Hillswick

Hillswick is a small village in Northmavine, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean and lies to the north-north west of Mainland, Shetland, the most northerly group of islands in the United Kingdom. It is situated 35 mi (56 km) from Lerwick.^[3]

Hillswick
The bay at Hillswick, looking across the bay with the main settlement on the far shore
Hillswick Location within Shetland
OS grid reference	HU280769
Civil parish	Northmaven
Council area	Shetland
Lieutenancy area	Shetland
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	SHETLAND
Postcode district	ZE2
Dialling code	01806
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish
UK Parliament	Orkney and Shetland
Scottish Parliament	Shetland
Hillswick Lighthouse Ura Firth Baa Taing
Coordinates	60.453557°N 1.496517°W / 60.453557; -1.496517
Constructed	1895 (first)
Foundation	concrete base
Construction	metal skeletal tower
Height	5 metres (16 ft)
Shape	quadrangular tower covered by aluminium panels with light on the top
Markings	white tower
Power source	solar power
Operator	Northern Lighthouse Board[1]
First lit	n/a (current)
Focal height	34 metres (112 ft)
Range	white: 9 nautical miles (17 km; 10 mi) red: 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) [2]
Characteristic	Fl (4) WR 15s.
List of places UK Scotland 60.476°N 1.489°W / 60.476; -1.489

There is a community shop,^[4] a blacksmith, a public hall, a health centre, and a Church of Scotland kirk that is now mainly used for funerals, weddings and christenings. There is a wildlife sanctuary, situated at the historic former Hanseatic trading booth on the seafront, a small private art gallery with occasional public exhibitions, and the St Magnus Bay Hotel which offers accommodation, a bar and restaurant. A large dairy and sheep farm takes up the spectacular peninsula called Hillswick Ness, but there is public access and a signed walking route. There is a modern primary school at nearby Urafirth. A small automatic lighthouse is located 1.5 miles south of Hillswick, at the tip of the Ness.

See also

• List of lighthouses in Scotland
• List of Northern Lighthouse Board lighthouses