David and Angela Grace
Our October hike was not actually a loop, but a 7.5 km walk in Hermaness National Nature Reserve. This large peninsula at the northern tip of Unst, the northernmost of the Shetland group, is inhabited only by a few sheep — but its western coast is home (in spring time) to hundreds of thousands of nesting seabirds — skuas, fulmars, kittiwakes, gannets — and puffins. At this time, only the gannets and fulmars remain. Are they worth a hike?
At the entry to the trails, this shed shows us life sized silhouettes of the birds. The gannet’s wingspan is just under 6 feet. Our hike is the lower of the two on the map — straight out to the coast and then south to Saito, where we saw the gannet colony.
Much of the trail is beautifully maintained composite boardwalk – but watch out for sheep droppings!
At the coast we are 150 metres above the waves. Before turning south, we look north to see in the far distance the lighthouse on the tiny islet of Muckle Flugga, the northernmost lighthouse in Britain.
Don’t come to Shetland looking for trees. After three hours walking we head for the only place of refreshment in this neck of the woods, Victoria’s Vintage Tearooms in Haroldswick. Victoria’s cakes, like the gannet colony, are worth a trip (i.e., they get three Michelin stars).
Jan and Annie
We are off on a holiday through the Rockies to see family in Calgary. Here, on a short jaunt at Revelstoke.
Loopers 