Muckle Roe: Ward Hill and the Hams

Mid Ward Hill looking north

Looking North from South Ward

Sullom Voe from South Ward Hill

Mill Loch and North Ham

North Ham 

North Ham 

South Ham

Peerie Jeff at Burg Ruin

Looking across South Ham

Geo

Papa Stour

Below Lighthouse

Burki Skerries

I had been hoping this would be a given day for the walk round the Muckle Roe coast and it was. My companion had lived here all his life and knew the complete history of Muckle Roe which had been passed down orally through the generations.  We started just after noon by climbing the new road to the cemetery which would have been a credit to the Romans had they got this far.  And then an ascent through the heather to South Ward with its trig point.  The views were good in all directions including the short walk across to Mid Ward which is the higher hill according to the Ordnance Survey although my altimeter did not agree with them.

The descent to Mill Loch could have been anywhere in Scotland apart from the sea sparkling in the distance.  This place was special and a rare treat and this was confirmed when my friend, who can identify and name any hill in Scotland, was thwarted by the photos I sent - to be fair he has never been to Shetland.

North Ham was reached, a resplendent cove on a tranquil day - a few seals flipped into the water and we began the long but spectacular walk back along the coast. There were geos, cliffs, ruins, beaches, views to Papa Stour and, from the modern lighthouse, we could see the guns that had been rescued and installed on Vementry to defend the entry of Swarbacks Minn from the german navy. The beach at Burki Skerries looked tempting at the end of a walk on the wild side.  There was a way to climb down at the far end for a bathe but a table at Frankie's had been booked with the Wood family and the lure of Blue mussels and chips was too enticing.