Sumburgh Head Nature Reserve in Sumburgh Head, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom | Birding | Dolphin Watching / Swimming | Nature Reserve | Park | Seal Watching | Nature Center | Whale Watching | State Park | Pet friendly park

Sumburgh Head Nature Reserve, Sumburgh Head, Scotland, United Kingdom

Sumburgh Head Nature Reserve, on the southern-most tip of Mainland Shetland, east of the turn off to Sumburgh Aiport, turn right (south-east) at Grutness and carry on until you reach the main car Park. From there walk to the lighthouse. For less mobile visitors, there is a small disabled Parking area near the lighthouse.

Viewing points - There are three viewing platforms around the reserve.

Nature trails - From the main car Park, walk up to the lighthouse (about 0.3 mile/0.5 km). The path is too steep for wheelchair users who can, instead, drive to the lighthouse where there is a small Parking bay and suitable viewing area at the top of the cliff. Visitors walking up to the lighthouse from the car Park can view cliff nesting birds from behind any of the stone dykes along the way.

Educational facilities at Sumburgh Head Nature Reserve - Open your eyes and ears to the natural world with a visit to one of Shetland's RSPB reserves. A summer programme 'Living Classrooms' offers topics designs for children from P1-P7. Can be adapted by request to suit secondary pupils. Sumburgh Head Nature Reserve is a spectacular place to see nesting seabirds: fulmars on the cliff ledges, puffins perched outside their burrows and guillemots clustered on the rocks. You can visit any weekday during the summer term. Most visits to Sumburgh Head last about two hours, but please contact the reserve for more details.

Visit these cliffs during the summer and you'll be privileged to witness the amazing spectacle of thousands of breeding seabirds, including puffins, guillemots, shags and fulmars. Sumburgh Head is a great place to watch for whales and dolphins, particularly minke whales and orcas.

Information for dog owners - You can walk with your dog on any land in Scotland. We encourage responsible dog walking, and ask you to keep your dog close to you, preferably on a lead, especially between 1 April and 30 June, the season many birds nest on the ground.

Each season brings a different experience at our Nature Reserves. In spring, the air is filled with birdsong as they compete to establish territories and attract a mate. In summer, look out for young birds making their first venture into the outside world. Autumn brings large movements of migrating birds - some heading south to a warmer climate, others seeking refuge in the UK from the cold Arctic winter. In winter, look out for large flocks of birds gathering to feed, or flying at dusk to form large roosts to keep warm.