders. shallow waters offshore. Look for Eiders feeding on mussel beds. The lower shore is only uncovered The middle shore, the area on low spring tides. Look for Look for plants such as Sea between the high and low tide delicate organisms which cannot Pink, Moss Campion, Scurvy levels, is exposed and submerged withstand prolonged exposure Grass, Spring Squill and lichens regularly and is dominated by the such as Scale Worms, Sea Spiders, on the rocky foreshore. brown seaweeds known as Shetland Wrens often creep Rock pools may contain small Starfish, Brittlestars, Seasquirts wracks. Species such as Shore mouse-like amongst the rocks. Jellyfish, Sea Anemones, and Sponges. Shallow water fish Crab, Periwinkles, Dog Whelks, Hermit Crabs, Sea Urchins such as Butterfish and Five- Barnacles, Limpets, Sea and Sea Slugs. Use a clear- bearded Rockling shelter under Anemones and Edible Mussels bottomed container for stones. are adapted to survive in this viewing the inhabitants. changing environment. When the tide recedes they avoid predation and drying out by retreating beneath stones and seaweed, remaining in rock pools or clamping tight to the rocks. Look for a black encrustation on the rocks - not oil but a black lichen called Verrucaria maura..