Brough of Bigging and Yesnaby Castle.

Start. Car Park at the end of the Yesnaby Road.

Route. Car Park - Noust of Bigging - Brough of Bigging - Point of Qui Ayre - Yesnaby Castle - Garthna Geo - Yesnaby Castle - Garthna Geo - Yesnaby Castle - Point of Qui Ayre - Noust of Bigging - Car Park.

Notes. Without doubt one of the most spectacular stretches of coast line on Orkney’s west coast, high layers of sandstone cliffs and sea stacks welcome the visitor, winter storms stir up the ocean buffeting the stacks and cliff faces making this an exciting but dangerous place in winter.

The sea was fairly rough when we rolled into the car park at the end of the Yesnaby Road, a few wartime relics litter the cliff top from where views to Brough of Bigging are but a curtain raiser to what awaits around the corner. With the sea to our right we headed down hill, the path rounds Noust of Bigging a large inlet before fording a burn then climbing some wooden steps, at the top of a low rise a detour took us onto the grassy top of the Brough of Bigging a small promontory, this lump of rock houses the remains of an ancient hill fort, and gifts the lucky walker some of the most spectacular views to be had on Orkney.

Short detour over back on the main trod we let a fence line guide us to the next point of interest, Qui Ayre, the first of the sea stacks, joined to the mainland by a small rock. This whole area is a jumble of geos, rocky outcrops and blow holes, it’s a spectacular place to visit. A few yards further on we passed through a kissing gate, from the next stretch of peaty path the views over Garthna Geo stopped us in our tracks, rising from the inlet Yesonby Castle, this isolated sea stack rises 98ft from the churning waters of Garthna Geo, a rock pinnacle in a fragile landscape.

Roundabout the viewpoint we decided to turn back, the weather was changing and the Ring of Brodgar was calling. So we simply re-traced our steps avoiding the Brough of Bigging.

view route map.

home.

First the descent from the car park, looking towards East Bigging with Cringla Fiold under cloud.

Cutting deep inland, guarded by jagged cliffs the Noust of Bigging.

From the Brough of Bigging stunning views over the rugged joint carved by the sea.

The ragged joint between rock and sea and sky.

Not quite the star of the show Qui Ayre.

Top of the bill Yesnaby Castle.

Yesnaby Castle a rock pinnacle in a fragile landscape.

Looking north towards the car park and the Hill of Borwick, on the far horizon Knowe of Geoes.

Sue soaks up the views from Garthna Geo.

As we head back another look to Yesnaby Castle.

The many small mills once common throughout Orkney depended on stone from Qui Ayre, this was the only place on the island where the stone was hard enough to make millstones.

Brough of Bigging as seen from near the millstone in the shot above.

Same as earlier, East Bigging with Cringla Fiold still under cloud.

Viewing the Brough of Bigging, local folk law tells us the pile of stones marks the graves of shipwrecked sailors.

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