📌 Isle of Sanday, Orkney Isles
★★★
At high tide, Sanday’s dry ground comes to an end at Ayre Sound. A fast flowing tidal current leaves the vertically-striped lighthouse at Start Point isolated and inaccessible, except towards low tide when the channel finally dries up and you can continue to explore the lighthouse, headland and the unexcavated Mount Misery chambered cairn. If timings don’t work out then all is not lost: views across the tidal channel are still excellent from the safety of the mainland side. The Bay of Scuthvie is also worth exploring at low water, with Fair Isle just visible on the northern horizon on clear days.
📷 Chronological photo guide
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Scuthvie Bay, minor road 5 mi east of Lady Village, Sanday
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: HY 770439
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 59.280910,-2.405858
❌ No public transport within 1 mi | 🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 4 km / 2 mi | ▲ 10 m | ⌛ 1.5-2 hr
Features: 🏖️ Scuthvie Bay; 🌊 Start Point island & lighthouse
⬤ Moderate | Good track, but crossing to the lighthouse is tidal, on slippery stones and seaweed. Be aware of tide times for crossing to (and returning from) the lighthouse.
Download file for GPS➡️ Out-and-back walk: start & Scuthvie Bay – Start Point island & lighthouse – return by outward route
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Seals around the channel between Sanday and Start Point; fulmars and a few other seabirds.
Weather: Sunny, little wind, temperature in low teens.
July 2016
