Shetland - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 388

WALKING ON PAPA STOUR
Ordnance Survey Explorer map 467
The chief attraction of Papa Stour is walking ; to reach the best of the coastal scenery, head for the
far west of the island. From Virda Field (285ft), the highest point, in the far northwest, you can see
the treacherous rocks of Ve Skerries , where a lighthouse was erected as recently as 1979. The
couple of miles of coastline from here southeast to Hamna Voe has some of the island's best
stacks, blowholes and natural arches. The most spectacular is Kirstan's Hole , a gloup or partly
roofed cleft, extending far inland, where shags nest on precipitous ledges. Other points of interest
include a couple of defunct horizontal click-mills, below Dutch Loch , and the remains of a “meal
road”, so called because the workmen were paid in oatmeal or flour. In addition, several pairs of
red-throated divers regularly breed on inland lochs such as Gorda Water .

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE PAPA STOUR

By plane Directflight ( T 01595 840246, W directflight
.co.uk) flies from Tingwall twice every Tuesday, so a day-
trip is feasible; tickets cost around £60 return.
By ferry The ferry runs from West Burrafirth, 5 miles or so

north of Walls on the Westside, to the east coast of Papa
Stour (Mon & Sun 1 daily, Wed, Fri & Sat 2 daily; 45min;
T 01955 745804) - book in advance, and reconfirm the
day before departure.

Foula
Separated from the nearest point on Shetland's Mainland by about fourteen miles of
often turbulent ocean, Foula is without a doubt the most isolated inhabited island in

8

Gaada
Stack

FOULA

East Hœvdi

Strem Ness

MUCKLEGRIND Soberlie

Hill

The Kame
(1220ft)

Ouvrafandal
Loch

The Sneug
(1373ft)

School

Hamnafield
(1130ft)

HAM

BRUSTINS

Wester
Hœvdi

Sneck o' da
Smallie

Mill Loch

Durga Ness

N

The Noup
(803ft)

HAMETOUN

Cemeter y

0

1

South Ness

mile