
Exotic sands
St Ninian's Isle Tombolo
Bigton, Shetland · 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
NotableEurope
Britain's largest active tombolo — a white shell-sand causeway to the isle where a Pictish treasure hoard was unearthed.
Open St Ninian's Isle Tombolo on the interactive map →- Sea temperature
- ~13°C in the warm season
- Water
- Cold, glass-clear North Atlantic
- Sand
- A double-curved bar of brilliant white shell sand with sea on both sides
- Swimming
- Bracing even in high summer; pick the sheltered side of the bar
- Best time to visit
- May-Aug
- Setting
- A 500 m ayre linking Mainland Shetland to a grassy isle with a ruined medieval chapel
- Beach type
- Exotic sands
- Region
- Europe
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St Ninian's Isle Tombolo: frequently asked questions
Where is St Ninian's Isle Tombolo?
St Ninian's Isle Tombolo is at Bigton, on the coast of United Kingdom.
What is the sea temperature at St Ninian's Isle Tombolo?
In the warm season the sea at St Ninian's Isle Tombolo reaches about 13°C. Cold, glass-clear North Atlantic.
When is the best time to visit St Ninian's Isle Tombolo?
The best time to visit St Ninian's Isle Tombolo is May-Aug. Europe's beach season peaks in July and August, with June and September quieter and cheaper.
What kind of sand does St Ninian's Isle Tombolo have?
St Ninian's Isle Tombolo has a double-curved bar of brilliant white shell sand with sea on both sides.
Is St Ninian's Isle Tombolo good for swimming?
Bracing even in high summer; pick the sheltered side of the bar.
Photo: Gordon Hatton (CC BY-SA 2.0) · source