One of the most popular reasons that people visit Shetland is for its spectacular coastal scenery. Shetland has been recognised as a UNESCO Geopark since 2009 as, despite its small size, Shetland is more geologically diverse than any similarly sized area in Europe. Arguably, perhaps the finest place to see the best of Shetland’s geology and coastal scenery is at Eshaness. This rugged and exposed peninsula is found in the north-west of Shetland Mainland, located about an hour’s drive from Lerwick. What makes Eshaness stand apart from other places in Shetland is that it cuts through the flank of an ancient volcano. The Eshaness volcano would have been formed around 360 million years ago when Shetland was part of a tropical supercontinent near the equator. It is worth noting that there is a limited public transport network operating to Eshaness, so it’s recommended to travel here by car. The dark, volcanic rock cliffs at Eshaness, Shetland photo © Copyright Charles Tait One of Shetland’s finest coastal walks Eshaness is a popular and much-loved walking spot in Shetland by both visitors and islanders. Despite being in a remote corner of Shetland, it is remarkably accessible with a relatively flat and well-trodden path leading along the coastline. A great advantage of this route is its flexibility. The full circular route from the car park to the ‘Grind o da Navir’ is roughly 6km long and takes around 3 hours to complete. However, it is possible to shorten this route and choose how much you would like to do. The Hol’s o’ Scraada at Eshaness, Shetland photo © Copyright Charles Tait Highlights along the coastline The dramatic coastline at Eshaness boasts an impressive series of sea stacks, arches, blowholes and geos which have been carved over time by the full force of the Atlantic Ocean. Next to the car park, there is an excellent interpretive board explaining some of the fascinating geology as well as other sites of interest in the area, including: The Grind o da Navir at Eshaness, Shetland photo © Copyright Charles Tait Calder’s Geo – a deep rocky inlet stretching inland that is said to be the largest sea cave in the UK. The Hol’s o’ Scraada – a 150-metre-long partially collapsed sea cave (it’s known as the ‘holes’ as there used to be two holes separated by a landbridge, however it collapsed it the late 19th century). Grind o da Navir – an impressive u-shaped fissure creating a natural amphitheatre from distinctive volcanic reddish/pink ignimbrite rock. The Broch of Houlland at Eshaness, Shetland photo © Copyright Charles Tait From the Hol’s o’ Scradda, follow the stream inland until you reach the Loch of Houlland. Here, on a small low-lying promontory which juts out of its north-western side, stands the ruins of a 2,000-year-old Iron Age broch. This broch would have once stood imposingly in a defensive position along the coastline. Eshaness Lighthouse sits on top of 200-foot cliffs photo © Copyright Charles Tait Eshaness Lighthouse The single-lane road to Eshaness leads directly to its lighthouse where you will also find a free, spacious car park. While the lighthouse only stands 39-feet-tall, it sits perched upon the edge of cliffs that reach 200 feet above sea level – meaning that, even from the car park, visitors will be greeted with impressive views. The lighthouse seen today was built between 1925 and 1929 by famed lighthouse builders David and Charles Stevenson. In fact, Eshaness was the last manned lighthouse in Scotland to be designed by a member of the Stevenson family. The current tower replaced a temporary light established in 1915 to warn passing ships of the Ve Skerries (a group of low, rocky islands), as around 15 vessels had been lost here between the 18th and 19th centuries. The base of this original tower is still visible today. Eshaness Lighthouse in Shetland photo © Copyright Jo and Steve Turner and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence Eshaness Lighthouse was built with some unusual design features. Unlike most traditional lighthouses, Eshaness was built using concrete rather than local stone which was deemed unsuitable for construction. The tower itself also takes a square design rather than the typical circular style. This was a cost-saving measure to avoid paying extra for custom-design fittings and fixtures to fit within a round interior. Lastly, the lighthouse was built to house just one keeper. While most manned lighthouses required two or three lightkeepers to share the workload, Eshaness had with a single operator who kept the light in good working order until it became automated in 1974.
