Walking guide to the Orkney and Shetland Isles, Scotland

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• Introduction
• Sample Route
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WALK 49
Mu Ness to Deepdale over Sandness Hill

Start/finish    Park at Dale of Walls
Grid ref    HU180525
Distance    13.2km /8.2 miles
Time    5 hours
Maps    OS Explorer 467, OS Landranger 3
Note     Map and compass skills required

This wild walk over some of the more remote hills of Mainland is never very difficult, but in some places you feel a long way from anywhere, which is one of its many attractions.

Start by walking along the lane northwestwards towards the farms at Netherdale, turning left just before the telephone box. Climb uphill to a gate that leads out onto the open fell and continue northwards onto the broad ridge of Blouk Field. Now turn to the northeast and follow the ridge to the top of this minor hill.

Descend to the north and climb gently up the other side of a broad col, gaining the summit of Dale Hill at a cairn at 184m.

To the north is the steep-sided valley of Deep Dale, with the large bulk of Sandness Hill on its north side. The summit of Sandness Hill is your next destination, but rather than making straight for it, the best route is to follow the broad connecting ridge between Dale Hill and Sandness Hill. This runs to the northeast, and you can follow it for a mile until the summit of Sandness Hill lies above you to the north.
Climb the easy slopes to the top at 249m. The summit is marked by an ancient cairn and an Ordnance Survey triangulation pillar. The views from Sandness Hill are far-reaching. They stretch northwards to the lovely little island of Papa Stour, and westwards towards distant Foula.

The western flank of Sandness Hill is interesting. There is a tarn, known as Nether Shun, high up just beneath the summit ridge, and two ridges fall away from the flat area where this tarn sits. To the north is a rounded spur known as Hill of Melby, while to the west lies the cairned ridge of Ramna Vord.

From Sandness Hill you should head west to Nether Shun, then continue just south of west along the superb ridge of Ramna Vord, the island of Foula seeming to float in the distance ahead of you.

From the cairn on Ramna Vord drop down to the southwest to the magnificent sweep of broken ground and scree-covered cliffs that is Banks Head. This flank of Ramna Vord falls directly into the sea at Bay of Deepdale, 150m (490 feet) below.

Turn southwards along the cliff edge and descend into the trough of Deep Dale. If you keep close to the cliffs you’ll get a spectacular view of the waterfall where the Burn of Deepdale plunges off the cliff, falling 60m (195 feet) into the bay below.

Cross the stream carefully – picking a safe spot well back from the cliff edge. Once on the south side follow the magnificent serrated coastline around, wandering out to the narrow arête overlooking Erne’s Stack to the southwest of Deep Dale.

Continue around the cliff tops, around the bay of Sel Ayre, and then onwards to a huge, almost-detached fang of rock known as Weinnia Ness. You can scramble out to the grassy top of this and admire the amazing views down both sides.

Back on the cliff top continue southwards around the wild voe of Coppa Wick, walking out to the southwest to the headland of Mu Ness. There is a promontory at the extreme end of the headland, and you can walk out onto this to get fine views of the rock stacks of Buid Stacks and Clett, and over a narrow channel to the bulging rock of Skerry of Dale.

Now head eastwards along the coast, around the north shore of Voe of Dale. You’ll come to a track that heads inland alongside a stream, and if you follow this eastwards you’ll soon find yourself back at Netherdale, then on to Dale of Walls.