Liuthaid

About Liuthaid

Occupying the spine of the Clift Hills on Shetland’s Mainland, this peat-clad ridge offers a rugged, often boggy ascent. As a prominent Marilyn, its summit provides an expansive, maritime perspective over the southern peninsula and out across the Atlantic, making it a rewarding objective for those exploring the Northern Isles.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Liuthaid is rooted in Old Norse, likely combining ljóss (light or bright) with heiðr (heath), a reference to the way the sun highlights the pale grasses on this elevated moorland.
• •It serves as the highest point of the Clift Hills, a narrow ridge of ancient metamorphic rock that forms the backbone of the southern Mainland of Shetland.
• •On a clear day, the summit offers a spectacular view of the Broch of Mousa to the east and the isolated, jagged silhouette of Foula far to the west across the Atlantic.
• •Despite its modest elevation, the lack of formal trails and the presence of deep, saturated peat hags mean a walker will likely expend as much energy navigating the terrain as they would on a much higher peak.
• •The hill is a prime spot for observing the 'Simmer Dim,' the midsummer twilight when the sun barely dips below the horizon, though the local sheep remain largely unimpressed by the celestial display.