Famous for birds, knitwear and historic shipwrecks, Fair Isle is a tiny jewel of an island lying half-way between Orkney and Shetland.
Well-known as one of the sea-areas on the BBC Shipping Forecast "...... Fair Isle, southerly gale force eight increasing severe gale force nine soon ....." the island offers a warm and friendly welcome to visitors.
Owned by the National Trust for Scotland, it’s one of Britain's most successful small communities, pioneering projects in wildlife tourism, windpower and sustainable management of the environment.
Fair Isle lies about 40 km south-west of Sumburgh Head. Just 5km long and 3 km wide, it’s mostly surrounded by impressive cliffs, rising to over 100 metres at the spectacular Sheep Rock and almost 200 metres along the heavily indented west coast.
The 70 or so islanders mostly live in traditional crofts on the more fertile and low-lying southern third of the island. The northern part is largely rough grazing and rocky moorland, rising to the 217 metre Ward Hill.
Fair Isle's oceanic climate brings stormy but fairly mild winters, while summer visitors can expect rapid changes in the weather: A day of sparkling sunshine and incredible visibility can easily be followed by one off thick mist and low cloud.
South Lighthouse, situated on Fair Isle, Britain's remotest inhabited island and sunniest place in Britain, invites you to stay in the former lighthouse keepers' accommodation. The comfortable bedrooms each have a double bed, with the option for an additional single bed. The island has an international reputation as a bird watchers paradise...READ MORE