Mull Head & Covenanters Memorial

Passing through the wooden gate, follow the obvious track to your left, which leads northwards. In summer the surrounding heathland gives a fabulous display of wildflowers. Looking out to sea, a little to the southeast, you’ll see the island of Copinsay with its lighthouse, and to the north of that the distinctive pudding shape of the Horse of Copinsay.

After around a kilometre you arrive at the Brough of Deerness. At first glance this rocky outcrop looks entirely inaccessible, but a rough path leads down, almost to sea level, before rising up a narrow goat-track of a route. Thankfully a well-secured chain provides a welcome handhold, but great care should be taken on all parts of this section of the route. Please note that as of 6/9/23, a landslip means that the Brough is currently inaccessible. Work to clear the path is expected to begin soon and we'll update this route once it is in use again.

Once on the Brough you’ll notice the walls of a small Norse chapel, believed to date from the 10^th century. Slightly less apparent are the remains of a number of other buildings, the outlines of which can just be made out among the grass. These structures suggest the Brough was once a fortified Viking stronghold.

After returning, carefully, to the main route follow the obvious path north which hugs the coast to a kissing gate at the head of Lang Geo, and onwards past a narrow geo (keep well away from the crumbling edges) to the Chip of the Mull. There’s a small stone cairn at this point and it’s a splendid spot to sit and enjoy the views opening up across the north isles, or to watch seabirds wheeling over the strong tidal rips below. Guillemots and fulmars nest on the friable cliffs.

Head west then southwest over Mull Head itself and down again across wonderful coastal heath. During the nesting season great skuas will swoop around your head, leaving you in no doubt that this is their patch. The going does start to get a bit damp under foot, but duckboards have been installed to help with some of the boggiest sections.

Around a kilometre along the coast there’s an abrupt change back to Orkney’s more familiar agricultural landscape. For anyone lacking energy or time, the walk can be cut short here by following the obvious path south back to the car park.

Continue to follow the coastal path as it curves around the bay of Denwick. A tall monument above the low cliffs to the west becomes increasingly prominent. This is the Covenanters Memorial, erected in the 1800s in memory of around 200 prisoners who drowned when the slave ship Crown of London was wrecked here in 1679. The prisoners had been captured following the Battle of Boswell Bridge and were en route to plantations in America when the ship was driven ashore in a gale.

As the land widens slightly to your right, a couple of hundred metres before you get to the memorial, look out for three small stones laid flat and largely overgrown by grass. These are the graves of some of those lost in the sinking.

Follow the path that leads south from the memorial along the edge of farmland, with fine views back east across Mull Head. A kissing gate leads to a small car park and from here head northeast on a footpath which runs parallel, and to the right of, a private vehicular access road. While this road bears to the north, our track – rough at times – carries on east-northeast for a kilometre. At the T-junction turn right, keeping to the grassy track which runs parallel to another stony vehicular track. Orchids, daisies, and buttercups line the route, which leads gently uphill before turning left past a small farmstead. Just after the farmstead follow the grassy track off to the left, which takes an obvious line back to the car park, and the start of our route.

Visit the Scottish Outdoor Access Code website for more information and advice on how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly.