Photographs by Lorne Gill/SNH, Glyn Satterley/SNH, Jonathan Swale. Main map by Ashworth MapsandInterpretationLtd.ISBN:978-1-85397-866-1©ScottishNaturalHeritage2019. Gill/SNH,GlynSatterley/SNH,JonathanSwale.MainmapbyAshworth Photographs byLorne ft To
e vo ra Bur
Hillswick
Ulsta
Sound
Great skua Great
Colgrave
A968
d
MAINLAND
n
Mid Yell Mid
u
FETLAR o
e Ro h rt S No
l
l
e
Y
Belmont Gutcher
YELL A968 UNST
Baltasound
Haroldswick
0 h rt fi ra Bur 10 20km NNR
Hermaness 0 10miles
Nature Reserves Nature
VISIT Scotland’s National National Scotland’s
www.nnr.scot
el: 01463 667600 667600 01463 el: T 0LL ZE1 Shetland Lerwick,
Scottish Natural Heritage, Stewart Building, Alexandra Wharf, Wharf, Alexandra Building, Stewart Heritage, Natural Scottish
For more information please contact: please information more For
conservation that continues today. continues that conservation
Support this NNR at www.nature.scot/donate-nnr www.nature.scot/donate-nnr at NNR this Support
set up a protective programme, starting a long history of of history long a starting programme, protective a up set
pairs, but landowner and naturalist Dr Lawrence Edmondston Edmondston Lawrence Dr naturalist and landowner but pairs,
Reserve map) from May to September. September. to May from map) Reserve
hasn’t always been this healthy. In 1831, there were just three three just were there 1831, In healthy. this been always hasn’t
Please avoid sensitive nesting areas (shown on on (shown areas nesting sensitive avoid Please
world’s third largest colony of great skuas, but the population population the but skuas, great of colony largest third world’s
With almost a thousand breeding pairs, Hermaness hosts the the hosts Hermaness pairs, breeding thousand a almost With because a slip could result in you sliding over the edge. edge. the over sliding you in result could slip a because
near the cliff edge and on steep sea-facing slopes slopes sea-facing steep on and edge cliff the near
their catch – a free meal for the predator. the for meal free a – catch their
Visitors are advised not to wear waterproof over-trousers over-trousers waterproof wear to not advised are Visitors
grab a bird’s wingtip to stall them and make them disgorge disgorge them make and them stall to wingtip bird’s a grab
Need to know to Need kill and eat seabirds even as big as gannets. More often they they often More gannets. as big as even seabirds eat and kill
They are more of a threat to their avian neighbours, and will will and neighbours, avian their to threat a of more are They
is not possible to enjoy the Reserve and get back in a day. a in back get and Reserve the enjoy to possible not is rarely make contact. make rarely
There is a bus service from Lerwick to Haroldswick, but it it but Haroldswick, to Lerwick from service bus a is There
National Nature Reserve Nature National or a stick above your head to ward them off, although they they although off, them ward to head your above stick a or
of their nests, they dive-bomb passing walkers. Hold your arm arm your Hold walkers. passing dive-bomb they nests, their of
to Gutcher for the ferry to Belmont on Unst. Unst. on Belmont to ferry the for Gutcher to Hermaness Hermaness
encounter great skuas, known locally as ‘bonxies’. Protective Protective ‘bonxies’. as locally known skuas, great encounter on Yell. This is followed by a 17 mile/27.4km drive north north drive mile/27.4km 17 a by followed is This Yell. on
Crossing to the cliffs from the car park in summer, you might might you summer, in park car the from cliffs the to Crossing Unst from Shetland Mainland. The first is from Toft to Ulsta Ulsta to Toft from is first The Mainland. Shetland from Unst
Haroldswick on Unst. It takes two ferry journeys to reach reach to journeys ferry two takes It Unst. on Haroldswick Pirates of the airways the of Pirates
Hermaness NNR is 3 miles/4.8km north-west of of north-west miles/4.8km 3 is NNR Hermaness Getting there Getting
Seabird city Clifftop clowns Welcome to Hermaness National Nature Reserve, managed Puffins, or ‘Tammie Norries’ as they are known in by Scottish Natural Heritage. Shetland, grace the cliff-tops from mid-April to early August. Several thousand pairs nest here, making it In summer, the cliffs of Hermaness are the New York of one of the biggest colonies in Britain. the seabird world: a noisy, bustling and often smelly metropolis that is home to more than 100,000 breeding Landing clumsily with their colourful, almost parrot- birds. Approaching these magnificent cliffs across the dark like beaks full of sand eels, and popping in and out moorland, you get no indication of what is to come – no of their burrows in the soft turf, they seem almost sound of crashing waves, no view of the sea – and you will comical. Having spent the winter at sea, travelling be literally stopped in your tracks as you reach the precipice. as far west as Newfoundland, puffin couples usually return to the same burrow each spring. The exposed, jagged cliffs, which tower up to 170 metres above the foaming sea, are teeming with life: gannets, puffins, They can dig these out using their powerful legs and fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and shags are among beaks, although they often use old rabbit burrows. Muckle Flugga the 15 different species. The gannets alone number about 30,000 pairs, making this one of the top six breeding sites in the UK for this massive, elegant bird. Land of the giants Gannets Hermaness, or ‘Herma’s headland’, is named after a mythical giant who fought with a neighbouring giant, Saxa, over a beautiful mermaid. They hurled enormous boulders at each other over the Burra Firth, one of which landed in the sea and became Out Stack, Britain’s most northerly lump of rock. The main rock type at Hermaness is gneiss, created under immense heat and pressure more than 450 million years ago. This process also produced some of the best crystals of the Smashing but smelly minerals kyanite and staurolite in Britain, although they are There are several gannetries along the Reserve’s western hard to spot. These ancient rocks, with pink veins of granite coast, one of the best being The Neap. You will probably running through them, have been sculpted into incredible smell and hear the birds long before you see them: the fishy shapes by the power of the Atlantic, creating stacks, caves, stench of the guano, and a gurgling, gargling cacophony. natural arches and steep-sided clefts known as geos. Then, as you round a small headland, you see them: Just off the coast is Muckle Flugga, a tiny island with a thousands of gannets squabbling over territory on the lighthouse on it. This used to be Britain’s most northerly white-stained cliffs. inhabited island, but the lighthouse is now automated, Watch as the birds dive: one of the most remarkable so the accolade has been lost. spectacles on a Reserve that is brimming with impressive sights. Their amazing vertical descents reach speeds of more than 60mph, evolution having equipped them with skulls that can absorb the shock of smashing into the water at such a velocity. Puffin www.nnr.scot www.nature.scot
Photographs by Lorne Gill/SNH, Glyn Satterley/SNH, Jonathan Swale. Main map by Ashworth MapsandInterpretationLtd.ISBN:978-1-85397-866-1©ScottishNaturalHeritage2019. Gill/SNH,GlynSatterley/SNH,JonathanSwale.MainmapbyAshworth Photographs byLorne ft To
e vo ra Bur
Hillswick
Ulsta
Sound
Great skua Great
Colgrave
A968
d
MAINLAND
n
Mid Yell Mid
u
FETLAR o
e Ro h rt S No
l
l
e
Y
Belmont Gutcher
YELL A968 UNST
Baltasound
Haroldswick
0 h rt fi ra Bur 10 20km NNR
Hermaness 0 10miles
Nature Reserves Nature
VISIT Scotland’s National National Scotland’s
www.nnr.scot
el: 01463 667600 667600 01463 el: T 0LL ZE1 Shetland Lerwick,
Scottish Natural Heritage, Stewart Building, Alexandra Wharf, Wharf, Alexandra Building, Stewart Heritage, Natural Scottish
For more information please contact: please information more For
conservation that continues today. continues that conservation
Support this NNR at www.nature.scot/donate-nnr www.nature.scot/donate-nnr at NNR this Support
set up a protective programme, starting a long history of of history long a starting programme, protective a up set
pairs, but landowner and naturalist Dr Lawrence Edmondston Edmondston Lawrence Dr naturalist and landowner but pairs,
Reserve map) from May to September. September. to May from map) Reserve
hasn’t always been this healthy. In 1831, there were just three three just were there 1831, In healthy. this been always hasn’t
on (shown areas nesting sensitive avoid Please
world’s third largest colony of great skuas, but the population population the but skuas, great of colony largest third world’s
With almost a thousand breeding pairs, Hermaness hosts the the hosts Hermaness pairs, breeding thousand a almost With because a slip could result in you sliding over the edge. edge. the over sliding you in result could slip a because
slopes sea-facing steep on and edge cliff the near
their catch – a free meal for the predator. the for meal free a – catch their
Visitors are advised not to wear waterproof over-trousers over-trousers waterproof wear to not advised are Visitors
grab a bird’s wingtip to stall them and make them disgorge disgorge them make and them stall to wingtip bird’s a grab
Need to know to Need kill and eat seabirds even as big as gannets. More often they they often More gannets. as big as even seabirds eat and kill
They are more of a threat to their avian neighbours, and will will and neighbours, avian their to threat a of more are They
is not possible to enjoy the Reserve and get back in a day. a in back get and Reserve the enjoy to possible not is rarely make contact. make rarely
it but Haroldswick, to Lerwick from service bus a is There National Nature Reserve Nature National or a stick above your head to ward them off, although they they although off, them ward to head your above stick a or
of their nests, they dive-bomb passing walkers. Hold your arm arm your Hold walkers. passing dive-bomb they nests, their of
to Gutcher for the ferry to Belmont on Unst. Unst. on Belmont to ferry the for Gutcher to Hermaness Hermaness
encounter great skuas, known locally as ‘bonxies’. Protective Protective ‘bonxies’. as locally known skuas, great encounter on Yell. This is followed by a 17 mile/27.4km drive north north drive mile/27.4km 17 a by followed is This Yell. on
Crossing to the cliffs from the car park in summer, you might might you summer, in park car the from cliffs the to Crossing Unst from Shetland Mainland. The first is from Toft to Ulsta Ulsta to Toft from is first The Mainland. Shetland from Unst
Haroldswick on Unst. It takes two ferry journeys to reach reach to journeys ferry two takes It Unst. on Haroldswick Pirates of the airways the of Pirates
Hermaness NNR is 3 miles/4.8km north-west of of north-west miles/4.8km 3 is NNR Hermaness Getting there Getting
Seabird city Clifftop clowns Welcome to Hermaness National Nature Reserve, managed Puffins, or ‘Tammie Norries’ as they are known in by Scottish Natural Heritage. Shetland, grace the cliff-tops from mid-April to early August. Several thousand pairs nest here, making it In summer, the cliffs of Hermaness are the New York of one of the biggest colonies in Britain. the seabird world: a noisy, bustling and often smelly metropolis that is home to more than 100,000 breeding Landing clumsily with their colourful, almost parrot- birds. Approaching these magnificent cliffs across the dark like beaks full of sand eels, and popping in and out moorland, you get no indication of what is to come – no of their burrows in the soft turf, they seem almost sound of crashing waves, no view of the sea – and you will comical. Having spent the winter at sea, travelling be literally stopped in your tracks as you reach the precipice. as far west as Newfoundland, puffin couples usually return to the same burrow each spring. The exposed, jagged cliffs, which tower up to 170 metres above the foaming sea, are teeming with life: gannets, puffins, They can dig these out using their powerful legs and fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes and shags are among beaks, although they often use old rabbit burrows. Muckle Flugga the 15 different species. The gannets alone number about 30,000 pairs, making this one of the top six breeding sites in the UK for this massive, elegant bird. Land of the giants Gannets Hermaness, or ‘Herma’s headland’, is named after a mythical giant who fought with a neighbouring giant, Saxa, over a beautiful mermaid. They hurled enormous boulders at each other over the Burra Firth, one of which landed in the sea and became Out Stack, Britain’s most northerly lump of rock. The main rock type at Hermaness is gneiss, created under immense heat and pressure more than 450 million years ago. This process also produced some of the best crystals of the Smashing but smelly minerals kyanite and staurolite in Britain, although they are There are several gannetries along the Reserve’s western hard to spot. These ancient rocks, with pink veins of granite coast, one of the best being The Neap. You will probably running through them, have been sculpted into incredible smell and hear the birds long before you see them: the fishy shapes by the power of the Atlantic, creating stacks, caves, stench of the guano, and a gurgling, gargling cacophony. natural arches and steep-sided clefts known as geos. Then, as you round a small headland, you see them: Just off the coast is Muckle Flugga, a tiny island with a thousands of gannets squabbling over territory on the lighthouse on it. This used to be Britain’s most northerly white-stained cliffs. inhabited island, but the lighthouse is now automated, Watch as the birds dive: one of the most remarkable so the accolade has been lost. spectacles on a Reserve that is brimming with impressive sights. Their amazing vertical descents reach speeds of more than 60mph, evolution having equipped them with skulls that can absorb the shock of smashing into the water at such a velocity. Puffin www.nnr.scot www.nature.scot Out Stack Reserve boundary Lighthouse Car park Muckle Flugga
Information Centre Rumblings Tipta Skerry Vesta Skerry Sensitive area o e G k ic a Surfaced road n l i W The Gord s s W o The Noup Track Lo The Framd The Greing Western path Sphagnum moss Humla Stack The Fild Cliff path Hermaness Wurs Stack Clingra Stack Hill. 200 Iron Geo Leera Flodda Stack Stack Brim Ness Norwick Sothers Stack of urn sdale Hevda B rna Shorda ou Sc Hellier h Saxa Kame of Flouravoug The Fidd t Vord r Toolie Sothers i F Brecks a Neap r B r Golden plover ur n u of W B in Bluescudda Saito n Grisa Lee asw Grunka Hellier Kame arta Dale Fiska Geo Riot of colour
ck Salt-tolerant plants such as angelica, red campion, Longa Stacks Tonga. Wi ska 150 Mill Fiel Mouslee Fi Holey Kame thrift, Scots lovage, spring squill and lesser sea H Tonga Stack o The spurrey cling to cliff ledges, bringing an ever- v Hill e Ness
Mio Tong B changing mosaic of colour to this harsh environment.
u
r n Broch Root The more sheltered, eastern side of the peninsula is Goturm’s M Stacks Hole illd home to three species of hawkweed that are unique ale Stackhoull Bu Greff rn Buddabrake to Shetland. Libbers Hill . Burrafirth Inland, the bulk of the Reserve is rough moorland – 170 Sandfield ff blanket bog and peaty pools that provide a habitat li Sotland C for heather, cottongrass, blaeberry, sphagnum f o B9086
h mosses and colourful orchids. Golden plover, dunlin c o L and snipe shelter here, along with Arctic skuas and To Haroldswick great skuas. A few pairs of rare red-throated divers – ‘raingoose’ on Shetland – also breed on secluded moorland lochans.
Fulmar nesting amongst Western path salt-tolerant flowers on cliff
A walk across the wild moorland interior of Hermaness to the spectacular cliffs on the west coast.
A varied path with firm 2 ¾ miles / gravel, boardwalk and grassy 4.6 km (return) Allow sections. One short, steep 2 hrs climb and several steps. The final 150 metres are grassy and uneven.
© Ashworth Maps and Interpretation Ltd 2012. Based on Ordnance Cliff path Survey mapping. © Crown copyright and database right 2012. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number SNH 100017908. This cliff top walk runs from the end of the Western path south to the Neap gannetry and north to the derelict light- house signalling station.
A mostly firm grassy path that 7 ¼ miles / 11.6 km is uneven and boggy in (return including places. Two steep sections. Western path) Allow 5 hrs
A walk on the edge The route from the car park to the cliffs on the western side of Hermaness is just over 2km, mostly on gravel paths and boardwalk. A further 2.5km along cliff-top trails and up a steep hillside brings you to the ruins of the lighthouse signalling station. The hill top is a sensitive nesting area so please do not go further than this during the breeding season (May to September).
Guillemot
www.nnr.scot www.nature.scot