Located on the southwest coast of Mainland Shetland, St Ninian’s is a small isle connected to the mainland by one of Britain’s most impressive natural features – a 500-metre sandy tombolo. Recognised with a Keep Scotland Beautiful Seaside Award, the beach was crowned Scotland’s best in 2022 – a well-earned title given its sweeping symmetry and cinematic appeal. In fact, if the view feels familiar, it might be because St Ninian’s has featured in several episodes of the popular BBC crime drama Shetland. St Ninian’s Ayre – a striking 500m tombolo photo © Copyright Iain Lees and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence The iconic image of this beach is found in most brochures and internet searches for places to visit in Shetland, and rightly so! Its symmetrical curving form is striking – especially when seen from above. For an invigorating experience, the Haar Sauna (recently voted the UK’s Best Nature Sauna) can be found among the dunes next to St Ninian’s beach. It’s the perfect place to relax, connect with nature and cosy up for those brave enough to have a dip in the sea. St Ninian’s Isle from the air photo © Copyright Ritchie Williams Once across the tombolo, you’ll arrive on St Ninian’s Isle itself. The island is generally always accessible, although sometimes, the sea will wash over the beach in winter storms or when there are particularly high tides. This is not usually a concern in the summer months. The island is a great place for a walk on a fine day. There is a circular route which takes 2-3 hours to complete and passes spectacular coastal scenery with sheer and dramatic cliffs. Be sure to keep an eye out for kittiwakes and other seabirds which are active here during spring and early summer. St Ninian’s Chapel overlooks the beach photo © Copyright Iain Lees and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence Just to the right after crossing the tombolo, you will find the fenced remains of St Ninian’s Chapel. These ruins date to the twelfth century and it is here where Shetland’s most impressive archaeological find was discovered! In 1958, a local schoolboy assisting an archaeological dig uncovered a large hoard of treasure hidden beneath the chapel. 28 intricately decorated Pictish silver objects were found here including brooches, bowls, weaponry and the jawbone of a porpoise. Today, the original hoard resides in the National Museum of Scotland and replicas are displayed in the Shetland Museum and Archives in Lerwick. The St Ninian’s Isle treasure in the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh photo © Copyright Mike Pennington and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence Getting to St Ninian’s is very easy with clear signs directing which way to go. There is a limited bus service to the nearby village of Bigton, which is just a short walk from the beach. Most visitors arrive by car and park in the free adjacent car park.
