Shetland and Fair Isle Info

[ctva]

We are planning on heading up to Fair Isle and Shetland in the next few weeks for the first time from Inverness, via Wick and the Orkneys (where we have been before).

Any pointers of places to go / avoid, good anchorages and things to see and do while there would be appreciated.

While we have the CCC pilots and the Shetland Ports book, what other sources of information are there, either free or paid for that anyone has found useful.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

 

[GHA]

Track your boat and share information on places to visit is usually useful. Sometimes there are links to blogs from cruisers which can be handy to get a feel for a place. Nice way to record your cruise as well.

Navily - The most innovative cruising guide as well but they seem a bit grumpier..

Also I find windy useful for a sort of overview of passages & distances using their "distance & planning" but it's only available for premium. Quick for basic weather routing.

 

[webcraft]

We are planning on heading up to Fair Isle and Shetland in the next few weeks for the first time from Inverness, via Wick and the Orkneys (where we have been before).

Any pointers of places to go / avoid, good anchorages and things to see and do while there would be appreciated.

While we have the CCC pilots and the Shetland Ports book, what other sources of information are there, either free or paid for that anyone has found useful.

Thanks in advance,

Chris

Don't go to FairIsle in a Northerly. A horrendous swell comes in. When we were there in 2010 the only reason we survived was because the ferry let us use their berth and their massive bow line to secure to. (We started to worry when we saw the ferry being lifted out!) Thee were giant fenders yachts could borrow, without which laying alongside the wall would have been a dangerous business.

(The ferry is hauled out of the water between trips, a testimony to the potential dangers of North Haven)

 

[srm]

Fair Isle is well worth a visit but, as @webcraft said North Haven can be very bad in a northerly. However, I have anchored to the south of the ayre in a northerly. There is a shallow rocky patch in the middle of the bay that needs to be avoided though. I was on the island for an extended stay while doing the survey for the breakwater and pier.
The tides run strongly around Fair Isle often giving giving breaking water, I found it preferable to go around the north of the island rather than the south and around slack water. The rule of thumb I was given by a local fisherman for rounding Sumburgh head is three miles off and with the tide. This works well off the Orkney headlands as well. Be careful with incoming swell against the tide as this will give steep breaking waves even with no wind. Heading west through Hoy Sound and Eynhallow Sound in Orkney and Papa Sound in Shetland are best taken at the very end of the west going stream.
There are many anchorages in Shetland, all you need is the charts to find them. I first cruised there in the 70's before any cruising guides were published.
The Admiralty tidal stream atlas for Orkney and Shetland is essential if you want to avoid the embarrassment of finding that magic spot where speed through the water becomes equal and opposite to the tidal stream and ground speed is +/- zero for an hour or two..
There are some other threads discussing Orkney and Shetland if you use the search.

 

[dunedin]

Fair Isle can definitely be busy as a very small harbour. And watch out as the red beacon marking the rocks just inside the breakwater is missing - need to remember where the rocks are, particularly when leaving.

Lerwick can be very busy - expect to be rafted up, perhaps boats arriving from Norway through the night.
If heading up the East side stop off at Mousa to visit the Broch. The most amazing thing in Shetland that I visited.
The West side is very pretty - with a lovely pair of anchorages at St Ninians Isle and a good jetty at Scalloway Boat Club. Also a nice pontoon at Brae but watch out for mooring chains which seem close to surface.
If going round the top consider going W to E for a smoother ride. Closest point of departure is the new marina at Cullivoe on Yell, and quite a short hop round to Baltasound on Yell. Don’t forget Muckle Flugga isn’t enough - need to get round Out Stack as well.

Enjoy.

 

[jamie N]

I wasn't too fussed by Fair Isle, it was more of a ticked box really. Scalloway is great, with a decent bus service to Lerwick and my preferred Shetland destination, as well as Scalloway Boat club being full of characters, and a great pontoon.
Shetland is great, without any real ''FFS'' bad places, there again I'm quite biased.
I know that you've done Wick, but I'll give a shout out for Wickers World cafe whilst your there, which is the real deal.

 

[srm]

Lerwick can be very busy - expect to be rafted up, perhaps boats arriving from Norway through the night.

Yes, The Norwegian booze run. An annual tradition.
The Small Boat Harbour - southern basin - is better especially in an easterly or NE wind, or go and anchor off the Bressay shore.
If the pontoons are too busy its possible to anchor close in just south of the harbour on sand. This used to be the summer mooring area for local boats before the marina in the north harbour was built.

 

[noelex]

We spent a few months cruising the Shetland islands in 2018 and loved the place. The birds on the Isle of Noss were a particular highlight that should not be missed.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[GHA]

We spent a few months cruising the Shetland islands in 2018 and loved the place. The birds on the Isle of Noss were a particular highlight that should not be missed.

Enjoy your trip.
View attachment 179034

Don't let @oldvarnish see that!!!

He hunted high & low looking for Mr Puffin.
(good book ))

 

[bergie]

We just came from that direction (Norway-Shetland-Fair Isle-Orkney-Hebrides). Quite lovely cruising grounds.

Can especially recommend Fair Isle for the wildlife, and Papa Stour for the walks. If you're into historical sites, Jarlshof in the south end of mainland Shetland (anchor at Grutness Voe) is excellent.
St. Ninian's is definitely a pretty anchorage. We spent a week there waiting for the right winds to get into Fair Isle.

I would probably skip Scalloway if going that way again.
Lerwick was fun, but I'm not sure how much of that was the fact that we arrived right at the end of the Folk Festival, and hence there were jam sessions going on everywhere.

 

[Concerto]

I went there in 2022 and loved sailing there. These 3 videos will give you an idea of what it was like.

Round Britain part 4 Kirkwall, Fair Isle and Lerwick

Round Britain part 5 Lerwick to Scalloway via Out Stack

Round Britain part 6 Westray to Scapa Flow

If you want to read more then look at my About Me page for detailed things I did.

 

[bergie]

I went there in 2022 and loved sailing there. These 3 videos will give you an idea of what it was like.

Ah yes, we also made a short video. Spoken Finnish, but has English subtitles

 

[dunedin]

Ah yes, we also made a short video. Spoken Finnish, but has English subtitles

Great video

We saw you en route as we passed going the opposite direction - also visiting Papa Stour, Scalloway, St Ninians Isle, Fair Isle and Skara Brae like you did (amongst others). Hope you are enjoying the Scottish Hebrides now.
You must have set off early in the season from the Baltic.

 

[bergie]

Great video

We saw you en route as we passed going the opposite direction - also visiting Papa Stour, Scalloway, St Ninians Isle, Fair Isle and Skara Brae like you did (amongst others). Hope you are enjoying the Scottish Hebrides now.
You must have set off early in the season from the Baltic.

We started in early April to catch the easterlies towards Norway. Planning using Prevailing Winds has so far paid off -- we've had the wind behind the beam almost the whole trip. Weather was quite cold but mostly sunny and nice otherwise.

Scotland has been a lot of fun! We just had a perfect day at Loch Scavaig. Quite sunny, no wind, none of the katabatics. Now trying to position Skye between us and tomorrow's gale.

Next month we start heading south. Maybe I should start a thread for recommendations around the Irish Sea...

 

[dunedin]

…..

Scotland has been a lot of fun! We just had a perfect day at Loch Scavaig. Quite sunny, no wind, none of the katabatics. Now trying to position Skye between us and tomorrow's gale.


….

Plockton? Or Isle Ornsay? Or Loch Ceann Traigh?

 

[bergie]

Plockton? Or Isle Ornsay? Or Loch Ceann Traigh?

Plockton and Isle Ornsay would've both been fine, but we've been in them already so time to try something new. We're now anchored at Totaig Bay. Snug but looks promising with all the trees around. Let's see when the wind starts, now a grand total of 0.8kt of it.

 

[ctva]

Plockton and Isle Ornsay would've both been fine, but we've been in them already so time to try something new. We're now anchored at Totaig Bay. Snug but looks promising with all the trees around. Let's see when the wind starts, now a grand total of 0.8kt of it.

Skavaig is one of our favourites.

Just up the Loch from you is the Kintail Hotel which has good moorings and very handy if you like walking as the Five Sisters of Kintail are right there.

 

[Alicatt]

I wasn't too fussed by Fair Isle, it was more of a ticked box really. Scalloway is great, with a decent bus service to Lerwick and my preferred Shetland destination, as well as Scalloway Boat club being full of characters, and a great pontoon.
Shetland is great, without any real ''FFS'' bad places, there again I'm quite biased.
I know that you've done Wick, but I'll give a shout out for Wickers World cafe whilst your there, which is the real deal.

As an ex local, Wickers World used to be the Harbour Cafe, Burke and Hare (of body snatchers fame) kept bodies in the cellar there before shipping them off to Edinburgh. Also the cellar was tidal, and used to flood when the water got high, there were stepping stones to cross the floor when the tide was in.
A friend owned the cafe for many years, I finally left there in 2010, I had a farm just outside the town on top of the hill to the south. and I kept my boat at Staxigeo just north of the town