One of the greatest things about autumn is the powerful storms that are brought in off the Atlantic. With these come the opportunity to become a treasure hunter, scavenger and prospector. Shetland’s beaches are full of surprises – look out for the elusive grottie buckie or the crème de la crème of beach finds, the sea bean. Perhaps a message in a bottle from a faraway place is your prize, or simply a precious piece of beach glass or pottery?
Head to the Stenness Beach in Northmavine and seek out the glittering red ‘gems’. These beautiful red agate stones form when hot fluids filled with dissolved minerals circle through the Earth’s crust. These fluids deposit their minerals in gas bubbles within cooled volcanic rocks. On the northwest corner of Mainland Shetland, this area is all part of an ancient volcano system that was active some 360 million years ago.