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South Mainland · Nature
Sumburgh Head Lighthouse, Visitor Centre & Nature Reserve
Sumburgh Head is a dramatic Shetland clifftop stop where families can mix lighthouse buildings, wide sea views, seabird-watching and seasonal indoor displays. Choose it when you want a South Mainland outing that feels more memorable than a quick viewpoint, but plan carefully: the site is exposed, facilities are seasonal, and the accessible lookout is much easier than the rougher cliff paths beyond it.
- Family fit
- School-age interest · short supervised toddler stop
- Cost
- Free outdoors · paid indoor displays
- Weather
- Exposed clifftop · choose calm weather
- Allow
- 30–60 minutes outdoors · longer in season
Our family take
Visit for the mix: a lighthouse setting, sea views, seabird cliffs, seasonal indoor displays and a strong South Mainland pairing with Jarlshof. It is not a guaranteed wildlife show and it is not fully step-free across the whole site, but it gives families a memorable sense of Shetland's cliffs and coast in decent weather.
- Visitor centre closed. The 2026 season has ended. Reopening is planned for 27 March 2027, so plan an outdoor visit for now and arrange toilets and food elsewhere.
- Exposed cliffs. Keep children close around the cliffs. Shorten the visit or choose another plan if it is very windy, visibility is poor or your child needs an enclosed place to run around.
The practical details
Plan your visit
- Opening
- The visitor centre is closed for the 2026 season and is due to reopen on 27 March 2027. Outdoor areas and the car park remain open year-round; check for special openings before travelling.
- Cost
- Outdoor access is free. When the visitor centre is open, tickets for the indoor displays are sold in the gift shop, with family and concession options. Check current prices and eligibility.
- Parking
- Free car park below the lighthouse, with a short, steep walk uphill. Upper disabled parking and drop-off are available for visitors who cannot make the climb.
- Access
- Easy ramped lookout near the main car park. Wider trails are uneven with stiles; some lighthouse areas have steps.
- Toilets
- Accessible customer toilets in the Stevenson Centre are available during visitor-centre opening hours. Plan an off-site toilet stop during the winter closure.
- Food
- Seasonal self-service hot drinks and traybakes in the Observatory. Bring food or arrange lunch elsewhere; refreshments are not a year-round service.
- Allow
- 30–60 minutes for the lookout and views; 2–3 hours for a fuller in-season visit. These are planning estimates, so go at your children’s pace.
ParkingAccessible LookoutBlue Badge ParkingSeasonal Refreshments
7 October 2026
Check current visitor information (official)A little more detail
Make it work for your family
Birds and lighthouse buildings
Puffins normally return from mid-April to mid-August to breed in burrows near the tops of the cliffs. That is the season to plan around if puffins are your main reason for coming, though sightings on any visit are never guaranteed. You can use the outdoor viewpoints without buying a ticket.
When the visitor centre is open, the paid indoor displays include the Foghorn Engine Room, Smiddy Workshop, Marine Life Centre and WWII Radar Hut. School-age children have more to get their teeth into here than on a quick viewpoint stop; with toddlers, keep the outing short and the rougher paths optional.
Outdoor viewpoints and puffin season · Checked 2026-10-07
Access and buggies
Start with the ramped lookout, about 50m south of the main car park, if you have a buggy, wheelchair or limited time. The wider nature trails are uneven and have stiles, and two other viewing platforms have steps.
The uphill walk to the lighthouse buildings is steep. Visitors who cannot make the climb can use upper disabled parking or the drop-off point; other drivers should use the main car park. The ticket office, Smiddy and Stevenson Centre have level access, the Engine Room has a ramp and the Marine Life Centre has a lift when open. The Smiddy floor is cobbled, and the Foghorn Tower and East Radar Hut are reached by steps. Check the access guide for your particular needs.
Some indoor exhibits use foghorn sounds, flashing lights, underwater sounds or sirens. Staff can switch interactives off on request, and can turn on the Marine Life Centre’s ground-floor lighting. Ask before starting if these would make the visit difficult for your child.
Check the indoor access guide · Checked 2026-10-07
Food and facilities
During visitor-centre opening hours, accessible toilets are in the Stevenson Centre. For a winter outdoor visit, make a toilet stop before you arrive. RSPB lists public toilets at Grutness Pier and West Voe beach as off-site alternatives; check they are available when you need them. Baby-changing is off site too, with the nearest facilities listed at Sumburgh Hotel.
The seasonal Observatory is a self-service place for a hot drink and traybake, with ice creams in the gift shop. It is useful for a break when open, but plan lunch elsewhere or bring food. Outdoor benches and picnic tables are provided seasonally; do not count on refreshments during the winter closure.
Check current facilities · Checked 2026-10-07
Getting there and adding another stop
The number 6 South Mainland bus stops at Sumburgh Hotel Gate, around 2 miles (3.2km) from the visitor centre. Allow for the walk there and back and check your return service; with young children, a car is much easier.
Jarlshof is a useful separate stop for archaeology before or after the lighthouse and wildlife. Plan transport between them if younger children or a buggy are coming, rather than treating the coastal walk as a short connecting path. St Ninian’s Isle offers another South Mainland beach or island-walk option, with its own tide and ground conditions to consider.
Check arrival and parking details · Checked 2026-10-07
Plan the rest of your day
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Nearby stop
Jarlshof Prehistoric and Norse Settlement
The obvious same-day pairing: do Jarlshof for archaeology, then Sumburgh Head for views, wildlife and lighthouse interest. Plan toilets and food carefully, as both stops have practical caveats.
Nearby stop
St Ninian's Isle Tombolo
A South Mainland beach or island-walk option. Check tides, rough ground and Bigton toilets before deciding how much to do.