My very first excursion brought me to Sumburgh Head and the lighthouses, which was actually due to missing the turn to Jarlshof, but I didn´t mind.
Sumburgh Head is the southern tip of Shetland, has 100 m high cliffs, two lighthouses (you could rent the big one), lots of sheep and wildflowers, stunning views and is a bird nature reserve.
I was so excited about the smell of the sea, the views and all the sheep that I forgot to watch out for Puffins, I have to do that at my next stay if we both visit at the same time.
Steep cliffs at Sumburgh Head support a large seabird colony, with each seabird species occupying different areas of the cliff. The sandy soils of the cliff tops are perfect for puffins to dig their burrows, and lots of passerines such as twites, wrens and rock pipits use the stone dykes, rocky cliff face and grassy cliff tops for nesting and feeding. (Rspb.com)
It was a lovely little walk around the head and my first encounter with lots of different birds. Over the next weeks, I started to get to know the names and different species. From the tiny storm petrels to shags and many more. Seeing puffins, later on, was definitely a highlight.
Nearby Sumburgh Head is Sumburgh Airport, one actually has to cross the landing strip to go to Jarlshof and Sumburgh Head. It is a bit of a different junction than usually.
And right next to the airport was my very first beach with Caribbean feeling, white sands and turquoise water, just a bit loud due to all the helicopters landing and flying.
