New recycled plastic walkways have been installed to protect wildlife and guide visitors around the spectacular Hermaness National Nature Reserve in Unst.
Famed for its magnificent seabird colonies and spectacular cliffs, Hermaness is the most northerly nature reserve in the UK.
And the majestic destination in the island of Unst has never been more accessible thanks to a new two-kilometre boardwalk installed just in time for the 2022 summer season.
The boardwalk, made from recycled plastic, ensures the visitor experience is better than ever and protects the site’s internationally significant wildlife.
The route follows the historic path to the top of Hermaness, with incredible views of the Muckle Flugga lighthouse, the island of Out Stack and beyond.
Routed to avoid disturbing sensitive species, the boardwalk will also prevent the clifftops’ fragile peatland from eroding and safeguard its native flora, which transforms the moorland into a carpet of colour in the summer months.
New amenities including toilets, improved car parking and information panels will also enhance visitors’ experience.
Work on the collaborative project began in March 2021 and has been carried out by NatureScot in partnership with VisitScotland and Shetland Islands Council. It has received support from the Natural and Cultural Heritage and Rural Tourism Infrastructure funds.
Hermaness is a renowned cliff-top haven for breeding birds including fulmars, gulls, shags, gannets, puffins and kittiwakes.
Nature lovers can easily eat up three or four hours exploring the reserve: watching gannets diving spectacularly into the sea, witnessing puffins coming into land and diving into their nest burrows, ducking as great skuas (known locally as ‘bonxies’) soar and swoop overhead, and seeing grey seals reclining on the rocky shore.
VisitScotland’s Shetland development manager Steve Mathieson said visitor numbers had increased considerably in recent years and it was important to protect the delicate natural habitat while enabling that growth to continue.
“The number of people wanting to experience the majesty of Hermaness, its amazing seabird colonies and breathtaking cliffs – and of course the great view out to Muckle Flugga – has been growing year on year,” Steve said.
“Putting this extra 2km of boardwalk in has meant we can increase the number of visitors that can access Hermaness, whilst preserving the hills and the nesting birds for future generations, so it’s an all-round winning situation.”
The number of people wanting to experience the majesty of Hermaness, its amazing seabird colonies and breathtaking cliffs – and of course the great view out to Muckle Flugga – has been growing year on year.
Juan Brown of NatureScot, who manages the Hermaness reserve, said it was now attracting up to 9,000 visitors annually.
“The fantastic new facilities at Hermaness will significantly enhance the visitor experience,” he said.
“The boardwalk will protect fragile peatland from erosion and be routed to avoid disturbing sensitive nesting birds, while opening up a circular route around the reserve – ‘The Muckle Flugga Trail’.”