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Grey seals hauled out on the pale sand at Rerwick, the sea at the edge.
Shetland Islands

Rerwick and Scousburgh Sands

Two beaches on the west side of the South Mainland: seals at Rerwick, white sand and a loch behind Scousburgh.

Welcome

Rerwick and Scousburgh are two beaches side by side on the west coast of the South Mainland, and between them they make a good afternoon.

Scousburgh Sands, or Spiggie beach as islanders call it, is the wide one: a beautiful stretch of white sand between cliffs and rolling green country, with parking close by, and dogs welcome. Behind the dunes lies the Loch of Spiggie, an RSPB nature reserve. Rerwick, just along the coast, is a south-facing sandy beach often passed over for Spiggie and the ayre at St Ninian's Isle. Seals often haul out on its sand, and the best way to watch them is from the road above, which runs between Bigton and Scousburgh. If they are hauled out, stay off the beach: disturbed seals head for the water. There are plenty of other beaches to choose from in the South Mainland, so on a day when the seals are in, leave Rerwick to them.

A short drive awaySt Ninian’s IsleThe sand bar out to the isle, and the treasure found under the chapel.5 min by roadSee itThe white sand tombolo curving out to St Ninian's Isle, the sea on both sides.
Before you go

Open at any time and free.

On the road between Bigton and Scousburgh, west side of the South Mainland; parking near Scousburgh Sands. Watch Rerwick's seals from the road.

Getting there
The road from Bigton to Scousburgh.
Seals
Watch from the road at Rerwick.
Dogs
Welcome at Scousburgh.
Where it is

Scousburgh, South Mainland, ZE2 9JF.

Close byIn the South Mainland.
  1. 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.4 miles8 min by road
  2. High cliffs rising from a deep blue sea across the bay from Maywick.MaywickA cliff-wrapped sandy beach a couple of miles from St Ninian's Isle, and usually empty.4 miles12 min by road
  3. The pale sand and breaking waves of Levenwick bay, green headlands on either side.LevenwickA gently sloping sandy bay in the South Mainland with rock pools at either side, loved by families.4 miles8 min by road
  4. Quendale Mill's stone buildings and water wheel round a gravel yard.Quendale MillA restored watermill, and the milling every district once depended on.5 miles13 min by road
  5. 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.5 miles14 min by road
Directions
The white sand tombolo curving out to St Ninian's Isle, the sea on both sides.AttractionsSt Ninian’s Isle2.0 miles
Visitor walks among stone walls and hearth of an Iron Age broch settlementAttractionsScatness Broch5.9 miles
A reconstructed Iron Age house at Old Scatness, its turf roof and doorway, a cooking pot outside.AttractionsOld Scatness5.9 miles
The stone walls and low passage of the Ness of Burgi blockhouse on its grassy headland.AttractionsNess of Burgi6.5 miles
The blue and white front of the Hoswick Visitor Centre on the village street.AttractionsHoswick Visitor Centre6.7 miles
The round walls of a wheelhouse below the laird's house, Jarlshof.AttractionsJarlshof7.0 miles
Mousa Broch across the sound, seen from the water on the way over from Sandsayre.AttractionsSandsayre Interpretive Centre7.4 miles
Mousa Broch from the air, a round tower on a golden headland above dark rocks and sea.AttractionsMousa Broch7.5 miles
Geese flying over Sumburgh Head, the lighthouse on the skyline.AttractionsSumburgh Head Lighthouse8.8 miles
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