You can either walk from the Eshannes Lighthouse to Stenness beach or cheat and drive there, which I did. At the beach, in Stenness you will find the remains of a former haaf fishing station and a lot of sheep. (“haaf” meaning deep-sea)
The remaining houses, once summer homes for fishermen are scattered along the coastline.
Built in the 19th century the ruin of a trading booth, once a 2-storey, 3-bay gabled building storing the dried fish brought to shore by the sixereen crews, now stands roofless in the middle of the beach. (Extremewavetheory.com)
During the busy times, forty boats came and went from this bay, bringing in the catch, which then was washed & salted on the shore.
When Stenness was a thriving fishing community they would have used a range of items; large Vats for salting the fish; handbarrows to carry the fish from boats and between stores; masts were set up to support iron scales to weigh the fish. Barrels, “piltik” wands and buoys would have all been common along the beach. (Shetlandamenity)
After the fishing went away the huts started to crumble and today Stennes is a quiet and peaceful corner of the Northmavine.
