Island 387 - Holm of Heogland, Unst, Shetland

Holm of Heogland is a small uninhabited tidal island off the south coast of Unst 1.5 miles south west of the village of Uyeasound and the same distance to the south east of Belmont, where the Blue Mull Sound Ferry, which serves Yell, Fetlar and Unst, docks.  The island is low lying, grass covered and about 200 metres from north to south by 150 metres from east to west. At high tide the area of water separating Holm of Heogland from Unst is called Holm Sound.

The 1:50,000 scale Landranger Ordnance Survey map I had dated 1987 shows the island to be tidal, as does the 2015 edition of the 1:25,000 scale Explorer map.  However the current Landranger map shows that it isn't tidal.  However it is, because I walked to it!  It wasn't the most pleasant crossing - I slid my way across over 200 metres of slippery seaweed covered rocks in an ungainly manner but I got there and back without falling over, getting wet feet or breaking my ankle.  It wasn't a spring tide on the day I visited and it was over an hour after low tide but the causeway was still clear of the water. 

I was staying at the excellent Gardiesfauld Youth Hostel in Uyeasound and had already walked 10 miles around Unst whilst geocaching that day but I thought it was worth the effort at 9pm to walk along the coast path from Uyeasound to see if I could access Holm of Heogland.  The coast path was an easy and interesting walk, with just a few boggy patches. As it was almost the longest day of the year, there was no danger of it getting dark for several hours.  However I didn't spend long on the island, as I was aware the tide was coming in and there isn't a lot to see on it.  According to the OS map there is a cairn on the island but I didn't notice it.

Holm of Heogland is visited by the local sheep, as about a dozen of them were in residence when I arrived.  They ran away from me but I kept my distance, so they didn't feel the need to run back across the causeway.  The thrift was in flower on the island.

Unst from Holm of Heogland

 

Closely grazed grass on Holm of Heogland

 

Sheep on Holm of Heogland

 

Holm of Heogland from Unst - the Blue Mull Ferry behind the island is on its way to Fetlar