Muckle Roe, Shetland
Overview
On islands whose rocks are so unique that the Shetland Isles have been classified as a UNESCO Geo Park, the red granite of Muckle Roe stands out as being particularly special. It’s hard, it’s impermeable, and it’s spectacular. The straight forward walk cuts across the old crofting lands to North Ham’s arches and stacks. The return is along a less well trodden coastal path.
Practicalities
START/FINISH: Cumle DISTANCE: 11km (6.5 miles) TOTAL ASCENT: 300m (est) OS MAP: 3 TERRAIN AND SURFACES: undulating wide track and narrower coastal path ACCOMODATION AND REFRESHMENTS: Busta House Hotel MAINLINE TRAIN SERVICES: None LINKS TO OTHER WALKS:
Walk notes
Muckle Roe was an island until 1905 when a bridge was built across the narrow neck of Roe Sound at a cost of £1050. Ninety-six years later, a much more expensive replacement was built and it is that you drive across on the way to to Cumle. The drive is a slow one, not because of the wandering sheep, or due to the narrowness of the road, but more because the mesmerising views across Swarbacks Minn and Busta Voe will force you to slow down.
Setting out from the very small carpark at Cumle, the route heads up the obvious wide track to the right. Granite and gravel are underfoot so the walk up the hill is straightforward even after rain. The hills have splendid names such as The Cooses and Muckla Field.
After 2.5 miles at a fork, bear right to North Ham, and pass what must have been the loneliest of crofts. Ahead, you are faced with a series of small bays, lined with pristine red sandy beaches. Dramatic cliffs and stacks jut into the deepest of blue seas. Explore with care and you’ll find caves and arches. Come here late on a summer’s evening when the setting sun intensifies the rich red of the rocks and you’ll be in for a special treat.
On a glorious afternoon, when the summer sun is high in the sky and the contrasting blue of the sea against the royal reds of the cliffs makes the place hard to leave. It is rare for others to be anywhere near, so the temptation for a quick dip - and it will be quick as the water is chilly - is hard to resist. Afterwards we sit on the beach with a picnic made by the hotel accompanied with a flask of something warm and a dram taken from one of the extensive range of whiskies offered at Busta House Hotel.
The walk back along the south coast on a narrow path is memorable for the successive stacks and geos. The channel of Swarbacks Minn is a deep one and in WWI was used by the Royal Navy as a base for the 10th Cruiser Squadron, which were armed merchant cruisers fitted with 6 inch guns. These large ships were unsuitable for use as warships, but their range and speed made them ideal for finding, stopping and searching ships. This little fleet is credited for accelerating the defeat of Germany by hindering supplies of food and raw materials.
Once back at Cumle, there’s the four mile drive back to Busta House Hotel, where dinner and deep comfortable chairs in the lounge will soothe any stiffness you might have from this, one of the least known but most spectacular island walks in the British Isles.
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