Fair Isle (Old Norse: Friðarey) is a small island north of the Scottish mainland. Administratively it's part of the Shetland Islands and lies midway between them and the Orkney Islands. It vies with Foula for the title of Britain's most remote inhabited island.
There's no TIC here, but see the island website for info.
- Birds: thousands upon thousands of them, both resident and migratory. Depending on season you can see massive colonies of puffins on the cliffs, arctic skuas, great skuas, rock pippets, arctic terns, fulmars, gannets, and many many more. Check the Observatory blog for recent sightings.
- Museum, Auld Skoll, Utra (next to church. May-Sept M F 14:00-16:00, W 10:30-12:00. George Waterston (1911-1980) was a leading ornithologist, for many years Scottish Director of RSPB. He set up the Observatory here, and indeed bought the whole island, eventually selling it at cost price to the NTS. This one-room museum in the former school hall relates his history and the island's.
- Sheep Rock. looks like a grassy asteroid that has come to rest a few yards offshore. Until 1977, terrified sheep were hauled up from small boats to graze there.
- Malcolm's Head. is the headland near the southwest tip, with views of great sea stacks and bird colonies. There's the ruins of an coastguard's lookout post. Nearby is the South (or Skadden) lighthouse, built by Stevenson, where you can stay in the former keeper's cottage, see "Sleep". The lighthouse is automated, the tower interior can't routinely be visited. Also take in Mathers Head, with views of the puffins on Black Holm islet.
- North end of the island is moorland ending in cliffs. North Lighthouse. (or Skroo) is the other Stevenson lighthouse at the northeast tip. The keeper's cottage has been demolished. Along the eastern coast are sea stacks and arches, with a blowhole where a sea cave has collapsed.
- Ward Hill. at 220 m is the highest point on the island. It's easily reached by a track leading northwest from the airfield. The summit approach is ugly with modern telecoms and the remains of an RAF radar station, but the views north to Sumburgh and south to Orkney are impressive. Return the same way, or (with great care) go along the western clifftops, past stacks and gullies and wheeling birds, before turning inland towards the airfield and paved road.
Birds: thousands upon thousands of them, both resident and migratory. Depending on season you can see massive colonies of puffins on the cliffs, arctic skuas, great skuas, rock pippets, arctic terns, fulmars, gannets, and many many more. Check the Observatory blog for recent sightings.
Museum, Auld Skoll, Utra (next to church. May-Sept M F 14:00-16:00, W 10:30-12:00. George Waterston (1911-1980) was a leading ornithologist, for many years Scottish Director of RSPB. He set up the Observatory here, and indeed bought the whole island, eventually selling it at cost price to the NTS. This one-room museum in the former school hall relates his history and the island's.
Sheep Rock. looks like a grassy asteroid that has come to rest a few yards offshore. Until 1977, terrified sheep were hauled up from small boats to graze there.
Malcolm's Head. is the headland near the southwest tip, with views of great sea stacks and bird colonies. There's the ruins of an coastguard's lookout post. Nearby is the South (or Skadden) lighthouse, built by Stevenson, where you can stay in the former keeper's cottage, see "Sleep". The lighthouse is automated, the tower interior can't routinely be visited. Also take in Mathers Head, with views of the puffins on Black Holm islet.
North end of the island is moorland ending in cliffs. North Lighthouse. (or Skroo) is the other Stevenson lighthouse at the northeast tip. The keeper's cottage has been demolished. Along the eastern coast are sea stacks and arches, with a blowhole where a sea cave has collapsed.
Ward Hill. at 220 m is the highest point on the island. It's easily reached by a track leading northwest from the airfield. The summit approach is ugly with modern telecoms and the remains of an RAF radar station, but the views north to Sumburgh and south to Orkney are impressive. Return the same way, or (with great care) go along the western clifftops, past stacks and gullies and wheeling birds, before turning inland towards the airfield and paved road.
- Walk: Walk Highlands suggest trails around the island that take in the main sights.
Walk: Walk Highlands suggest trails around the island that take in the main sights.
- Knitwear is what Fair Isle is famous for. The island's arts & crafts coop was dissolved in 2011 but some half a dozen traders continue independently to ply their craft, see island website. The highest profile among these is Mati Ventrillon, with a shop near the museum and church.
- The Post Office, a quarter mile north of the museum, has a few essentials and bits and pieces. It's open daily 06:30-17:30. The larger Stackhoull Stores has closed.
Knitwear is what Fair Isle is famous for. The island's arts & crafts coop was dissolved in 2011 but some half a dozen traders continue independently to ply their craft, see island website. The highest profile among these is Mati Ventrillon, with a shop near the museum and church.
There are no eating-out facilities, pubs, cafes, burger vans, pizza deliveries on motorbikes, KFCs, or intimidating sommeliers. That's partly why you came. Your accommodation will be full board, or at least half board with the sort of stonking breakfast that doesn't leave room for lunch. Check ahead with your hosts if you have special dietary requirements: you may need to bring your own supply (eg for gluten-free), or they may need time and extra payment to ship stuff in.
Same applies, no pub or off-licence, BYOB to eke out your host's supply.
Decent Vodafone and O2 coverage across the island, everything else is very patchy.
Back to Mainland Shetland by sea or air.