EAST of Yell lies Fetlar — ‘The Garden of Shetland’ — a verdant, fertile isle which once supported a population of 900 but is now home to just over 60.

The ro-ro ferry crosses several times a day from Gutcher in Yell and Belmont in Unst, the trip taking 25 minutes. You cannot buy petrol on Fetlar.

Fetlar has more natural arches, per mile of coastline, than anywhere else in Shetland. Three hundred species of flowering plant grow on the island; some of the rarest, in Shetland terms, are members of the sedge family, with water sedge at Papil Water. Common and grey seals can be seen along the coast, and otters haunt the shoreline between Brough Lodge and Urie. There are unusual coloured specimens among the island’s rabbit population.

The east of the island is blanket bog, with deep heather on Lambhoga. There are several freshwater lochs, some with restricted access, offering fly-fishing for brown trout. Good sandy beaches can be found at Tresta and the Sands of Sand. Fetlar attracts a great variety of migrant birds, including rare vagrants, and over 90% of Britain's breeding population of Red-necked phalarope nests on the island.

Fetlar's tourist industry has grown in the last decade, and the island's museum and information point, Fetlar Interpretive Centre, is open from May-September.

North Isles Documents
North Isles Projects

Local Websites
www.feltar.org
Shetland Communities