Sumburgh Head Bird Cliffs & Lighthouse
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port
Lerwick, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom
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activityLevel
Moderate Activity
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excursionType
Information Not Currently Available
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wheelchairAccessible
No
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startingAtPrice
$139
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minimumAge
Information Not Currently Available
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duration
Approximately 3 Hours
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mealsIncluded
Meals not included
Depart through Lerwick, the capital of Shetland, as you begin your trip to the island’s most southerly point. On the drive south, conditions permitting, you will pause to admire the view of the magnificent Mousa Broch, the tallest and best preserved of all brochs in the world. You will continue down the west coast, hopefully see some seals at Rerwick, and perhaps catch a glimpse of St Ninian’s Isle where the famous Pictish horde of silver dating from the 9th Century was found in 1958.
Continue south to the RSPB Reserve at Sumburgh Head where you will see Shetland’s first lighthouse, built in 1821 by Robert Stevenson. The cliffs around Sumburgh Head are on the southernmost tip of Mainland Shetland and attract thousands of seabirds, including puffins, guillemots, shags and fulmars. Gannets are regularly seen offshore too. The seabird breeding season is best May to mid-August. Each species of seabird has its special nesting place on the cliffs. Your knowledgeable guide will educate you about Shetland’s bird life and further enhance the visit.
The seas here are home to various animals and you may be lucky enough to see harbor porpoises (neesicks), white beaked dolphins, and whales – killer, minke and even humpback whales are sometimes seen. Common seals often haul themselves out onto the rocks.
During your tour you will also be able to visit the world class Sumburgh Head Visitor Centre, where you will explore the history and natural heritage of Sumburgh Head. Learn about life here from the early Iron Age settlers to the time of the Lighthouse Keepers who used to care for mariner safety while living on this fascinating site.
After your time here, return to Lerwick with your guide providing more information about these islands as you look out for Shetland’s famous ponies along the way.