North Roe, Shetland Mainland
★★★★
This excellent circuit ventures almost all the way to the northernmost point of Shetland Mainland, at the Point of Fethaland, with magnificent coastal scenery along the way. The highlight of the walk is an abandoned fishing settlement (or “haaf”) which was once Shetland’s largest, with ruined fishermen’s böds, boat nousts and also an iron age broch making up the site. We found this to be an excellent walk for seal-watching too, while the inland return passes a number of lochs where you may spot red throated divers.
Chronological photo guide
Houll 
Wick of Virdibreck 
Kame of Isbister 
Little Burn 
Rivon Ords 
Geo at Lanyar Taing 
Wick of Braebister 
Seals at Wick of Breibister 
Fethaland old fishing station 
Noust for beaching boats 
View back across the storm beach 
Point of Fethaland Lighthouse 
Point of Fethaland 
View southwest from the lighthouse 
Rigg of Breibister & return track 
Upper Loch of Setter 
Lower Loch of Setter 
Track near Benigarth
Location
O.S. Grid Reference: HU 371909
GPS coordinates: 60.599655,-1.323655
Infrequent bus to start
Verge parking – don’t block gates / access
Key info
10 km / 6 mi | ▲ 360 m |
3.5-4 hr
Features:
Fethaland coastline;
Fethaland old fishing station & lighthouse
⬤ Moderate | Outward route mostly on grassy clifftops, usually with faint paths. Return via excellent track, pathless section at very end.
Anticlockwise circuit: start – Wick of Virdibreck – follow coastline north to Fethaland old fishing station – Point of Fethaland Lighthouse – return to fishing station – Lower Loch of Setter via tracks – start
On our last visit
Wildlife: Sheep & lambs, rabbits, shags, fulmars, oystercatchers, gulls, curlews, whinchats, seals.
Weather: 13°C, blustery wind. Lots of sunshine but with some low cloud banks, especially early on.
June 2024
