by 
Shetland Islands
Fair Isle is located 38km from the Shetland Islands and is the most remotely inhabited area in the UK.
One might wonder who would want to settle on an island with an area of 768 hectares, however the first settlers on Fair Isle appeared in the Neolithic era and people still live here. Fair Isle is today home to about 80 permanent residents who are primarily engaged in agriculture. The temperature on the island does not fall below 5 degrees Celsius in winter thanks to the Gulf Stream and in summer the average temperature reaches 20 degrees.
The ancient Vikings called this island “the island of sheep.” Its current name, Fair Isle, comes from the fact that the island is exceptionally quiet and calm. For historians and environmentalists it is a special place which is why the island is protected by the National Trust for Scotland, a charity that leases plots of land to residents and thus helps the environment. Anyone with permission can enjoy the solitude, the sound of rough seas, endless storms and those who stay on Fair Isle are generously rewarded by nature. The real show takes place here both in the sky and in the waters of the bay.
Coastal waters are among the richest in Europe in terms of the number of animal species living here. There are 21 species of different marine mammals, five of which are seals, including the rare Atlantic grey seal. Fair Isle is a haven for entire families of seals. The virgin sea on all sides provides abundant food and safety. The only thing the seals fear is the surf and killer whales.
Sheep farming has always been and remains the most important sector of the economy for the inhabitants of the island. Sheep have always been a means of survival and a source of profit. Their wool is considered the best and knitting sweaters with national patterns has become a tradition; it is known almost as well as local lamb. The secret to excellent wool and delicious Fair Isle lamb is actually simple. The fact is that the cost of sheep is such that farmers can easily experiment with different breeds. They also breed South African sheep in order to give the sheep, as the farmers themselves say, a special flavour. In the past there were so many sheep on the island that pasture became scarce. In the mid-20th century farmers were forced to use every available piece of land covered with grass. They transported flocks of sheep to the inaccessible so-called “sheep’s foreheads” using rickety boats and ropes every summer. These tactics paid off.
The fauna of Fair Isle, both marine and terrestrial, is strikingly diverse. Thanks to its convenient location, the island annually becomes a haven for thousands of migratory birds. This makes Fair Isle an ideal destination for bird watchers. The popularity of ornithology is the result of the work of George Waterson who bought the island for £3,500 in 1948 and established a bird-watching observatory. Thus, he benefited science by organizing the observation of migratory birds and securing the future of the island’s inhabitants.
The island suffered enormous damage during World War II and if not for the Waterson Ornithological Centre it would have been long forgotten. Fair Isle was acquired by the National Trust for Scotland in 1954. Gulls and cormorants are among the permanent residents of Fair Isle and in winter there are teals, goldeneyes, woodcocks and glaucous gulls. Watching their antics from the heights of rocks is a fascinating activity. You feel every movement of the wings and every gust of wind. This place becomes a real paradise for ornithologists with the beginning of the migration season in the summer when giant flocks of petrels and other birds arrive. George Waterson has done an unprecedented service to Fair Isle and his followers are committed to preserving his legacy.
The island’s observatory is a one-of-a-kind hotel from which you can watch the world of birds delighting inhabitants and guests with their singing. Excursions are held mostly for tourists from continental Europe throughout the island every summer.
