Bergilee

Swarta Skerry, Noss, Spiggie, from the air

The Nev, Fitful Head, from the air

With a view to Ward of Scousburgh

Fitful Head from the air

Dotterel (Chardrius morinellus), near Bakkasetter

A migrant in Shetland.

The Ords, Fitful Head

Cliffs at The Nev, north of Fitful Head

The bend in the track

There is a well-graded track up to the communications masts on Fitful Head. Clearly, it is not open to the public to drive up, but it is an easy walk from Quendale. At this point, there is a sharp bend. Coming down, I certainly would not want to lose control here, or miss the turn in mist. The consequences are pretty clear! I think that the rocks just left of centre must be Swarta Skerry, in HU3415.

The track from Fitful Head

A well-graded track serves the communications station on Fitful Head. Clearly, it is not open to the public to drive, but it gives an easy walk. This is looking back downhill towards Quendale.

The track from Fitful Head

Looking east towards Gord Farm and Quendale. The public are not allowed to drive up this track, which is used by engineers servicing the masts on Fitful Head. But it makes for a very easy walk to this 283m high hill.

Drying the hay at Gord Farm

At least two weeks of dry weather must have been very welcome. And another week, at least, to come.

Looking across pasture to Symblisetter

The new building replacing the now derelict croft.

Russel Wills

Fitful Head: view from a few miles east

Looking out from the Northlink ferry to Aberdeen as cloud covers Fitful Head on a beautiful sunny evening.

Chris Downer

Mystery Feature

An absolute mystery when first located, but close investigation revealed its identity. It turns out to be a Protective Wall for a Target Zone on an old disused firing range (some evidence here HU3513 : Blitzed Target Zone. It faces another Target Zone (down-range) about 450 metres away; see - HU3613 : Unmarked Feature. The platform (maybe planks) on which the targets stood, is missing.

Fire Wall

This is the protective wall at a Target Zone on an old disused firing range. There are no names, nor designations, on the map, nor references (that I could find) on the Internet. Looking from this protective wall, across the valley, one can see another obvious Target Zone HU3613 : Unmarked Feature - centre and to the right of the quarry. This Fire Wall but not the Target Zone is shown on the OS map.

Blitzed Target Zone

The front edge of the protective wall, behind which, on a raised platform I assume, targets stood. The 'blitzing' suggests that a lot of 'incoming fire' had raked the wall, as the rear edges and the protected front ones appear as sharp as new. The whole area must have been used for weapon training.

Unmarked Feature

In the field I could find no direct evidence on the OS maps for such an obvious feature (unlike the one mentioned below). A later desktop search found a small trace-mark on the larger-scale maps. It is the sheltered Target Zone on a rifle range and linked to - HU3513 : Mystery Feature.