A cliff collapse in Orkney has threatened a religious pilgrimage route in the islands amid concerns there is a “real risk” of further falls.
A massive amount of rock has plunged into the sea on the Birsay coast on the west mainland.
Walkers on the St Magnus Way hiking trail, which was inspired by the life and death of Orkney’s patron saint, noticed the dramatic erosion.
Water at the foot of the cliffs were still brown at the time from the mud and earth plunging into the sea.
Stuart Little, chairman of the St Magnus Way, says the incident is a reminder for people to be very wary of going close to the cliff edges in the area.
He said: “The bit that fell is a few yards away from the path, nobody walking on it would have been in danger at the time though. There are no bits of the path missing.
“Erosion is a constant issue on the coast.”
Orkney Islands Council has said that the cliff fall near the St Magnus Way, east of Whitaloo point, was not expected.
The local authority has since met with emergency services following the collapse to discuss public safety in the area.
The police’s Orkney area inspector David Hall said: “It’s important locals and visitors to Orkney are aware of this fall in what is a popular walking area and resist the urge to try and get a closer look, as the likelihood is that the cliff edges and top layer of soil around the fall area are themselves unstable.”
Dave Sweeny, area commander for the Coastguard, said: “We’d really just echo the advice we give to coastal communities all around the UK – stay well back from cliff edges when walking and don’t take risks trying to get the perfect selfie.
“The majority of cliff collapses can’t be accurately predicted and it’s just not worth taking the risk.”
Angus Young, Orkney station commander for the fire service, said: “We’d also plead with people not to go exploring the fall in Birsay and trying to get a closer view.
“There is the very real risk that the area of ground either side for quite some way is yet to collapse, and you could be endangering not only yourselves but emergency services who would be called to assist if you fell.”
Government agency NatureScot told the Scotsman it is aware of the Orkney incident.
A spokeswoman said: “As to possible reasons why this might have happened, wave action can erode the material at the base of a cliff, resulting in the cliff above becoming unstable.
“Depending on their geology, this can lead to a cliff collapse. The Birsay cliff is exposed to strong westerly seas, so this may have been a factor in the collapse.”