Walking on the Orkney and Shetland Isles

Overview map

Map key

Introduction

Wildlife

Archaeology and history

Walking on the Northern Isles

Getting to the Northern Isles

Getting between Orkney and Shetland

When to go

What to take

Maps and access

Using this guide

ORKNEY

Orkney mainland

Walk 1 Mull Head and the Brough of Deerness

Walk 2 The Deerness memorial

Walk 3 Wideford Hill

Walk 4 Skara Brae, Yesnaby and Stromness

Walk 5 Marwick Head and the Kitchener memorial

Walk 6 Brough Head

Walk 7 The Loch of Hundland and Mid Hill

Walk 8 Fibla Fiold and Mid Tooin

Southern islands

Walk 9 South Ronaldsay – Hoxa Head

Walk 10 Burray – the Hunda Reef (NO LONGER ACCESSIBLE)

Walk 11 Hoy – Heldale Water and Tor Ness

Walk 12 Hoy – The Old Man of Hoy, St John’s Head and Cuilags from Rackwick

Walk 13 Hoy – Ward Hill from Moaness

Northern islands

Walk 14 Rousay – Knitchen Hill and the Trumland RSPB Reserve

Walk 15 Rousay – Mid Howe Broch and the Westness walk

Walk 16 Rousay – the Suso Burn and Kierfea Hill

Walk 17 Rousay – Faraclett Head

Walk 18 Eday – Ward Hill and War Ness

Walk 19 Eday – Noup Hill and Red Head

Walk 20 Eday – Fers Ness and West Side

Walk 21 Westray – Inga Ness to Noup Head

Walk 22 Papa Westray – Mull Head and the North Hill RSPB Reserve

Walk 23 North Ronaldsay – coastal traverse

SHETLAND

Mainland south

Walk 24 Jarlshof and Sumburgh Head

Walk 25 The Ness of Burgi Iron Age fort

Walk 26 Fitful Head

Walk 27 Around Fora Ness

Walk 28 St Ninian’s Isle over the tombolo

Walk 29 To the Taing of Maywick

Walk 30 Deepdale from Maywick

Walk 31 Sandwick to No Ness

Walk 32 The Helli Ness peninsula

Walk 33 Muskna Field from Wester Quarff

Walk 34 Scrae Field and the White Stone of Toufield

Southern islands

Walk 35 Fair Isle – the climb to Ward Hill

Walk 36 Fair Isle – Malcolm’s Head

Walk 37 Fair Isle – a west coast traverse

Walk 38 Mousa – the Mousa Broch and RSPB reserve

Walk 39 West Burra – Kettla Ness

Walk 40 East Burra – Houss Ness and the Ward of Symbister

Mainland central

Walk 41 Lerwick old town and the Knab

Walk 42 Scalloway to the Hill of Burwick

Walk 43 Fora Ness

Walk 44 Westerwick and Culswick

Walk 45 Staneydale Temple

Walk 46 Mu Ness to Deepdale over Sandness Hill

Walk 47 Ness of Noonsbrough

Walk 48 Scalla Field and the Butter Stone

Walk 49 The North Nesting coast

Central islands

Walk 50 Foula – the Daal to the Sneck Ida Smallie

Walk 51 Foula – the Sneug

Walk 52 Foula – the Noup

Walk 53 Bressay – the Ward of Bressay and the Ord

Walk 54 Noss – Noss Head Nature Reserve

Walk 55 Papa Stour – Virda Field and Mauns Hill

Walk 56 Whalsay – the Ward of Clett

Walk 57 Out Skerries – Housay and Mio Ness

Mainland north

Walk 58 Lunna Ness

Walk 59 Ness of Hillswick

Walk 60 Esha Ness from Tangwick

Walk 61 Ronas Hill – highpoint of the Shetland Isles

Walk 62 Ronas Hill, Langayre and the North Roe plateau

Walk 63 The Beorgs of Skelberry

Walk 64 Towards Uyea Island

Walk 65 Point of Fethaland

Northern islands

Walk 66 Muckle Roe – the west coast and the Hams

Walk 67 Yell – the Old Haa and Heoga Ness

Walk 68 Yell – Ward of Otterswick

Walk 69 Yell – the White Wife

Walk 70 Yell – Stuis of Graveland

Walk 71 Yell – the Gloup and North Neaps

Walk 72 Unst – Valla Field

Walk 73 Unst – the west coast of Unst and the Dale of Woodwick

Walk 74 Unst – Keen of Hamar

Walk 75 Unst – the Horns of Hagmark

Walk 76 Unst – the abandoned village of Framgord

Walk 77 Unst – Hermaness National Nature Reserve

Walk 78 Fetlar – Lamb Hoga

Walk 79 Fetlar – Funzie Ness

Walk 80 Fetlar – Vord Hill

Appendix A Route summary table

For all of the walks in this guide I would recommend taking along the relevant Ordnance Survey Explorer sheets. The islands are covered by 10 sheets at this scale (1:25,000), as follows:

Orkney – OS Explorer sheets 461, 462, 463, 464, 465 Shetland – OS Explorer sheets 466, 467, 468, 469, 470

Also useful for general planning purposes is the Ordnance Survey Travel Map – Northern Scotland, Orkney & Shetland – at a scale of 1:250,000.

Access in both Orkney and Shetland has always been accepted as a right, as long as you are responsible. This means leaving nothing behind (yes, even apple cores and banana skins), leaving farm gates as you find them, not entering private gardens, respecting the wildlife and the countryside in general, keeping your dog on a lead, keeping noise levels to a minimum, and being aware of and respecting all other countryside users.

June 2022

2022 reprint route update

June 2022

Walk 2

October 2018

Updates

With 80 walks to explore 23 in Orkney and 57 in the Shetland Isles, this pocket sized guide provides a good variety of walks over a large area. From strolls to the more challenging, each route is supported by OS mapping, photographs, route description and points of interest on the way. Graham Uney gives the reader helpful information on the Northern Isles, how to get Orkney and the Shetland Isles, the region's wildlife, history and archaeology. A small warning though, as some of the walks of the beaten track such as moorland may require good navigations skills (map and compass) with limited paths and tracks to follow, so be prepared before setting out. Some of the cliff, beach and waterfront routes look particularly attractive to us.

Scotland Outdoors magazine, September 2016