Camping in Unst
Viking heritage, dramatic coastline and tens of thousands of seabirds, the Shetland island of Unst is truly above all.
Camping in Unst guide
Where to go
Hermaness
A walk through Hermaness National Nature Reserve takes you along sheer cliff edges to the island’s most northerly headland. There, during the spring and summer, you’ll see tens of thousands of seabirds nesting in the cliffs and fishing offshore. Just off the headland, the alluring offshore islet of Muckle Flugga stands out thanks to its guano-covered rocks with lighthouse perched on top. A few miles away, the Saxa Vord Resort has hostel and self-catering accommodation, and is next door to Britain’s most northerly distillery.
Keen of Hamar Nature Reserve
Close to the village of Baltasound, the Keen of Hamar Nature is an otherworldly nature reserve that is home to some of Britain’s rarest plants that remarkably flourish in its rocky, lunar-like landscape. Look closely and you might spot such tiny, rare plants as Edmondston's Chickweed, which is found nowhere but Unst.
Haroldswick
The Shetland Islands are a former Viking stronghold and it’s on Unst where you’ll find the greatest concentration of relics of Norse occupation. Just south of Haroldswick (named for King Harald of Norway), you can step aboard the Skidbladner, a replica Viking longship, and enter a replica longhouse. Also in Haroldswick, you can visit the charming Unst Boat Haven, which houses a collection of traditional Shetland and Scandinavian fishing boats.
Uyeasound
Close to the village of Uyeasound, on the southeastern tip of Unst, the 16th-century Muness Castle is Britain's most northerly castle. A few miles inland, you’ll find Gardiesfauld Hostel, which has a handful of electric hook-ups and tent pitches in a walled garden with direct access to the beach.