Sumburgh Head
A lighthouse headland at the southernmost tip of the Mainland, where puffins nest on cliffs right beside the path in summer, making it one of Britain's easiest places to see them.
Sumburgh Head is the southernmost headland on Shetland's Mainland, and a lighthouse built on the clifftop by Robert Stevenson in 1821 still stands here. It is an RSPB reserve. From late April to early August, thousands of puffins nest on the grassy clifftops, often just a few metres from the path. You can also see guillemots and fulmars, and orcas are occasionally spotted in summer. The lighthouse complex has been converted into a visitor centre that tells the history of the lighthouse, the fog signal and a WWII radar station. The clifftop is free to visit, while the visitor centre costs about £8. It is about a 10-minute uphill walk from the car park.
Opening hours
Clifftop open all day; visitor center approx. Apr–Sep 10:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Jarlshof
- Old Scatness
- Shetland Croft House Museum
- St Ninian's Isle
- Broch of Mousa
- Scalloway Castle & Museum
- Broch of Clickimin
- Up Helly Aa