Muckle Flugga Lighthouse (and Skua)

After shopping in two of the three shops in Baltasound we drove to Hermaness National Nature Reserve.

There is a well-defined path but where the path divided we took the path with artificial boardwalk which brought us to the coast West of Hermaness Hill. Along the way we saw plenty of skuas, (locally called Bonxies), one seemed to be on Tourist Duty, posing by the path and allowing closeup study.

From this point we couldn't see the lighthouse of Muckle Flugga so we walked North, past several sea stacks with nesting Gannets, all the while trying not to scare the lambs into fallng off the cliff. (Muckle Flugga, whilst accepted as the most Northerly point of Britain, is some 750m short of Out Stack, which takes the title.)

The lighthouse, automated in 1995, was built by Robert and his nephew David Stevenson in 1854 originally to protect ships during the Crimean War. First lit on 1 January 1858, it stands 64 feet (20 m) high, has 103 steps to the top, and is Britain's most northerly lighthouse. It was visited by R.L.Stevenson, who then based his story of Treasure Island on Unst.

We took the direct path back, over the hill and miles of peat bog and wooden boardwalk, witnessing a club of immature Skuas by a small loch, where we had a fleeting glimpse of another Red-throated Diver.

The lighthouse keepers shore station, close by the car park, is now a visitor centre with good displays of wildlife on the Reserve and very welcome facilities.

We then headed home via Northwick and Harolswick, deciding to visit them properly later in the week.

Backblipped after return from holiday.