The Battery Banks

Cliff, Slope in Shetland

Scotland

The Battery Banks

The Bight of Ham Small bay on the west coast of the Isle of Bressay. — The Bight of Ham Credit: Oliver Dixon

The Battery Banks, located in Shetland, Scotland, is a stunning natural feature comprising cliffs and slopes that stretch along the coastline. These geological formations are a prominent landmark in the area, attracting visitors and nature enthusiasts alike.

The Battery Banks are characterized by their steep cliffs, which rise dramatically from the sea, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. These cliffs are formed from layers of sedimentary rock, showcasing a variety of colors and textures that add to their visual appeal. The sheer height and ruggedness of the cliffs provide a perfect habitat for a diverse range of bird species, including puffins, guillemots, and fulmars, making it a popular spot for birdwatching.

In addition to the cliffs, the Battery Banks also feature sloping areas, which gently descend towards the shoreline. These slopes are covered in lush vegetation, including grasses, heather, and wildflowers, creating a picturesque backdrop against the rugged cliffs. The slopes provide an ideal habitat for small mammals, such as voles and rabbits, as well as a variety of plant species.

The Battery Banks are not only a visual spectacle but also hold historical significance. This area was once used as a defensive position during World War II, with gun emplacements and military structures dotting the landscape. Today, remnants of these structures can still be seen, adding an extra layer of interest for history enthusiasts.

Overall, the Battery Banks in Shetland offer a captivating blend of natural beauty, wildlife diversity, and historical significance. Whether it's for admiring the impressive cliffs, spotting unique bird species, or exploring the remnants of wartime defenses, a visit to the Battery Banks is sure to leave visitors in awe of Shetland's remarkable coastal landscape.

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The Battery Banks Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 60.147204/-1.141356 or Grid Reference HU4740. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

The Bight of Ham

Small bay on the west coast of the Isle of Bressay.

Oliver Dixon

House at the Taing of Ham

Oliver Dixon

Ham Peninsula on the west coast of the Isle of Bressay. Across the water are houses on the Ness of Sound <a href="https://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/HU4639">HU4639</a> on Shetland Mainland.

Ham

Peninsula on the west coast of the Isle of Bressay. Across the water are houses on the Ness of Sound HU4639 on Shetland Mainland.

Oliver Dixon

The road to Bressay Lighthouse

Oliver Dixon

The turning for Ham

On the road to Bressay Lighthouse.

Oliver Dixon

MV Costa Fortuna at anchor in Bressay Sound

The size of the MV Costa Fortuna (464 cabins, nine swimming pools and five restaurants) meant that it was obliged to anchor out in the Sound rather than at the quayside in Lerwick. A flotilla of barges were kept busy ferrying passengers to and from the Victoria Pier. The Costa Fortuna is a sister ship to the ill-starred Costa Concordia which sank off the Italian coast in 2012.

Oliver Dixon

Pullar's Loch, Sound, from the air

Mike Pennington

Ness of Sound, Lerwick, from the air

Mike Pennington

Small boat off Ness of Sound

Taken from the Knab in Lerwick.

Mike Pennington

Coastal Farm, Bressay

David Dixon

Bressay, House at Ham

David Dixon

MV Knab, Lerwick Pilot Boat

The Lerwick pilot boat, MV Knab, in Bressay Sound.

David Dixon

Ham

Coastal settlement on Bressay.

David Dixon

Cro of Ham

David Dixon

Light Beacon

White construction, Cro of Ham on Bressay, containing a light beacon, that anyone who has ever taken the Lerwick-Aberdeen Ferry, must have seen when entering/leaving Lerwick Harbour. Across Bressay Sound you see South Ness Cemetery.

Vanhercke Christiaan

Cro of Ham

Tim Glover

Skerries on east side of Ness of Sound

The gently dipping Middle Old Red Sandstone of east Mainland produces skerries with a steep side facing the shore of Ness of Sound, and a slope off into the waters of Brei Wick. This makes them easy for seals to haul out on the seaward side, and slide quickly away from the shore if disturbed, though the ones we saw had chosen a boulder beach a little way north where they seemed better camouflaged. Perhaps the less visible ones remained while ones here had already departed before we got to them ! There certainly seeme to be seal heads popping up all along the shore of Brei Wick, watching the people passing by. In the distance in this view is Bressay Sound, overlooked by Lerwick on the left (with the prominent coastguard building on the hilltop) and Bressay on the right.

Andy Waddington

Voe of Sound

This is the low western side of Ness of Sound, with no cliffs and a short drop to the bouldery beach overlooking Voe of Sound. Although the Voe is not very wide, and doesn't have much in the way of waves even in the fresh gusty wind, it is clear that it can get a lot rougher. Much of the shoreline vegetation was blackened by dehydration caused by the salt spray which blows over - anything brave enough to stick up above the surrounding grasses seemed badly affected, particularly the nettles. To the left (west) of Sands of Sound, the green lump is Holm of Sound, behind which are the houses of Sound and Upper Sound (now westerly suburbs of Lerwick).

Andy Waddington

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The Battery Banks is located at Grid Ref: HU4740 (Lat: 60.147204, Lng: -1.141356)

Unitary Authority: Shetland Islands

Police Authority: Highlands and Islands