Fair Isle Shetland

Fair Isle - Britain's Most Remote Island Fair Isle Britain's Most Remote Inhabited Island Waved goodbye to Fair Isle this morning and took our return flight to Tingwall. Flights leave from Tingwall airport, a ten minute drive from Lerwick. There are flights to the isle each weekday, weather permitting. While 27 miles offshore to the north of Shetland mainland, the island of Fair Isle, the UK's furthest outpost island, is a tiny and breath-takingly beautiful jewel, rich in birdlife and with a dedicated community whose love for their home residents are only too eager to share with the few intrepid visitors who make the journey each year. This time it was Sarah and I, and now we were hopping back over to the Shetland Mainland. ...

Sheep Story A Jewel In The Ocean Set in the middle of the North Atlantic, 38km (23mi) from Shetland and 43km (27mi) from Orkney, Fair Isle is as far away from civilization as it’s possible to get in the British Isles. Measuring barely five kilometers across and two kilometers wide, the island is home to a tiny permanent population of just 45 people. In fact, it’s the most remote inhabited place in the UK. My Sheeple - An adventure story involving an airplane, some sheep, and extreme weather. Have you ever had one of those days where you say to yourself (and anyone else who will listen) – I love my life. Sarah at The South Lighthouse Malcom's Head The number of sheep in all the Shetland Islands is calculated to b...

 Lighthouses are not just stone, brick, metal, and glass. There’s a human story at every lighthouse; that’s the story Dave wants to tell. South Light on Fair Isle is a pharologist's*  delight - a superb  example of a 'Stevenson Lighthouse', one of many around the shores of mainland Scotland and the isles, built in1891 by this famous and prolific family of Scottish engineers. (*pharology - the study of lighthouses!) Designed and built in 1891 by David A. and Charles Stevenson (cousin of author Robert Louis Stevenson) it entered service in 1892. The lighthouse tower at 85 feet is the tallest one in Shetland and there are 106 steps to the top. In 1998 it became the last lighthouse in Scotland to be automated. Its foghorn - also Scotland's last - was dismantled in 2005.Its light is still operated by the Northern Lighthouse Board and the beam, consisting of 4 flashes every 30 seconds, can be seen from at least as far as Orkney - some 25 miles away across open sea.

  Hiking Malcom's Head, taking in some of the best coastal scenery and features on Fair Isle.

  Over the years a variety of people have written about the origins of Shetland Sheep. Like the equally well known Shetland Pony it's origins are discussed at length. However, in the case of the pony, it is easier to spot the genuine article unlike the sheep which can be cross bred. THE SHETLAND is the smallest of the British breeds, found mostly in the Shetland Islands. It is believed to be of Scandinavian origin, most probably brought to these shores by the Vikings, who settled here over a thousand years ago. They may have inter-bred with primitive sheep already in the islands. This cannot be proved, but they retain many characteristics of the wild sheep. They are small bodied animals with a distinctive face and nose, bright eyes, small erect ears and usually wool on the forehead. The legs are fine and of medium length. A distinguishing feature is the tail being fluke shaped, broad at the base and tapering to the point. Rams have nice round horns while ewes are horn-less. ...

Ice Bathing Adventure Ice Bathing Adventure Ice bathing gives your skin and hair a healthy glow, and we were going to try it in the chilly North Atlantic. Even though we are on the same longitude as Cape Farewell, Greenland, and closer to Bergen, Norway than Edinburgh, Scotland - we made our first attempt. We had to cancel because the currents were too strong. Will revisit when the weather cooperates.

The Best of Vibes, The Worst of Vibes The Best of Vibes, The Worst of Vibes: Travel in the Time of COVID Waiting for Perfect Vision in 2020 We thought 2020 would bring clarity—a year of perfect vision . Instead, it brought masks, hand sanitizer, and social distancing. No one could have predicted that we'd be spending the year navigating a global pandemic instead of airport terminals. Normally, we’d be sailing through the Norwegian Fjords, exploring the Baltics, or cruising Alaska’s wildlife superhighway, Glacier Bay. 'Tis the season —but this year, the fleets came to a grinding halt. Don't Give Up the Ship DON’T GIVE UP THE SHIP. Or the dream of taking a vacation. You can’t deny gravity—or the gravity of the situation—and travel as we knew it would never be the same. So I got resourceful, stayed resilient, and hit the road. I rented a land yacht—a 2020 Mitsubishi Outlander—my protec...

Undiscovered Scotland Past Malcom's Head, today's fantastic walk takes in some of the best coastal scenery and features on Fair Isle., and Winter adds to the lighting  and texture.  Fair Isle is an island of two distinct parts. The northern two thirds is set for  grazing, open moorland, hills and sea cliffs that stand tall in open defiance to the battering sea and brutal weather conditions. The southern part is allocated for croft land (Sheep) and is home to most of the islanders. I'm down South this day, near our home. In fact the video above is our backyard views! Why are there no trees on this island?  At first, with such strong winds, one might believe that weather plays a part. The real reasons for the lack of trees are to do with clearance for firewood and the presence of sheep, which have prevented natural regeneration. The peat that's still burned in some parts of the highlands is the remnants of the forest that once covered the land. No man is an island, as ...

Fair Isle Visit Seals in Sight! Atlantic Grey Beauties Grace the Shores Today On the isolated beaches along the west coasts, behind the Croft house we are staying at, I easily spotted a grey atlantic seal, after a 10 minute trek down the grassy steep hills. Fair Isle draws hundreds of visitors a year, some coming from as far away as America and Zambia (Me and Sarah). Marooned halfway between the Shetland and Orkney archipelagos, this isle stands alone-as Britain's most remote inhabited island. Being here in the Winter, during the pandemic makes it even more remote, more special, more edgy.

Social Distancing On Steroids - WW2 Crash Site on Fair Isle 🐑 Social Distancing On Steroids 🐑 Exploring the most remote inhabited island in Britain during a global pandemic "Moving to Britain's most remote inhabited island during a global pandemic—embracing solitude, but still wearing masks to keep the locals happy. Even in the middle of nowhere, community matters." "If you hit it, it's history. If you miss it, it's mystery." WW2 Crash Site Discovered on Fair Isle Exploring the crash site ruins - Uncovering history on Fair Isle Remnants of the past - Pieces of history scattered across t...

Fair Isle Photography Gallery Fair Isle Photography Gallery Explore the beauty of this unique Scottish island Fair Isle: A Visual Journey Experience the rugged beauty and unique character of Fair Isle through this captivating video. Scenic Landscapes Dramatic coastal views of Fair Isle Panoramic landscape of Fair Isle's natural beauty Scenic path through Fair Isle's terrain Spectacular coastline views Rugged terrain and natural formations ...

Fair Isle Renewable Energy Fair Isle Renewable Energy Fair Isle is not connected to the National Grid. Energy is generated on the island by the Fair Isle Electricity Company (FIEC) using wind turbines and solar power, and this is stored in a battery backup system. Featured Video Lambing 101 More Videos