Yellow Stack

Island in Shetland

Scotland

Yellow Stack

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

Yellow Stack is a small uninhabited island located off the coast of Shetland, Scotland. It is part of the Shetland Islands archipelago, which is situated in the North Atlantic Ocean. The island is characterized by its distinctive yellow-colored cliffs, which give it its name.

Measuring approximately 100 meters in length and 60 meters in width, Yellow Stack is a relatively small island. It is composed mainly of sandstone, which contributes to its unique yellow hue. The cliffs on the island reach heights of up to 30 meters, providing a spectacular sight for visitors.

Despite its small size, Yellow Stack is home to a diverse range of bird species. It serves as an important breeding ground for seabirds such as fulmars, kittiwakes, and guillemots. The surrounding waters are also known to be rich in marine life, attracting seals and various species of fish.

Due to its remote location and lack of facilities, access to Yellow Stack is limited. However, it is a popular destination for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts who venture to the area. The island offers breathtaking views of the surrounding sea and cliffs, making it a picturesque spot for photography and exploration.

Yellow Stack is a testament to the natural beauty and ecological richness of the Shetland Islands. Its vibrant yellow cliffs, teeming birdlife, and untouched landscapes make it a must-see destination for those seeking a unique and immersive experience in the Scottish wilderness.

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Yellow Stack Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 60.147619/-1.1430741 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 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