Letters / St Ninian’s eyesores
Images of the sands of St Ninian’s Isle have long been used as promotional icons by Shetland’s tourism industry and often appear in national lists of ‘best beaches’.
Not only does the beach look stunning, but is regarded by those who admire landscape and natural history to be best example of a shell sand tombolo to be found anywhere.
Unfortunately visitors’ photos of the sands have been spoiled this year by the abandoned eyesore on the beach.
Interest in St Ninian’s Isle is not just about the beach or the great coastal walk around the isle. A great part of the isle’s attraction is its human history, and in particular the story of the fabulous treasure discovered in the ruined chapel by a schoolboy back in 1958.
St Ninian’s Isle has a terrific story to tell of human and natural history to the many thousands of visitors a year who walk across the sands and seek out the chapel site.
What these visitors cannot understand is why the Shetland community ignore the now unmarked chapel site and have left it abandoned to become an overgrown, decaying disgrace.
For some reason the disgraceful state of St Ninian’s Isle chapel has been totally ignored for years by those who have been tasked to promote and look after our history and culture.
To cut down nettles, maintain the gate, fence and steps and paint the bench would hardly be at a high yearly cost.
In the past I have contacted Shetland Amenity Trust and Historic Scotland about the state of the site but neither is interested in the upkeep of an important part of Shetland and Scotland’s heritage.
I guess if there was a multi-million pound vanity project to roof over the site there would be much more interest in looking after an important part of our culture and heritage.
Allen Fraser
Shetland Geotours
Meal
Hamnavoe
Burra
Become a member of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -
- Remove non-local ads;
- Bookmark posts to read later;
- Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
- Hide membership messages;
- Comments open for discussion.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.
Already a member? Sign in to hide this message.
