End Of Cycle Route: Unst

NCN route one ends at the top of Unst, the northernmost island.  I caught the ferry from Gutcher to Belmont at the south of Unst and made my way north, against the wind and mist.  Sadly there is no sign to mark the end of NCN1 but I went to where I think it should be.

Despite Unst being such a far-flung place, it was very welcoming.   I counted five cafés -not bad for a small island. I regret that I didn't have time to try them all.

As I passed Britain's Northernmost Church the sun came out.  Heatwave!  London 28 degrees, Shetland 15, which was plenty for cycling.  It was a short and pretty ride to the picturesque visitor centre at Hermanness, the nearest I got to the RSPB reserve on the rocky islet of Muckle Flugga.  I believe you can get boat trips there.

Then past Britain's Northernmost Post Box to Norwick where I had planned a sort of victory lap without realising it contained the Northernmost Steepest Hill.  Beautiful views over the beach and a rocky promontory which could have been the end of Britain.  A little further on the Northernmost Inhabited House at Skaw overlooked a lovely sandy beach. 

I planned to return down the Steepest Hill down a cliff-side road, but there was a gate across it and it clearly wasn't used much.  Exercising my right to roam, I went down, and about halfway down I discovered the reason for the gate.  A 50 yard section of road had slid maybe half a metre down the cliff,  leaving big cracks in the tarmac.  A quick risk assessment was done.  Dry weather = firm cliffs + light-ish bike = low risk. Versus the risk of having to go back up aforementioned hill.  I proceeded carefully on foot.  Two further gates at the bottom were securely closed and labelled DANGER ROAD CLOSED.  Too late.  Maybe that's where NCN1 ends.

Back to Haroldswick to try out a café enticingly called The Last Resort.  Very good too.  Then back home to the B&B, via a surprisingly hilly detour to Gloup, which was another farm at the end of a road experience.   A bit disappointing unless you liked hills, which at that time of day, I didn't.