A LONG WEEKEND SHETLAND & FAIR ISLE

Sailing the Shetland Islands offers varied and challenging cruising as well as unbeatable wildlife and unique history, as Jonty Pearce finds out

- Jonty Pearce

As we crossed the 24-mile stretch of water known as The Hole, the horizon started to blur and the outline of Fair Isle ahead of us faded. We motored on as our companion yacht, Reach North, a mile behind, became indistinct for the first time since leaving the Shetland Isles. Patchy fog had been a possibility on the forecast; that possibility had become fact. We eagerly watched the radar as Fair Isle’s large echo drew nearer on the screen. Even though we knew it was there, we were still awed when the curtain of mist drew back and the cliffs under North Lighthouse’s white tower appeared. As the fog dissipated the steep slope of Sheep Rock solidified into view, guiding us to the transit into Fair Isle’s main harbour. Quite quickly the rest of the island appeared as the haze lifted, and we all breathed a sigh of relief as we tied the Elan 434 Impression, Catherine J, up to the harbour wall.

Shetland and Fair Isle seem more related to Scandinavia than Scotland; indeed, at 183 miles away, the nearest large town to Lerwick is not Inverness but Bergen. Most of the place names have evolved from Old Norse, so visitors often feel they have stepped beyond the bounds of Scotland. Evidence of pre-historic habitation litters the scenery; eerie standing stones and Iron Age brochs, while traces of Viking houses lie underfoot. The landscape is bare; stunted bushes are all that can survive in the winter gales that sweep over this rugged terrain. Yet life here is good. The land is fertile, the sheep hardy, and the currents that sweep through the island channels bring ample nutrients for excellent fishing. Lonely Fair Isle has its own individual aura; its isolation cultures independence, making for a closeknit community. It is also a Mecca for ornithologists, with more than 390 bird species recorded here.