Ronas Hill lochs

To locate the highest point in Shetland, unfold the OS Explorer 469 map and find the area marked as Ronas Hill. It stands at just 450 metres. If you look towards the hill's north, you'll see a complex network of lochs referred to by local anglers as "back of Ronas Hill".

This guide provides information about the main lochs in this area, but you shouldn't overlook the small ones. Most of them are full of stunted trout that will attack your fly as soon as it lands, like a shoal of piranhas. But occasionally, you may not receive an immediate response, and that might indicate the presence of a bigger fish lurking in the depths.

Roer Water
Mainland, Shetland
1

These are three fairly large lochs which are interconnected by short burns and contain trout of 8 to 10 ounce average. The trout in Roer Water are ...

lake

Brown trout

Sae Waters
Mainland, Shetland
2

These lochs contain beautifully mark, butter yellow trout. The middle water that is sandwiched between the others, holds the larger trout. We had t...

lake

Brown trout

Sandy Water
Mainland, Shetland
3

As with most of the Ronas Hill lochs the water in these is crystal clear and most of the fish average 6 to 8 ounces but in Swaabie Water there are ...

lake

Brown trout

Many Crooks
Mainland, Shetland
4

As the name suggests this loch is full of crooks and could be called Many Nooks or Many Crannies. We didn't fish all the corners and skirted the ...

lake

Brown trout

Hevdadale Water
Mainland, Shetland
5

These lochs are approached via a track which leaves the road at North Roe. The trout in the first two are of average size but the Innescord Lochs a...

lake

Brown trout

Lang Clodie Loch
Mainland, Shetland
6

It’s fair work to Lang Clodie but its a good place to setup basecamp. Sitting in a valley on the sea cliffs it’ll give you cover from any north wes...

lake

Brown trout

Moosa Water
Mainland, Shetland
7

These two large lochs can be dour but both have produced fish of more than four pounds.

lake

Brown trout

Little Lunga Water
Mainland, Shetland
8

Both lochs contain fine silvery trout of 6 to 8 ounces with the occasional fish up to the pound.

lake

Brown trout

Swabie Water
Mainland, Shetland
9

As soon as I set eyes on Swabie water I knew that bigger fish must lurk among the many points, peninsulas, bays and islands. For a small water, t...

lake

Brown trout

Birka Water
Mainland, Shetland
10

A long walk is required to reach these lochs and the scenery is spectacular but the fish are mostly about an 8 ounce average.

lake

Brown trout

Pettadale Water
Mainland, Shetland
11

These lochs are approached via a track which leaves the road at North Roe. The trout in the first two are of average size but the Innescord Lochs a...

lake

Brown trout

Mill Loch
Mainland, Shetland
12

These lochs are approached via a track which leaves the road at North Roe. The trout in the first two are of average size but the Innescord Lochs a...

lake

Brown trout

Muckle Lunga Water
Mainland, Shetland
13

These two large lochs can be dour but both have produced fish of more than four pounds.

lake

Brown trout

Innescord Lochs
Mainland, Shetland
14

These lochs are approached via a track which leaves the road at North Roe. The trout in the first two are of average size but the Innescord Lochs a...

lake

Brown trout

Clubbi Shuns
Mainland, Shetland
15

These are three fairly large lochs which are interconnected by short burns and contain trout of 8 to 10 ounce average. The trout in Roer Water are ...

lake

Brown trout

Tonga Water
Mainland, Shetland
16

As with most of the Ronas Hill lochs the water in these is crystal clear and most of the fish average 6 to 8 ounces but in Swaabie Water there are ...

lake

Brown trout