Hollie Rock

Island in Shetland

Scotland

Hollie Rock

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

Hollie Rock is a small island located in Shetland, Scotland. Shetland is an archipelago situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately 170 kilometers north of mainland Scotland. Hollie Rock is one of the uninhabited islands in this group, known for its rugged and untouched natural beauty.

The island is characterized by steep cliffs that rise dramatically from the sea, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding waters. Its rocky terrain is covered in grass and heather, and the island is home to a variety of seabirds, including puffins, guillemots, and razorbills. These birds nest on the cliffs during the breeding season, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.

Due to its remote location and lack of human habitation, Hollie Rock offers a peaceful and serene environment for those seeking solitude and tranquility. The absence of light pollution makes it an ideal spot for stargazing and witnessing the mesmerizing Northern Lights.

Access to Hollie Rock is limited, and visitors often arrive by boat or kayak. The island's rocky coastline and challenging terrain make it unsuitable for casual tourists, but it does attract adventurous hikers and nature enthusiasts who are eager to explore its unspoiled landscapes.

Overall, Hollie Rock is a picturesque and secluded island that showcases the raw beauty of Shetland's natural environment. Its rugged cliffs, diverse birdlife, and peaceful atmosphere make it a hidden gem for those seeking an authentic and off-the-beaten-path experience.

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Hollie Rock Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 60.148849/-1.1444648 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

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