SumburghHead

Sumburgh Head Lighthouse and Visitor Centre and Nature Reserve has opened to the public, enhancing the visitor experience at Sumburgh Head.

[Ian Court @IanCourt10]

Stunning views of Quail sat in the sun in the Rosa bushes @SumburghHead this morning

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

@SaraWright8 Safe journey ⛴

[Sara Wright @SaraWright8]

Soaking up the beauty and power of nature @SumburghHead today and discovering the wonderful history of this magnificent lighthouse and radar outpost. Thanks to the fantastic team here for their knowledge and hospitality! Magical! #nature #HistoryMatters

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

Clear skies and a green glow over Shetland tonight… https://t.co/cuVX32GpNh #aurora #northernlights

[anne ellison VN @prrockmom]

Always gonna be a good day when this huge dorsal fin appears out of the early Shetland light. Busta of the 65's pod, all playing in the Sumburgh surf.

[Hugh Harrop Wildlife @HughHarrop]

Breeeeeeeeeeach! A fabulous day following the Northern Isles Community '65s' Orca pod from land as they headed south from West Burra to Sumburgh, Shetland. As they turned and headed north off Compass Head, one of them decided to get airborne and did a spectacular backflip twice in quick succession. Definitely a 10-pointer!

[Hugh Harrop Wildlife @HughHarrop]

Wintery scenes at Sumburgh Head, Shetland today. @StormHour

[Hugh Harrop Wildlife @HughHarrop]

A migrant Woodcock sheltering from the elements in the quarry at Sumburgh Head, Shetland today.

[Hugh Harrop Wildlife @HughHarrop]

The pots of gold at the end of rainbows at Sumburgh Head, Shetland this week have been a steady southerly stream of Great Shearwaters. Today's passage of 27 birds is the highest count of the week with a six day cumulative total of 101 birds. An extraordinary event in these parts. A little bit of phone 'scoped video.

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

If you’re really lucky, the Puffins will land beside you, on the boundary wall!

📷 Kiera Munro, August 2024.

[Ross Mackenzie @rossmackenzie]

All quiet at the lighthouse @SumburghHead #Shetland

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

Puffin on a thrifty mound; Sea Pinks or Thrift is a common coastal plant that forms rounded, cushiony mounds. During the summer months you’ll often find a peerie Puffin standing proud, on one of these plush, cushiony platforms at Sumburgh Head.

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

Every lighthouse had a sundial. During the summer, you’ll find the Sumburgh sundial beyond the West Pavilion, but this isn’t its original location. The sepia photo shows a group of people next to the sundial, in its former position in front of the ‘hen hoose’ in the north park.

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

The remains of an early fort were observed during the construction of the Lighthouse, in 1819. Robert Stevenson interpreted the remains as ‘one of the fire or watch towers of the ancient Norse inhabitants.’ Today, we know these early ‘watch towers’ as Brochs.

📷 R.A. White 1984

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

Feeding time for the Twite

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

@SteelySeabirder Whoa, that’s absolutely stunning 😍

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

Late afternoon at the beach. #shetland

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

A blustery kind of a day, here at Sumburgh Head. Some of our former keepers told us that there were nights when the wind was so fierce, they had to crawl on hands and knees from their accommodation, to carry out their night watches inside the lighthouse.
#pharosfriday

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

Most of what we know about Puffins comes from the brief time they are ashore for the breeding season. For the remaining 8 months they head out to sea, and they won’t see the cliffs again until the following April. We hope they fare well over the coming months.
📷 Vicky Armstrong

[SumburghHead @SumburghHead]

A bell has been carefully removed from a nearby belfry, to ensure it stays within the local community, following the sale of the Kirk. The bell was the first fog-warning at Sumburgh Head, and gifted to the people of Shetland, following the loss of the Royal Victoria in 1864.