Welcome
Hobbister is where sweeping sea views meet spring birdsong, a magical mixture of land and sea, from sea cliffs to saltmarsh, moorland to sandflats. On the moor, keep an eye out for hen harriers, short-eared owls and red-throated divers. A walk around the coastal footpath at Hobbister is a pleasure in all seasons, with twite overhead, distant bubbling curlews and black guillemots in summer. In winter, look out for long-tailed ducks, great northern divers and Slavonian grebes on the waters of Scapa Flow. At low tide, the sandy beach at Waulkmill Bay offers a walk on one of the most impressive beaches in west Mainland.
Access with steps
There are steps from the car park to:
BeachGetting here
For further information on accessible travel in Scotland, go to Transport Scotland.Travel by public transport
Bus route 2 runs along the A964 past the reserve regularly throughout the day. There are no marked bus stops. For the Moorland Trail, ask the driver to let you off at the main entrance to RSPB Hobbister Reserve. From the A964, follow the brown tourist sign for RSPB Hobbister, which directs you to the reserve car park, from where the Moorland Trail around the reserve leaves. The reserve can also be accessed at Waulkmill Bay along the same road – ask the driver to stop at the junction with the minor road down to Waulkmill Bay. From the A964, follow the minor road signposted down to Waulkmill Bay. There are two trails leading down westwards from the road to Waulkmill Bay (the closest one is 200m from the road junction) and the Moorland Trail can also be accessed from this end of the reserve by following the road to the end and turning eastwards to join the main trail around the reserve. Up to date travel information can be found at
https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/B/Bus-Services.htm
Travel by taxi
Parking
There is a car park at the main entrance to Hobbister reserve which has a rough gravelly surface. The main Moorland Trail around the reserve leads from this car park. There is additional parking in two pull-ins by the roadside at the western edge of the reserve, above Waulkmill Bay, which allows access down two short trails to the bay itself.
Arrival
Path to main entrance
Main entrance
Please note that there is no Visitor Centre and there are no buildings at the reserve. The only facilities are three nature trails around the reserve. There are Council-owned public toilets, including a RADAR-accessible toilet, next to the roadside pull-in car parking area above Waulkmill Bay. There are no staff based at the reserve.
Getting around inside
Getting around outside
RSPB Hobbister Moorland Trail
The track is rough, uneven and often wet and muddy (wellies advised in winter!), with a steep step up a peat bank at one point. It is also narrow in places (down to 30 cm wide), with vegetation overhanging the edges. If joining the trail from the Waulkmill Bay car parking areas, there is a stile. There are gentle slopes. There are two benches situated around the trail, where the views of Scapa Flow can be enjoyed.
Designated Walking Trail
RSPB Hobbister Waulkmill Bay Trail - North
This is a linear trail and the distance refers to the return journey. The trail allows access to the upper end of Waulkmill Bay. The track is rough, uneven and often wet and muddy, with short sections of boardwalk in places and loose stone surfacing. There are steps within and leading off the boardwalks and there are raised cross drains along the trail. It is also narrow in places (down to 20 cm wide), with vegetation overhanging the edges, and it is sloping in nature.
Designated Walking Trail
RSPB Hobbister Waulkmill Bay Trail - South
This is a linear trail and the distance refers to the return journey. The trail allows access to the lower end of Waulkmill Bay when the tide is out. The track is rough, uneven, sloping, and consists of a long series of steps leading down to the bay. It is also narrow in places (down to 50 cm wide), with vegetation overhanging the edges, and there is loose stone surfacing in most areas. Good views of Waulkmill Bay can be had from the car parking pull-in at the top of the trail.
Beach
There are two trails leading down to the beach at Waulkmill Bay. These are described above in the section on Designated Walking Trails. The northern trail can be used to reach the beach at all states of the tide, whereas the southern one can only be used as low tide. Both trails are sloping, narrow and have steps.