Bars Geo

Coastal Feature, Headland, Point in Shetland

Scotland

Bars Geo

Gun emplacement at the summit of Score Hill Score Hill is on Aith Ness at the north of Bressay. All previous photos of this spot (they are worth looking at!) show the gun itself. I therefore assumed, wrongly, that it had been removed between 2013 and 2018, which felt like a rather pointless and expensive operation to me.

However, I soon realised that I was wrong. In this photo we are looking almost straight down the gun barrel! (Of course the barrel had been blocked, not that it could have been used in anger anyway.) Apologies to anyone misled by that error.

Immediately ahead are Inner Score and Outer Score, with the tiny channel (Gloup of the Scores) between them. On the horizon beyond them is Whalsay, with the Out Skerries on the right.

David Purchase — Gun emplacement at the summit of Score Hill Credit: Michael Earnshaw

Bars Geo is a prominent coastal feature located in the Shetland Islands, an archipelago in Scotland. It is specifically classified as a headland, characterized by its striking cliffs and rugged terrain. Situated on the western coast of Shetland, Bars Geo is one of the most recognizable geological formations in the region.

This headland is known for its dramatic coastal scenery, with steep cliffs that rise dramatically from the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. The cliffs are composed of layered sedimentary rock, predominantly sandstone and shale, which have been eroded over time by the relentless pounding of the waves.

Bars Geo is famous for its distinctive pointed shape, resembling a jagged tooth protruding from the shoreline. Its name, "Bars Geo," is derived from the Old Norse word "bar," which means "pointed rock" – a fitting description for this prominent headland.

The location of Bars Geo makes it an ideal spot for birdwatching, as it provides a nesting habitat for numerous seabird species, including puffins, guillemots, and fulmars. Visitors can often witness these birds soaring above the cliffs or diving into the ocean in search of food.

In addition to its natural beauty, Bars Geo holds historical significance for the local community. It is believed that the headland was a strategic lookout point during the Viking era, providing an advantageous position to monitor sea traffic and potential threats.

Overall, Bars Geo stands as a captivating coastal feature in Shetland, offering stunning views, abundant wildlife, and a glimpse into the region's rich history.

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Bars Geo Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 60.186096/-1.0750354 or Grid Reference HU5144. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Gun emplacement at the summit of Score Hill

Score Hill is on Aith Ness at the north of Bressay. All previous photos of this spot (they are worth looking at!) show the gun itself. I therefore assumed, wrongly, that it had been removed between 2013 and 2018, which felt like a rather pointless and expensive operation to me. However, I soon realised that I was wrong. In this photo we are looking almost straight down the gun barrel! (Of course the barrel had been blocked, not that it could have been used in anger anyway.) Apologies to anyone misled by that error. Immediately ahead are Inner Score and Outer Score, with the tiny channel (Gloup of the Scores) between them. On the horizon beyond them is Whalsay, with the Out Skerries on the right. David Purchase

Michael Earnshaw

Score Head, Bressay, from the sea

Mike Pennington

Score Head, Bressay, from the sea

Mike Pennington

Outer Score, Score Head, Bressay, from the sea

Mike Pennington

View across Gunnista churchyard to Aith Voe

Gunnista is a little settlement at the north of the island of Bressay. There is a walled churchyard here for the long vanished St Ola's Church. The graveyard contains a notable mausoleum and gravestones many of them quite recent. Beyond the land can be seen the landward end of Aith Voe, an inlet that curls round southeastwards from the north, and beyond that the land is the southern end of Aith Ness. For photographs of the mausoleum and churchyard, see HU5043 : Churchyard and Mausoleum, Gunnista HU5043 : Gunnista Mausoleum

Rob Farrow

Gunnista Mausoleum

This small mausoleum in the churchyard of the now vanished St Ola's Church was built for the Hendersons of Gardie. St Ola's was the parish church for the island of Bressay until the 1720s when a new church was built at Mail on the west of the island. The old church fell into ruin and was demolished. The mausoleum dates from the C18th and may stand where the old church once stood.

Rob Farrow

Churchyard and Mausoleum, Gunnista

The churchyard of the vanished St Ola's church, once the parish church for the island of Bressay contains the Henderson Mausoleum and a number of more recent headstones. Information about the Hendersons of Gardie here Link

Rob Farrow

Inside the Henderson Mausoleum at Gunnista

The rectangular mausoleum in the churchyard of the former St Ola's church at Gunnista was built for the Hendersons of Gardie. see Link

Rob Farrow

A tomb with a view

A view through the eastern window of the Henderson Mausoleum in the churchyard of the long-demolished church of St Ola at Gunnista on Bressay. Through the window can be seen the landward end of Aith Voe. Information on the Henderson family of Gardie here Link

Rob Farrow

Ruin across Aith Voe from Gunnista

Looking across Aith Voe from the churchyard at Gunnista, the ruins of a building which I believe was a factory involved in the herring industry. It has a large concrete "courtyard" in front of it, presumably for dealing with the landed catch. Beyond the ruined building can be glimpsed a little of the small Loch of Aithness. It seems there were several quarries on Aith Ness which I think produced slate.

Rob Farrow