The Scottish word for ‘stitch’ is ‘steek’, and on Fair Isle it holds enormous significance: Not only do there live far more sheep than people on this island – the permanent population currently stands at just around 60 – but their wool is also processed right there on the island – and has been for generations in a distinctive and world-renowned style: the Fair Isle style.
Fair Isle has got the hang of it
Multicoloured, patterned, but traditionally using just two colours per row. Even those who weren’t (yet) familiar with the name will have seen a jumper like this before. It’s hardly surprising, of course, that people here are particularly knowledgeable about knitwear: Fair Isle lies where the North Sea and the Atlantic meet.
A rocky bastion standing firm amidst the waves of both seas. Even in summer, the weather can be unpredictable; the heath-covered highlands are swept clean by the wind. A wild spot on the edge of Europe. All the more popular with sailors travelling between Orkney and Shetland. It’s not uncommon to see yachts bunched together at the short jetty. And as they bid farewell, many a crew member feels a warm, fuzzy feeling inside.
If you’re looking for birds, you’ll find them
What else is there to discover on Fair Isle? The attractions are few and far between: as well as the knitwear workshops mentioned earlier, there is also the George Waterston Museum. The island once belonged to the ornithologist until he sold it in 1954 to the Scottish National Trust for the Preservation of Cultural and Natural Heritage.
Waterston had plenty to keep him busy on Fair Isle: the island is an important stopover for migratory birds, and anyone who walks to one of the two lighthouses – the North Lighthouse or the South Lighthouse – can see this for themselves. Even today, birdwatchers still make up the majority of the island’s visitors, who arrive by ferry or plane. And whether you’re doing it as a hobby or for scientific purposes, a local woollen jumper comes in handy.
North Haven Natural Harbour
Fair Isle is situated at 59º32‘17“ N, 001º36‘18“ W, on the border between the North Atlantic and the North Sea, and covers an area of 7.7 square kilometres. Within Scotland, it forms part of the Northern Isles and, administratively, belongs to Shetland. With North Haven, Fair Isle has a very well-sheltered natural harbour, which, at its two piers next to the ferry terminal, there is also space for visiting yachts offers.
Christian Tiedt
Editor Travel
