The Drongs
The Drongs are a spectacular cluster of sea stacks rising dramatically from the waters of St Magnus Bay off the west coast of Shetland, Scotland. These towering columns of ancient rock stand as some of the most striking natural formations in the entire British Isles, reaching heights that dwarf passing boats and commanding the attention of anyone fortunate enough to approach by sea or view them from the clifftops of the Eshaness peninsula. The name itself is thought to derive from Old Norse, reflecting Shetland's deep Viking heritage, and likely refers to the narrow, projecting nature of the stacks. They are considered one of Shetland's iconic natural landmarks and regularly feature in photography celebrating the archipelago's wild and otherworldly scenery.
Geologically, The Drongs are composed of granite, which has proven considerably more resistant to erosion than the surrounding rock. Over countless millennia, the relentless power of the Atlantic Ocean carved away the softer material, leaving these hard spires standing proud above the waves. The processes of freeze-thaw weathering, powerful wave action, and the scouring work of ancient ice sheets all contributed to sculpting their distinctive jagged profiles. The Eshaness area more broadly is renowned among geologists as a place of outstanding volcanic and sedimentary interest, with the surrounding cliffs and headlands preserving a remarkable record of ancient geological upheaval.
In terms of physical character, The Drongs are genuinely awe-inspiring up close. The stacks are irregular in shape, with sheer vertical faces streaked with the subtle colouring of lichen and salt-stained rock. Their surfaces are textured and fractured, testament to the immense forces that shaped them. On calm days, the sea around their bases takes on deep blues and greens, with clear water surging gently between the columns. When Atlantic storms roll in, as they frequently do in Shetland, the scene transforms entirely, with enormous waves smashing against the rock faces and spray flying high into the air. The sound on such occasions is extraordinary — a deep, thunderous percussion punctuated by the cries of seabirds.
The surrounding landscape is quintessentially Shetlandic: wide open moorland sweeping down to dramatic clifftops, with the sea ever-present and the sky enormous overhead. Eshaness itself, the headland to the south, is home to a lighthouse and is famous for its own extraordinary cliff formations including the Holes of Scraada and the Grind of the Navir. The broader St Magnus Bay takes its name from the Norse saint associated with Orkney, and the coastline throughout this area is indented with voes, geos, and stacks. Wildlife is abundant, with gannets, fulmars, guillemots, razorbills, and great skuas all common sights, and grey seals frequently haul out on accessible rocks.
The Drongs are best appreciated by boat, and guided boat trips operate from the Shetland mainland during the summer months, offering the unique experience of passing among the stacks and observing them from sea level. From land, good views can be obtained from clifftop walks in the Eshaness area, though the stacks stand offshore and binoculars greatly enhance the experience from the land perspective. The road to Eshaness passes through the village of Hillswick and continues out along a single-track road to the lighthouse car park, from which walking routes along the clifftops are accessible.
The best time to visit is between late April and early September, when daylight in Shetland is extraordinarily long — at midsummer the islands experience the "simmer dim," a twilight that barely darkens even at midnight. Summer also offers the calmest sea conditions for any boat excursions, though Shetland weather is famously changeable and visitors should always be prepared for wind and rain regardless of season. Spring and early summer are particularly rewarding for birdwatchers, as vast seabird colonies are in full nesting activity along the cliffs. Winter visits are only for the hardiest souls, but those who brave the conditions may witness truly ferocious wave action and, if fortunate, the northern lights dancing above the stacks.
One of the more poignant and fascinating aspects of The Drongs is the way they embody the layered history of Shetland itself — a place shaped first by geological violence, then by Norse settlers who named every headland, stack, and inlet in their own tongue, and later by the fishing and crofting communities who lived in intimate relationship with these dangerous waters. The stacks would have been familiar navigational landmarks to generations of fishermen setting out into St Magnus Bay. Today they draw visitors from around the world, yet retain an atmosphere of profound remoteness and wildness that many visitors find unexpectedly moving.