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Shetland Islands

Fitful Head

The great headland at the south-west corner of the Mainland, its cliffs 283 metres high, looking out towards Fair Isle.

Welcome

Fitful Head is the great axe-shaped headland at the south-west corner of the Shetland Mainland, three miles north-west of Sumburgh across the Bay of Quendale.

Its cliffs rise to 283 metres, and it stands over the whole of the South Mainland, seen from most of it and, on a clear day, from as far away as Northmavine. The top carries the radar for Sumburgh Airport and a cluster of masts.

Four smaller headlands run out from it, The Nev and The Kame to the north, Siggar Ness and Garths Ness to the south. Sir Walter Scott sailed past in 1814 and set his novel The Pirate here, with its character Norna of the Fitful Head. A memorial at The Punds remembers the crew of an RAF Halifax that flew into the cliffs in 1942. The climb is steep and the cliffs at the top are sheer, and on a clear day Fair Isle sits on the horizon.

Close byQuendale MillA restored watermill, and the milling every district once depended on.2 min by roadSee itQuendale Mill's stone buildings and water wheel round a gravel yard.
Before you go

Open hill, free at any time.

On the South Mainland by the Bay of Quendale, about three miles north-west of Sumburgh. The climb is steep and the cliffs at the top are sheer; keep well back from the edge.

Getting there
South Mainland, by the Bay of Quendale.
Climb
Steep, to 283 metres.
Going
Open hill; sheer cliffs at the top.
Where it is

Fitful Head, Dunrossness, ZE2 9JD.

Close byIn the South Mainland.
  1. The sweep of sand round the Bay of Quendale beyond a green field.Quendale BeachShetland's longest beach, a mile of sand below dunes in the Bay of Quendale, with a clean wave for surfers.Under a mile 2 min by road
  2. The long thatched Crofthouse Museum and its stone dykes under a blue sky.Crofthouse MuseumA thatched croft house of the 1870s at Boddam in the South Mainland, with its peat fire and box beds; free, and open in summer.3 miles 12 min by road
  3. Visitor walks among stone walls and hearth of an Iron Age broch settlementScatness BrochAn Iron Age village, dug and explained5 miles 13 min by road
  4. A reconstructed Iron Age house at Old Scatness, its turf roof and doorway, a cooking pot outside.Old ScatnessAn Iron Age village found by accident while building the airport road.5 miles 13 min by road
  5. Grey seals hauled out on the pale sand at Rerwick, the sea at the edge.Rerwick and Scousburgh SandsTwo beaches on the west side of the South Mainland: seals at Rerwick, white sand and a loch behind Scousburgh.5 miles 14 min by road
Directions
Quendale Mill's stone buildings and water wheel round a gravel yard.AttractionsQuendale Mill0.3 miles
The stone walls and low passage of the Ness of Burgi blockhouse on its grassy headland.AttractionsNess of Burgi5.9 miles
The round walls of a wheelhouse below the laird's house, Jarlshof.AttractionsJarlshof6.4 miles
The pale sand and breaking waves of Levenwick bay, green headlands on either side.AttractionsLevenwick6.7 miles
The white sand tombolo curving out to St Ninian's Isle, the sea on both sides.AttractionsSt Ninian’s Isle7.4 miles
Geese flying over Sumburgh Head, the lighthouse on the skyline.AttractionsSumburgh Head Lighthouse8.2 miles
Red foghorn atop a white lighthouse building overlooking the seaAttractionsSumburgh Head8.2 miles
High cliffs rising from a deep blue sea across the bay from Maywick.AttractionsMaywick9.5 miles
The blue and white front of the Hoswick Visitor Centre on the village street.AttractionsHoswick Visitor Centre11 miles
The Daily for 17 October, from Scotland with love. A wide waterfall churns over rock ledges, autumn trees lining the gorge.

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