Geos of Hovie

Coastal Feature, Headland, Point in Shetland

Scotland

Geos of Hovie

Noss from Lunning Sound Credit: Mike Pennington

Geos of Hovie is a coastal feature located on the island of Shetland, which is part of Scotland. It is specifically situated on the west coast of the island, near the village of Sandwick. Geos, in the context of Shetland, refers to narrow inlets or gorges formed by the erosion of cliffs by the sea.

Geos of Hovie is characterized by its striking headland and point formations. A headland is a narrow piece of land projecting into the sea, while a point is a sharp and slender extension of the headland. These geological formations have been shaped over thousands of years by the relentless action of the North Atlantic Ocean.

The cliffs surrounding Geos of Hovie are composed of layers of sedimentary rocks, such as sandstone and shale, which display a variety of colors and textures. These cliffs not only provide a stunning backdrop to the coastal feature but also serve as nesting sites for various seabird species, including puffins and guillemots.

The area surrounding Geos of Hovie is also known for its rich marine life. The clear waters around the headland support a diverse range of species, including seals and otters. The intertidal zone, where the land meets the sea, is home to numerous marine plants and animals, creating an intricate ecosystem.

Geos of Hovie is a popular spot for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. Visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the rugged coastline, take part in birdwatching activities, and explore the surrounding cliffs and rock pools. Its remote location and unspoiled natural beauty make it a hidden gem for those seeking a quieter and more authentic Scottish coastal experience.

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Geos of Hovie Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 60.133559/-1.021479 or Grid Reference HU5439. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Noss from Lunning Sound

Mike Pennington

Gannets on The Rump, Noss

The prime nesting sites in any gannetry are the flatter ones in positions still inaccessible to land predators from above. Easier, safer landings are one obvious benefit (a couple of days after this photo was taken, we came across a Gannet which had got its approach wrong and was hanging, dead, by one wing from a crack in the cliff - gusty downdraughts can hit at any time so misjudgements aren't the only cause of accidents). Beyond The Rump, the cliffs return to the vertical once more at Point of Heogatoug, beyond which the coast gets lower, and the bird nesting paradise soon comes to an end. It's an exciting couple of kilometres of paddling up to this point.

Andy Waddington

Rounding Big Ness into Nesti Voe

Big Ness is really quite a small peninsula, ending in these low shoreline rocks. Beyond to the left is Nesti Voe, with a big beach, but an onshore wind, so not what we wanted for a lunch stop. Across the Voe is Turr Ness, a somewhat rockier and longer peninsula with enough height to conceal our onward route to reach the east coast of Noss. The hill in partial shadow is Hill of Setter, rising to 181m directly above the cliffs and gannetry of Noss Head, though you'd scarcely guess that seeing it from the west. The whole island is a nature reserve, gentle slopes being mainly inhabited by chaps in camouflage jackets carrying large cameras and even bigger tripods. Must be something worthwhile to see then, so let's keep paddling !

Andy Waddington

Noss Head

Seen from the Whalsay ferry en route between Symbister and Laxo. I do not normally submit this type of 'long distance view' with no foreground, but this one seemed interesting enough to add to the site.

David Purchase

Noss from the SW, with a cruise ship on its way to Lerwick

The ship is the MV Boudicca, a cruise ship owned and operated by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, which was built in 1973 by Wärtsilä Helsinki Shipyard in Finland as Royal Viking Sky.

Mike Pennington

Paddling past the Point and Geos of Hovie

Although we'd picked the sheltered side of Shetland after a day of high wind on our crossing from mainland Scotland, there was still some swell setting in from the east. Across that, wind waves from the southwest made for interesting conditions round the south side of Noss, with confused water particularly around the headland ahead of us. It still seemed less work than the people on the slopes of Hill of Setter who were trekking across above us with a big camera and heavy-looking tripod. It's a bit of a toss-up as to who would get the closer views of the Gannets and Razorbills - we would certainly feel safer down here than teetering on the cliff edge in the gusty wind, and find Razorbills rafting on the surface, but then they'd probably get better photos than those below in the waves !

Andy Waddington

Confused water off Feadda Ness

The rock over which the wave is just breaking (and water from the previous wave pouring off) is the southernmost point of the island of Noss at this state of the tide (lowish - early in the flood, near neaps). Turning this headland from the southwest coast starts to open up views of progressively more interesting rock scenery as well as increasing amounts of bird life. There are small caves just here, and a Geo between the first and second sections of cliff in this photo. I paddled into more sheltered water inside, where bigger caves awaited exploration, but in the rather confused water (southwesterly windwaves cutting across easterly swell) no-one seemed to want to join me and it's not a place to play without a bit of backup... The rock is a mix of sandstones and conglomerates of Devonian (Old Red Sandstone) age where layers of varying hardness have eroded into the many ledges which make the place such an attractive place for seabirds.

Andy Waddington

Guillemots rafted below Cradle Holm

A large flock of Guillemots were rafted up just below the cliffs as we turned the southern tip of Noss, so we aimed away from the coast a bit to give them some space. However, they suddenly chose to head out to sea directly in front of our group - they do take a long time bouncing off the wave tops to get airborne so we were treated to a closer view than we'd have ventured to get. The nearest cliff face, with the cave entrance, is Cradle Holm, an island at all but low tide (and pretty inaccessible from Noss even then, as there is a deep rocky cleft the same height as the cliffs). Beyond this is Charlie's Holm, with rock of a similar colour, whilst in the distance, looking much whiter, is Noup of Noss, surrounded by wheeling Gannets.

Andy Waddington

Gannets fill the air at Noup of Noss

Whilst the southern tip of Noss is home to auks, Noss Head is the summer residence of a large number of Gannets. Very few were fishing in the immediate vicinity, but both the cliffs and the air were filled with noisy bird life, especially around the headland and in Rumble Wick, the bay to its south. The Devonian Old Red Sandstone hardly dips here, and the rock has eroded into ledges and pockets bigger than those further south where the rock beds dip more, suiting the Gannets better than the smaller species who prefer Holm of Noss.

Andy Waddington