Island 187 - Kettla Ness, West Burra, Shetland

Kettla Ness is joined to West Burra by a shingle tombolo to the south of the end of the road at Duncansclett.  The tombolo has been strengthened in places by metal gabions, presumably to stop the sea from breaching it in storm conditions.  The island is currently uninhabited but is grazed by sheep.

The beach on the north side of the tombolo (Banna Minn) is mainly silver sand but the beach on the southern side (West Voe) is comprised of pebbles.

The highest point on the island is The Ward at 58 metres above sea level.  There are 4 small lochs on the island - Virda Vatn, Loch of Annyeruss , Outra Loch and Croo Loch.  The stream running out of the southern end of Outra Loch has the remains of some old mills along it.

Banna Minn

This is the only house, which looks inhabitable.

Timber is in short supply on treeless islands, so old boats are quite often recycled into shed roofs.
 

Geo at the north end of the island

 

West coast

Banna Minn from Kettla Ness

Ruined village or farmstead

Kettla Ness from West Burra

 West Voe, looking towards Kettla Ness

Banna Minn, looking towards West Burra

 

Kettla Ness looking across Banna Minn

 

Memorial to Norwegian Axel Eliezer Nielsen on the tombolo

Mr Nielsen was a ship's carpenter.  He drowned in 1903 when the ship he was on (the barque Louise) capsized off South Havra.

 

Small house on Kettla Ness

 

Kettla Ness Tombolo looking towards West Burra