The Eigg, Ern Stack, Natural Arch, Aastack, The Stuis

The Eigg

[meaning sharp edge]

The point is known as The Nose of Eigg.

This magnificent cliff is the highest part of the shore rising to about 300ft. Here was the last nesting place in Yell of the ern, or sea eagle.

It was great to see this place as my grandfather had been interviewed and had done a BBC radio recording where it was mentioned. Chas knew about the eagle but had not heard about the recording. I had it transcribed for him.

In 1961 William Spence who lived in Gremister gave an interview about the sea eagles. He recalled, when as a young man, seeing the eagles flying around the Herra. He said that each year they had nested at Eigg but that several eggs had been stolen over the years. Josie Mathewson aged 24 from Unst had stolen an egg in the year 1850 and had shown it to Gilbert Mann of Graveland. The last sea eagles nested about 1910. One of the parent birds was albino. The egg of the sea eagles was stolen by a minister from England. He paid a local man to help in scaling the cliff to take the egg. Spikes to be used in the ascent were made by a blacksmith in Mid Yell. A blacksmith in Mid Yell at the time was James Manson age 47.

The minister was ordered to return to Shetland to attend court. He was fined £5 and ordered to forfeit the egg which he did. The forfeited egg turned out not to be the egg of a sea eagle.

Some people have said that the iron spikes can still be seen on the cliff.

Because of their uniqueness and outstanding beauty Rulkies Hill and Eigg are classed as natural monuments.

As we proceeded on our way we saw the spectacular Ern Stack ahead of us. People liken the Stack to different objects depending from which side it is viewed. We thought it resembled a shark.

My contribution to the information was to tell Chas about Peter Oter. We might have been able to find the mentioned rock if we had known where its Northmavine counterpart was.

Peter Otter, a Yell giant, fought with a giant at Northmavine. Peter crossed Yell Sound by striding from isle to isle. His first step was at Hamnavoe where he left a depression beside the kirk. His next step was at the Isle of Bigga and then he stepped to Mossbank. One day after quarreling the two giants threw rocks at each other. These rocks can be seen, one at the West Neaps of the Herra and the other being the White Stone at Breibister, Northmavine.

As Chas was identifing all the land marks I asked if he would help me to put them on a map sometime. This he promised to do.

Ern Stack

The Ern Stack was another nesting place for sea eagles.

In 1664 a Dutch vessel, the Whelehareth was wrecked north of the stack. She was a wood lugger with a cargo of copper and hides. Part of the Ern Stack fell in the early 1990s.

Natural Arch

Several Natural Arches can be seen in the area. Those near Eigg, and Segal have fallen.

Aastack

Along with the early settlement and chapel sites of Windhouse, Volister and Gremister, and the monastery or communal retreat on The Birrier, there is evidence of a building on Aastack. Presumably this was a hermitage or a place for individual retreat. A turf or earth parapet can be seen on the landward facing edge. Possibly the stack joined the mainland at one time and the two stone dykes formed a boundary.

Segil

Ern Stack

South Floin Geo

North Floin Geo

The Urds

The scenery around here is truly magnificent but it is seldom appreciated as few people visit. The highest cliffs at the Noup of Graveland reach 375 ft. The geology of the area is described:

'To the north is a high headland, forming the south of Whale ford Voe, named the Neaps of Graveland. Lofty banks stretch along the remainding westerly line of coast, where the grotesque forms presented by the immense granitic veins that traverse the strata of Gneiss, aided by the solitary appearance of some ancient burgh, serve to beguile the labour of walking through this trackless desert.

Veins of coarse granite, and for the most part very quartozose, traverse the gneiss in almost every direction, being indeed never absent. There is no place they are abundant and present a greater variety and shapes and magnitudes than at Neaps of Graveland.'

The Stacks of Stuis are at the very point of the Graveland peninsula which is approximately five mile long. We had a great feeling of achievement to have reached this point and we could see how the rocks and baas make it treacherous for shipping. The passage between the stacks and the shore is Knabisound and Chas said it is possible for experienced sailors to navigate through the narrow passage although the baas and rocks make it very dangerous.

The Stacks of the Stuis

The Stuis

The mouth of Whalefirth lies almost due north and the two Stacks of the Stuis seem to stand guard to the entrance of the voe, originally there were three stacks. Here on the headland at the Nev of Stuis are two ancient dykes which cut across the land. The grass is green and there is no sign of moor. There are two circular ruins showing evidence of early habitation. It was thought there could have been a broch at one time. As almost all brochs were situated near the sea as a lookout and a stronghold it might be true, although unconfirmed. During storms the seas break over the stacks.

Visible Rocks and Baas at The Stuis

'The Neip of Gravaland furnishes a retreat for a couple of Sea Eagles who have built there for ages. At the foot of this rock observed a great number of Seals asleep on the stones below. A gentleman showed me a Crossbill which had been caught here, but had died soon after, and it appeared to be famished. It is no inhabitant here.'

Another of Nancy Johnson's poems gives a good description of the stormy seas she would have observed from Grummond.

They come, they come white foaming charges

Racing to the shore

Chasing each other madly running

Break with a mighty roar

A loud wild sigh the ocean heaves

And back the breakers run

Gathering anew their foaming force

Again, they come, they come

And lash the grandly towering peaks

The white foam sprays the air

And madly now the ocean shrieks

Hurls breakers everywhere

But proudly still stand the ancient cliffs

That guard Thule’s rugged shore

And scorn the ageless winter blasts

And the oceans thunderous roar

They come, they come white billows heights

White feeders sprays each peak

The rocky sentinels round Thule’s coast

Their ageless watch will keep.

-Nancy Johnson-

South Rivers Geo

This is a well known story which seems to have credence.

In 1887 several Lerwick fishermen discovered an eagles’ nest in the Noup of Graveland. Two of the men, Robert Garriock and James Blance climbed down the cliff to capture the eaglet. They required a rope and Blance went down on the rope. The eyrie was roughly constructed of seaweed, hay and wood sticks. Beside the eaglet in the nest was a huge ling fish. While Blance was at the nest three adult eagles hovered over him and made several swoops but did not touch him. Blance secured the eaglet and started his ascent. As the nest was quite a long way down the several hundred feet high cliff it was a very difficult climb. The eaglet was taken to Lerwick.

On the way south Chas enlightened me about the shoreline and often I heard a name that I could fit a story or anecdote to so we both had plenty to discuss.

Easter Tammie’s Hol and Wester Tammie’s Hol are geos to the west and east of the Nev of Stuis [Niv meaning jutting out headland]. Easter Tammie's Hol has a circular structure five metres across but without any trace of an entrance. There is a crescent shaped wall at the west enclosing the house and leading to the sea at both sides.

An early view from Virdifield showing the Loch of Graveland

As we had studied the Graveland coast from the east side of the voe we planned to go inland and head up Virdifield. We had both been at the top many times so it was a time to recall what we knew and to look at the wonderful views.