Hermaness sits at the northern edge of Unst, Shetland’s most northerly island, and offers one of the most dramatic and remote wildlife experiences in the UK. The route to the cliffs begins at a small visitor hub, where a boardwalk leads you across sweeping moorland filled with heather, wildflowers, and the cries of distant seabirds. The walk itself is an experience, gradually revealing vast views across the sea towards Muckle Flugga and the wild Atlantic beyond.

Once you reach the cliffs, the scale of the seabird colony becomes clear. Towering sea stacks and ledges are alive with gannets, fulmars, guillemots, and puffins, all wheeling and diving against the wind. The air is filled with movement, sound, and the occasional curious puffin peeking from the cliff edge just below your feet.

Away from the cliffs, the moorland is home to great skuas, known locally as bonxies, whose powerful flight and protective behaviour are unforgettable. On a clear day, it’s possible to spot dolphins or even whales offshore. Hermaness feels like the end of the world in the best possible way, a place where nature still rules and time seems to slow.