View source for Fair Isle

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<center>[[Image:Fair Isle from Scousburgh Hill 07.JPG|830px]]</center>
<center>''Fair Isle from Scousburgh Hill, its apparent nearness a trick of the zoom lens</center>
<center>'''Fara Il id est insula pulchra''', Fair Isle, the beautiful island.<center>
<center><sub>(Inscription in Mercator's '''''Atlas Mundi''''', 1598)</sub></center>

{{ShetlandIslands
|osname=  '''Fair Isle''' 
|shetaltname= ''Fair Isle'' 
|image= [[Image:PicIslFairIsle.jpg|center|150px]]  
|gridref=
[http://getamap.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getamap/frames.htm?mapAction=gaz&amp;gazName=g&amp;gazString=HZ210720 HZ210720]
|area=768 ha
|population=70
|comcoun=[[Community Councils#Dunrossness Community Council|Dunrossness]]
|ferry=[[Good Shepherd]] from [[Grutness]]
|notes=
}}
[[Image:Coastline near Malcolm's Head - Dr Julian Paren.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Coastline near Malcollm's Head&lt;br&gt;[http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/871114 Image] copyright [http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/9616 Dr Julian Paren] and licensed for reuse under this [http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ Creative Commons Licence].]]
[[Image:North Light 1 - Kozetland1.JPG|thumb|left|250px|The north lighthouse viewed from the ferry entering the north Harbour. The foghorn is visible on the promontory 'Da Niz'.&lt;br&gt;Photo by [[User:Kozetland1|Kozetland1]].]]


'''Fair Isle''' (from Old Norse, Fridar-øy / Friðarey) is the southernmost island of [[Shetland]], lying roughly halfway between Shetland [[Mainland]] and North Ronaldsay, the northernmost of the Orkney Islands. Geographically, Fair Isle is the most remote inhabited island in the UK, situated about 25 miles from [[Sumburgh Head]], at the far south of the Shetland Mainland.

During the mid-nineteenth century there were as many as 400 islanders, but the century that followed saw steady, sometimes rapid depopulation.  Today, the population of the island is approximately 70, and has remained reasonably constant for several decades. Politically, Fair Isle is part of the South Shetland council ward.

Though there are no pubs or restaurants on the island, [[Fair Isle Lodge and Bird Observatory]] offer meals and a bar between April and October. There is also a well-stocked shop and Post Office, [[Stackhoull Stores]]. The island has a primary school, but its secondary-age pupils attend Anderson High School in Lerwick, and stay in hostel accommodation there.

There are two churches on the island; [[Fair Isle Kirk|The Church of Scotland]] and [[Fair Isle Methodist Chapel]].

The topography of the island is, like much of Shetland, divided between hill moorland and fertile croft land. There is also spectacular cliff scenery, particularly along the west coast. All of the crofts and other housing are situated in the south, while the moorland in the north provides communal grazing. The island’s airstrip and harbour are also in the north, as is the bird observatory.
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==[[Fair Isle Lodge and Bird Observatory|Fair Isle Bird Observatory]]==
[[Image:Old Fair Isle Bird Observatory - Shetland Museum and Archives SL04834.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The old Bird Observatory&lt;br&gt;Photo from [[Shetland Museum and Archives]].]]
[[Image:Bird Observatory1 - Kozetland1.JPG|thumb|right|250px|The new Bird Obsevatory.&lt;br&gt;Photo by [[User:Kozetland1|Kozetland1]].]]
For the past 60 years, the story of Fair Isle and its bird observatory have been intimately connected. The observatory was built in [[1948]] by [[George Waterston]], who owned the island, and since that time ‘the obs’ has become a Mecca for birdwatchers. The island is renowned for the number of rare birds sightings, particularly during the spring and autumn migration seasons.  As well as carrying out extremely significant research on both migrating and breeding species, the observatory also provides accommodation to the majority of the island’s visitors.

A new bird observatory was opened in [[2010]].

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==Community==
[[Image:Fair Isle Windmill - Kozetland1.JPG|Thumb|left|260px|]]
[[Image:Fair Isle - Kozetland1.JPG|thumb|right|245px|The more fertile south end of Fair Isle. All the crofts (and 2 aerogenerators) are in the south end of the isle.&lt;br&gt;Photo by [[User:Kozetland1|Kozetland1]].]]
[[Image:Fair Isle Windmill 2 - Kozetland1.JPG|thumb|left|250px|This aerogenrator was the first commercial aerogenerator in the UK and was commissioned in [[1982]].&lt;br&gt;Photo by [[User:Kozetland1|Kozetland1]]]]
[[Image:Fair Isle2 - Kozetland1.JPG|thumb|right|250px|
Near the south light are several boat 'noosts', above the beach at Kirkigeo. Fair Isle was once an important area for 'Haaf Fishing' and vast quantities of Halibut and other deep sea fish were caught and landed on the isle from the early 18th century until the decline of the fishery around the mid 18th century.&lt;br&gt;Photo by [[User:Kozetland1|Kozetland1]].]]
The depopulation of Fair Isle during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century was dramatic and almost devastating. However, the fortunes of the island were turned around in [[1954]] when the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) became landlord. The trust carried out necessary improvements on the island’s accommodation, and employment opportunities and standards of living gradually improved. Because housing is owned by the NTS, an application process is required for allocating properties. This process has attracted much media attention in recent years.

The NTS now operates a fairly ‘hands-off’ approach to island affairs, and the islanders themselves have been instrumental in maintaining a strong and thriving community. Projects such as Fair Isle Electricity Company, which provides the island’s energy through a combination of wind and diesel generation, and is both owned and staffed by islanders, are considered by many to be a model of innovative community enterprise. Fair Isle was the first island to be granted Fair Trade status, in [[2004]].

Just as elsewhere in Shetland, the traditional crofting lifestyle has been replaced a diversified economy, with most islanders now holding multiple employments.
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==Culture==
[[Image:Fairs_Isle_Jumpers_-_Shetland_-_Shetlopedia.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Fair Isle Ganzees]]
Fair Isle has long been world renowned for its colourful, patterned knitwear. This has been widely copied, though many garments labelled ‘Fair Isle’ now bear little resemblance to the original geometric patterns. Most knitwear on the island is currently sold through the co-operative, Fair Isle Crafts.

There are several visual artists, photographers, writers and musicians on the island, including [[Dave Wheeler]] and [[Lise Sinclair]]. [[Malachy Tallack]] was earlier living on the island, but has now moved to Shetland Mainland.&lt;br&gt;There is also a traditional boat builder, [[Ian Best]], who learned his trade in Western Norway.
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==Transport==
[[Image:Fair Isle Airport - Kozetland1.JPG|thumb|left|250px|The Fair Isle airstrip (centre), looking at Ward Hill, the highest point on the island, and the communications mast.&lt;br&gt;Photo by [[User:Kozetland1|Kozetland1]].]]
[[Image:Fair Isle Airp building - Kozetland1.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Airport building&lt;br&gt;Photo by [[User:Kozetland1|Kozetland1]].]]
Fair Isle can be reached by both sea and air. [[Directflight Ltd.|DirectFlight]] operate a regular service to the island from [[Tingwall Airport|Tingwall]] in Shetland Mainland, and during the summer, [[Loganair Ltd.|Loganair]] run a twice weekly service from Kirkwall in Orkney.

The ferry, [[Good Shepherd|Good Shepherd IV]], operates three times weekly in summer and once weekly in winter, between Fair Isle’s [[North Haven]] and [[Grutness]] at the south of Shetland.

The North Haven is also the second busiest harbour in Shetland for visiting yachts.
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==Shipwrecks==
Over the years there have been many [[Shipwrecks on or near Fair Isle|shipwrecks on or near Fair Isle]]. The most famous being [[El Gran Grifon]], the flagship of the Spanish Armada, which was wrecked in the cove of Stroms Hellor on the 20th August [[1588]], forcing its 300 sailors to spend six weeks living with the islanders. The wreck was discovered in [[1970]].&lt;br&gt;

Other wrecks on the isle include the [[Blessed Endeavour]] in Mavers Geo in [[1798]], the [[Laurestinus]] on August 4th [[1804]], the [[Favourite (1805)|Favourite]] on April 27th [[1805]], the [[Li La Too Zee]] on November 15th [[1817]], the [[Vandrandande Man]] which wrecked on the Head of the Landberg in [[1822]], the [[Resolution (1829)|Resolution]] at Muckle Orie Geo in [[1829]], the [[Rover]] which struck the Heids o' Sheldigeo and foundered at Hesswalls on either October 22nd or 23rd [[1831]], the [[Adolph Wilhelm]] at Slogar, and the [[Anna Carolina]] at Hesswalls both on August 22nd [[1835]], the [[Lessing]] in Klavers Geo on May 18th [[1868]], the [[Wilhelmina]] which drove ashore at South Ramni Geo on October 13th [[1876]], the [[Carl Constantine]] on Fogli/Fugli Stack on December 6th [[1876]], the [[Hertigen]] on Sheep Rock on December 14th [[1876]], the [[Black Watch]] on the west coast of the isle on September 19th [[1877]], the [[Monchgut]] on Cubbie Skerry at north end of the isle on May 30th [[1879]], the [[Hebe]] on November 25th [[1881]], the [[Columbine (1911)|Columbine]] at either [[South Haven]] or [[South Harbour]] on November 12th [[1911]] and the [[Canadia]] on Heely Stack or Fugla Stack, near Malcom's Head on March 12th [[1915]].

Numerous other vessels have wrecked at [[North Haven]], [[South Haven]] and [[South Harbour]] also on the isle, and are listed on the respective location pages.

==World War II==
[[Image:Fair Isle. An unusual relic. A downed WWII German Aircraft.jpg|thumb|250px|This unusual relic is still lying in a Fair Isle field (2004) The German pilot often visited Fair Isle on the aniversary of the aircrafts demise. Pic by [[User:Peter II|Peter II]]]]
Although Fair Isle is just a small isolated island, it saw perhaps more than it's fair share of involvement in wartime incidents.&lt;br&gt;
The [[Fair Isle South Lighthouse|south lighthouse]] was attacked twice in the winter of [[1941#December|41]]/[[1942#January|42]]. On the first occasion the assistant lightkeepers wife was killed, and on the second occasion a direct bomb strike to the accomodation block resulted in the death of the keepers wife and daughter.&lt;br&gt;
The [[Fair Isle North Lighthouse|north lighthouse]] was also attacked twice in [[1941]], but luckily no deaths resulted.&lt;br&gt;
Perhaps the best known incident during the war was on 15th January [[1941#January|1941]] when a Heinkel HE111 aircraft crash landed after being shot down by allied aircraft. Three of the 5 crew survived the crash. The pilot, Heinz Thurz, who was only 20 at the time, revisited the island in the late 1980s to see the site of the crash, and the remains of the aircraft, which can still be seen to this day.
Also during the war a RAF radar station was sited at Ward Hill.
[[Image:PicFairBoats.jpg|thumb|250px|Yawls and boat noosts at South Harbour, 1987]]
==Recent Notable Events==
On March 31, [[1998]], 211 years of lightkeeping tradition came to an end when [[Fair Isle South Lighthouse]] was automated. It was the last manned lighthouse in Scotland.

==Businesses==
*[[Fair Isle Crafts Ltd.]]
*[[Ian Best|Ian Best Boatbuilder.]]
*[[Northmen (Fair Isle) Ltd.]]
*[[Stackhoull Stores]]

== See also ==
*[[Fair Isle Pier]]
*[[Fair Isle North Lighthouse]]
*[[Fair Isle South Lighthouse]]
==External Links==
*[http://www.fairisle.org.uk/ Fair Isle community website]
*[http://www.fairislebirdobs.co.uk/ Fair Isle Bird Observatory]
*[http://www.fairisle.org.uk/davewheelerimages/ Dave Wheeler Images - A Collection of Fair Isle Photos by Dave Wheeler.]
*[http://www.davewheelerphotography.com/ Dave Wheeler Photography]
*[http://www.zetnet.co.uk/sigs/weather/ The Fair Isle Weather Data]
*[http://www.fairisle.org.uk/egef/index.htm Details of Fair Isle airport]
*[http://www.go-bedandbreakfast.co.uk/FairIsleGuestHouse/ Fair Isle Guest House]
*[http://www.fairisle.shetland.sch.uk/ Fair Isle School website]
*[http://www.fairisle.org.uk/fairislecrafts/ Fair Isle Crafts Ltd. website.]
*[http://www.nlb.org.uk/ourlights/history/fairislenorth.htm Fair Isle North Lighthouse]
*[http://www.nlb.org.uk/ourlights/history/fairislesouth.htm Fair Isle South Lighthouse]
*[http://www.visitshetland.com/area-guides/fair-isle/ Fair Isle - Visit Shetland website]
*[http://www.fairisle.org.uk/ianbestboatbuilder/ Ian Best Boatbuilder]
*[http://www.newstatesman.com/?blog=%2Fblogs%2Ffair-isle Malachy Tallack's New Statesman Blog]
*[http://www.originart.eu/shetland/south/fairisle/008.html Virtual Island Tour]

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[[Category:Shetland Landscapes]]
[[Category:Islands of Shetland]]
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