Silwick and Westerwick Circular
Details
Distance: 9km
Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 4 hours
Height Gain: 90m
Area Of Shetland: West Mainland
Starting Point: HU 292 422
End Point: HU 292 422
Map: OS Explorer 467: Shetland – Lerwick, Papa Stour and Foula
Description
This is a coastal and moorland walk around a remarkable but little visited corner of Shetland. The coast displays some of the most dramatic sea stack and cliff scenery to be found anywhere. The coast is home to nesting seabirds, particularly Fulmar, Greater Black Baked Gull and Cormorant. Ravens also favour these cliffs for their nest sites.
The walk starts at the road end in the settlement of Silwick above long abandoned crofts. A signpost to Lambigart will direct you west across a field. From the cliff top in lower corner of the field there are good views of a sea stacks in Muckle Geo. The cliff tops are fenced off for a good deal of the walk and it is advised that you stay inside the fences.
From Muckle Geo follow the cliffs upward to get a view of a spectacular group of sea stacks in the Geo of Estiness. The largest of these is the flat topped Erne’s Stack once the home of the White Tailed Sea Eagle. These became extinct in Britain when the last one was shot in Shetland in 1918, but subsequently have been successfully reintroduced to mainland Scotland. Continue to the highest point of the cliff get a view of the long headland of Lambigart and the pointed Rooi Stack.
Follow the cliffs along the east coast of Lambigart. This opens up great views south-east towards Sil Wick across the bay with its many sea stacks, skerries, caves and natural arches. Continue around the headland now following the east shore of the next bay, which is Wester Wick. From the high neck of land between the bays you can frame magnificent views of the cliffs, stacks, skerries and beaches of Wester Wick.
Leave Lambigart and follow the cliffs above the shore of Wester Wick around and down to the beach below the settlement of Westerwick. The bay is often the haunt of seals, which haul out on the beaches, and otters can sometimes be seen fishing in the area. Westerwick is the birthplace of Vagaland, Shetland’s best known 20th century poet (Thomas Alexander Robertson 1903-1973).
A steep ascent from the beach follows the cliffs to the highest point on the west shore of the bay and makes for a splendid view of the red granite cliffs and the red shingle beaches far below. Continue west along the cliffs around the deep inlet of Lambi Geo and the burn that drains Lambi Loch. Beyond Lambi Geo is the headland of The Nev and the offshore stack called Giltarump. This stack takes its name from its likeness to the rear quarters of a pig.
From The Nev follow the cliffs north to ascend the high ground of Drongi Field. The summit affords all round panoramic views, which on a clear day include Foula on the western horizon to Fair Isle in the south. From Drongi Field you can head east to the Loch of Westerwick then south to the settlement. From Westerwick you can return via Lambigart to the start point at Silwick.
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