Shetland - The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands - page 384

the spring and autumn passages. Migration routes converge here and more than
345 species, including many rarities, have been noted. As a result, Fair Isle is a haven
for twitchers, who descend on the island in planes and boats whenever a major rarity is
spotted; for more casual birders, however, there's also plenty of summer resident birdlife
to enjoy. The high-pitched screeching that fills the sky above the airstrip comes from
hundreds of arctic terns , and arctic skuas can also be seen here. Those in search of
pu ns should head for the cliffs around Furse, while to find gannets aim for the
spectacular Stacks of Scroo.

George Waterston Museum
Mon 2-4pm, Wed 10.30am-noon, Fri 2-3.30pm • Free • T 01595 760244
Fair Isle is, of course, better known for its knitting patterns, still produced with great
skill by the local knitwear cooperative. There are samples on display at the island's
George Waterson Museum , next to the Methodist chapel. Particularly memorable are
stories of shipwrecks; in 1868 the islanders undertook a heroic rescue of all 465
German emigrants aboard the Lessing . More famously, El Gran Grifón , part of the
retreating Spanish Armada, was lost here in 1588 and three hundred Spanish seamen
were washed up on the island. Food was in such short supply that fifty died of
starvation before help could be summoned from Shetland.

Lerwick & Grutness

Stacks of Skroo T The Nizz

FAIR ISLE

North Lighthouse

8

Skroo

Dronger

Ward Hill
(712ft)

Lerness

Furse

Pier

Fair Isle
Bird Observatory

Breiti Stack

Buness

Goorn

VAASETTER

Community Hall

STONYBRECK

Sheep Rock

Mekum's Head

The Rippack

N

LEOGH

George Waterston
Muse u m

The Fless South Lighthouse

BU S TA

Meoness

The Burrian

0 1

mile

The Skerry