Britain's Most Northerly Isle
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Unst Bonxies at Hermaness Getting to Unst Although Unst is as far north as southern Greenland, Unst Britain’s most northerly isle it’s a very accessible island. Frequent vehicle ferries link the Shetland mainland to Unst via the neighbouring island of Yell. The ferries are very busy in summer and if travelling by car you are strongly Some Useful Information advised to book by phoning the ferry office. Accommodation: VisitShetland, Lerwick, From Lerwick it’s a 45-minute drive north on the main Tel: 01595 693434 A970 road to Toft ferry terminal. Follow the signs for Ferry Booking Office: Ulsta, Yell, Tel: 01957 722259 the North Isles. The crossing to Yell takes 20 minutes. When you arrive at Ulsta in Yell, follow the main road to Heritage Centre and the Gutcher ferry terminal (about half an hour’s drive) Neighbourhood Information Point: Haroldswick, Tel: 01957 711528 for the 10-minute crossing to Unst. Shops: Baltasound There’s a daily bus service (except Sundays) from Fuel: Baltasound Lerwick to Unst, all year round. It leaves the Viking Bus Station in Lerwick and collects passengers at the Public Toilets: Belmont, Uyeasound, SNH Visitor Holmsgarth ferry terminal – connecting with ferry Centre (Burrafirth), Baltasound arrivals from Aberdeen. It is advisable to check all Places to Eat: Haroldswick, Baltasound ferry and bus timetables before travelling. Post Office: Baltasound If you bring your own boat, there’s a fine natural Public Telephones: Uyeasound, Baltasound and harbour at Uyeasound, where a new pier and marina Haroldswick welcome visiting craft. Leisure Centre: Baltasound, Tel: 01957 711577 Churches: Haroldswick, Baltasound and Uyeasound Doctor: Baltasound, Tel: 01957 711318 Police: Baltasound, Tel: 01957 711424 Norwick Beach Contents copyright protected - please contact Shetland Amenity Trust for details. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the contents are accurate, the funding partners do not accept responsibility for any errors in this leaflet. Welcome to Unst — the special island at the end of Britain. Britain’s most northerly inhabited island is one of Left: Sea angling – a favourite pastime. Right: Far Haaf – built 1993 Bonxie (Great Skua) the most spectacular, varied Left: Dratsi (Otter), Right: and interesting in Europe. Unst has everything that attracts visitors to Unst is an ideal place to enjoy bird-watching, botany, you indoors. Shetland – and a little bit more. geology, archaeology, walking, sailing, angling or The Unst Boat Haven is Shetland’s only museum traditional music – or just to enjoy the peace and quiet. Packed into an area just 12 miles long by five dedicated to the history of the islands’ distinctive wooden boats and the line-fishermen who used them miles wide are stupendous cliffs, jagged sea There is evidence of the early Norse settlers both in the place names and archaeology. Unst has the greatest until the early 20th century. Modern pleasure-boats stacks, sheltered inlets, golden beaches, density of rural Viking longhouses currently known. can be seen at the Unst Marina in Baltasound along heathery hills, freshwater lochs, peat bogs, The Viking Unst project is excavating examples at with the Far Haaf, a locally-built replica of a sixareen fertile farmland – and even a unique, Hamar and Belmont. They aim to try and answer key (six-oared boat). sub-Arctic, stony desert. questions about when the Vikings arrived in Shetland, Unst Heritage Centre tells the engrossing story of the how they fitted with the existing population, and how islanders’ struggle for existence over the centuries. they lived when they got here. Visitors are welcome This intricate landscape supports a Most Unst families are still involved with the traditional and, when the excavations are in progress, the crofting life depicted here, but there’s a variety of other rich variety of wildlife, as well as archaeologists will explain what they are doing. pure bred Shetland sheep and work based on the island’s resources and position, Unst is also a very sociable community that welcomes ponies which roam the common such as quarrying, fish farming, brewing, craftwork visitors to local events such as the farmers market, grazing land. Here you can (fine knitwear in particular), renewable energy, and annual show, Up-Helly-Aas, fishing competitions, meet Unst’s world-famous wildlife tourism. regattas, concerts, musical events Shetland Ponies at the roadside. Other indoor attractions include the leisure centre, and dances. Unst is a major European knitwear shop, brewery and chocolate manufacturers. Shetland Pony and foal breeding site for seabirds, As well as the great We hope you enjoy your visit to this remarkable, including Gannets, Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, outdoor attractions of accessible and welcoming island. Kittiwakes and Shags, and for moorland-nesting birdwatching at rarities such as Great Skuas, Arctic Skuas and Hermaness National Nature Reserve, rare plants on the Keen of Whimbrels. Killer Whales Hamar, clean sandy beaches, wonderful Seals abound, Porpoises are common, and you coastal walks and sea and loch angling, may even see the shy Otter or a pod of passing there’s plenty on offer if the weather keeps Killer Whales. Baltasound during the herring fishing boom c 1906 Spectacular coastline of Hermaness Flitting peats, the pony played an important role in the transportation of peat – Shetland’s main fuel for heating and cooking South Unst Out Stack As the ferry from Yell crosses Bluemull Sound, Muckle Flugga you pass a modern salmon farm on the right hand side, on the left Hoganess and the ruins of one of Unst’s several brochs – circular fortresses built about 2,000 years ago. You land below Belmont House, an Burrafirth Saxa Vord Skaw 18th century landlord’s mansion, which SNH Visitor is currently being restored by The Belmont Centre Lambaness Trust. Nearby, Shetland Ponies graze at the Hermaness Tonga National roadside. The walk from Belmont to Lund Nature Norwick Reserve takes you past the deserted crofting townships Burrafirth of Snarravoe and Snabrough. Another fine walk is from Belmont around the south-western corner of Haroldswick Unst to the picturesque village of Uyeasound, a busy Loch Quoys Unst Boat Haven of Cliff Unst centre for fish farming. Woodwick Heritage Centre Uyeasound, a short drive from Belmont, has a youth Hagdale Crussafield hostel. Next to the pier is Greenwell’s Booth, a Horse Powered Mill warehouse once used by German Hanseatic Keen of Hamar National Nature Reserve Baliasta merchants who dominated Shetland’s trade until the Baliasta Kirk Baltasound Hamar early 18th century. Unst To the east, one of Unst’s two Leisure Centre prehistoric standing stones is Collaster Balta by the road to Muness Castle, a 16th century fortified house Vallafield Unst Westing Huney open to the public. Also at Hill of Bluemull Soun Colvadale Muness is a knitwear shop Loch of serving teas. Watlee Underhoull Lund A walk from Muness north to St Olaf’s Standing Kirk Stone the Easting brings you to the Loch of d Framgord Muness Castle 1598 perfect sandy beach of Stourhoull Snabrough Sandwick Sandwick, where a Viking longhouse has been Loch of Snarravoe Easting Main roads Trout fishing excavated and again covered in sand. Belmont Uyeasound Muness Castle Minor roads Birds Between Uyeasound and Baltasound, a detour down Yell House Muness Track Seals the Westing side road reveals some of Shetland’s Belmont Greenwell’s Standing Booth Pier & Marina Stone Ferry routes Whales & dolphins prettiest scenery. The standing stone at Bordastubble Nature reserve Otters Gutcher is reputedly Shetland’s largest. At Underhoull there is Uyea Beach Ponies the remains of another Viking house, below a broch Linga Cliffs Viewpoint Haaf Gruney overlooking the secluded beach at Lund. Beyond the Historic building Site of interest ‘haunted house’ of Lund is the ruined 12th century kirk Museum Telephone of St Olaf, with the tombstones of two German Toilet Air merchants and of Thomas Mouat who built Belmont. Broch Leisure Centre Further along the Westing road is one of the many Information Point Böd Scale miles disused watermills, once used to grind oats and Hamars Fetlar 0 1 2 3 4 barley. Vallafield, the ridge dividing the Westing from Ness the trout Loch of Watlee, has one of Shetland’s finest panoramas. On the eastern side of Baltasound, is a unique The RAF station at Saxa Vord closed in 2006 having botanical site – The Keen of Hamar National Nature kept watch over the northern approaches for over 50 Reserve. This desert look-alike supports a number of years. The former buildings at Haroldswick are being rare plants including Edmondston’s Chickweed, which developed to provide a range of facilities including is found nowhere else in the world but Unst. accomodation, a bar and restaurant. North-east of Haroldswick, a single- At the junction for the Keen of Hamar look out for the track road leads to the beach and dunes Unst Bus Shelter, comfortably furnished with a sofa, of Norwick and on to Britain’s table, curtains, computer and a range of accessories northernmost inhabited house, at Skaw. depending on the current theme! On the nearby headland of Lambaness are the ruins of a wartime radar station. A safe harbour at Baltasound North Unst Saxa Vord looks out over Burrafirth, the Central Unst and Baltasound The village of Haroldwick, a couple of miles north of stacks of Muckle Flugga Lighthouse and the Baltasound, is home to the Unst Boat Haven – a unique Out Stack – the full stop at the end of Britain. During the herring boom years, 1880-1925, collection of traditional Shetland fishing craft – The side road from Haroldswick to Baltasound’s population of 500 rose to almost 10,000 and the fascinating Unst Burrafirth opens a panorama of during the season with the influx of the gutters and Heritage Centre, where the dramatic cliffs, the wide, sandy links at coopers.