Safety on the Hill
A False Sense of Security
Shetland has some very exciting weather conditions - what many people would term atrocious at their most severe. Conditions here can change very rapidly and at any time of year. A fine sunny day can become a wild and potentially dangerous experience in a short period of time.
Although Shetland's hills do not boast great altitudes, they are very exposed and pose a number of hazards. Therefore, you should be prepared to navigate out in zero visibility, heavy rain (or snow in winter/spring) and with winds that can make walking difficult.
The coastline also must be treated with respect and caution, with high cliffs and rolling banks of wet grass making for a dangerous combination.
Prepare yourself
If you plan on visiting any of the brochs or other locations documented on this website, please remember that you are responsible for your own safety. Just because I or someone else on this website has been there does not mean that a similar trip is going to be safe or even recommendable. You should have adequate training, navigation aids, experience, food and clothing before going out. You have been warned!
Take Local Advice
Local crofters and seafarers may well have lived for generations in an area and often can give you an idea of how advisable a particular trip may be. It is very easy to make a mistake and endager your life, as this story shows. High winds have also caused fatalities. In any case, regardless of anyone's advice you are responsible for your own safety!
Hill Safety Websites
- British Mountaineering Council - Skills Articles. A lovely set of documents on a range of safety topics.
- Mountaineering Council of Scotland - Walk Safe leaflet. A brief summary of some of the main safety aspects
- Hazards more specific to Shetland. These include, but are not limited to, high, possibly overhanging cliffs, deep covered over holes in the peat bog, slippy grass banks over high drops, crumbling rockfaces, catastrophic peat/mud slides (several in recent years), aggressive birds, extremely high winds, dense mists, hypothermia, strong tides and sunburn!